Knotty Cat Updates

We are taking advantage of our Knotty Cat being on the hard, and having some improvements made to her. In our opinion adding Solar Panels is a no brainer. But----aha, there always has to be a But---- we had no idea what kind or how many we should install. We mentioned to one liveaboard sailor that we'd heard about panels that can be rolled up or down as needed but he said they were worthless. Other liveaboards have solar panels mounted on their life lines and they just drop them down when they're underway. We don't have a hard bimini so mounting them up there isn't an option.

What did we end up with?

The ones that can roll up when not in use of course! Our electrician really felt that these would serve our purpose best. But then today we got a call from him that left me mildly confused (a really big surprise, right?). The original idea was to use Velcro to hold them down when in use, and then roll them up when they're aren't needed. However they came with permanent sticky stuff on them so now the idea is to lay them down permanently. But doesn't that completely ruin the concept of 'roll up solar panels' if they can't roll up?? And then there's a question about where the hell they're going to be glued down! If it's on top of the boat (near the mast), that's where Hans has to stand when we raise the main, and solar panels would last about a minute there with a big German man stomping around! They certainly can't be placed on the front of the boat as that's where we walk around on nice days.

The electrician is going to lay them down and take a picture for us first and then we'll decide.

I think we've gone and opened a can of worms with this project.


The other problem we're having is with our water pump. That damned thing caused us untold problems this summer and we finally said ENOUGH! let's just get a new one. Hans ordered one as soon as we got off the boat in August and it still hasn't arrived. It's from Japsco and I told Hans that if getting a new one is such a huge problem, imagine what will happen if we have troubles with it!! Personally, I think we should look for a different brand

This is a picture of the solar panels (on someone's showroom floor).

They look awfully long to me.

On the home front, I've been trying to keep Wilbur busy and even though I swore I'd never do it, I recently took him to a fenced in, no leash area. My daughter takes her pit bull there and assured me it was okay. The reason I hesitate is because if a skirmish should ever occur between my dog and another, my dog would be blamed solely because he's a pit bull.

We've already been there four times and so far everything's gone smoothly. I'm surprised at how many other pitty's and pitty mixes there are there.

A worn out Wilbur.

He gets chilly you know!

And in his new bed.