The Ballad Exchange

WANT ! But can't have. :( Where we're going, an indoor oven might never get used, tho. Probably a welcome source of heat up North.;) We're looking at solar ovens, like the Sport. http://www.solarovens.org/ We need one that packs reasonably small and is hard to break. Looks like we will choose the t...

Thanks, Mark! Our Ballad will live for several years in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, which is about as dessicated as it gets. IIRC, central Baja sees 6" of rain a year -- less than Essex probably sees each week.;) http://yachtpals.com/files/imagecache/display/files/userimages/isla-san-%20francisco.j...

Not sure if this belongs under Cruising or Accomodation. But it is maybe more about how people live on their Ballad at anchor and under way, so I will post the question here. We are replacing the 2-burner pressure alcohol cooktop with an Origo or Cookmate non-pressure cooker. We do not need an oven,...

My partner is not happy with the the headroom and difficulty maneuvering into the Ballad's head. (She is quite tall.) We knew it was tiny and awkwardly placed before buying the boat; it is even smaller than we thought! And I am not excited by the idea of staggering all the way thru the salon in wet ...

We'd like a short bow extension for stowing one (and possibly a second) delta/claw/Manson-style anchor, probably around 35lbs (15kg) on a chain or mixed chain/nylon rode. We intend to add roller furling but no windlass at this time. Anchor will be raised by hand and rode fed down a hawsepipe. We wil...

Love it. Those LED strips are becoming common undercabinet lights for the kitchens I build. Better for boats, maybe -- in a house, they require a low-voltage transformer, which typically last 1-3 years & sometimes catch fire. :shock: I wouldn't mind the electrical panel where it is, if it could ...

Hi, Peter. Here is our instrument panel. We have lots of waterproof switches, tho only two are labeled, four are wired, and I have no idea where they really go.;) Number 3 is labeled MAST -- presumably Mast, not Master. Not sure if that is anchor light, or the steaming/deck light. Number 4 is labele...

The ST2000+ has a different drive mechanism than the 1000+ -- recirculating ball rather than linear drive, IIRC. Upshot is ~40% more thrust & longer motor life. Unlike the TP10, both Raymarine pilots can be tied to your instruments. Both have LCD displays, which are easier to see what you are pr...

We have quite a few areas of wet core -- mostly around the mast, on the foredeck, below the portlights, and worst of all at the chainplates. I drilled two core samples the other day: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8260141212_98ec011fbd_z.jpg cores by Wyoming offgrid , on Flickr The right-hand co...

Yeah, it is always nice to have a 'worst case scenario' baseline, like a boat abandoned in the weeds with a foot of standing water inside. :mrgreen: Makes all our projects seem superficial by comparison. The blog and photo site are top-notch resources, thank you. Peter: your Ballad didn't have any w...