About the Ocean Angel
I selected the vertical Maxwell 1200 shown below that has been a lifesaver. Installation required deck modification, heavier wiring, and different controls, but all the work was well worth it. Resetting or retrieving an anchor is now a simple task, and we never hesitate to reset if we're not comfortable. In 2006 I added the 3/8" inner forestay with the Wichard quick release lever to handle our storm jib. When sailing offshore, we simply leave the sail in its bag with the sheets attached and hanked onto this stay; then it's ready to go at a moment's notice should we need it. We find the sail very easy to fly.
Above is a photo of the backing plate we added for the inner forestay.
Coupled to the 12 volt windlass system is our ground tackle, our primary boat insurance. It consists of our
Primary anchor - a Rocna 25 kg (55 lbs) w/ 100ft of G-4 chain & 200ft. of 3/4" New England 3-strand nylon
Secondary anchor - a Danforth HT 20 w/ 50' of G4 and 150' of 5/8" nylon rode and our
Storm anchor - a Fortress FX 37 w/ 50' of G4 chain
We went through a series of real world cruising experience to end up where we are now with this gear. The vessel came equipped with a 33lb Bruce anchor when we bought her. We soon upgraded the Bruce to a 44lb, added the Danforth, then the Fortress, and finally, after dragging one too many times cruising the Yucatan peninsula, we bit the big bullet and bought a Rocna. Can I tell you we love this hunk of heavy metal? Oh yeah, we do. I lower it to the bottom, drift back laying out the chain, then set the anchor, and the boat slams to a stop. I soon found that I really need one hand for the boat when Joy backs the anchor down to set it. More than once I've lost my balance as the Rocna grabbed the bottom. We sleep well with this gear.
Note the heavy duty swivel, & positive locks front and back
Go HOME or > >
Often we talk about what we have done to make the boat safer, easier to sail, better all around, but we forget to mention the interior living improvements. Ocean Angel is our home; we don't go camping; we don't rough it. We love our cruising life. Our cabin is a place of comfort and calm;. it is pleasing to our eyes, and it meets our needs. Joy and I have spent a lot of effort to make our home a pleasant place to live. You should do the same with yours.
In the forward cabin, our normal berth, we added cabinets on either side in place of the original open shelves. We're able to stow more clothes, better organized, and they stay in place when the boat heels. Joy adds personal touches that prove useful as well as decorative.
Everyone spends a lot of time in the galley, and it is vitally important that the galley work well, and be a safe place to work. We recently added the knife block, and I can't tell you just how useful this simple little item has been; every knife in its place. The ceramic tile splash is easy to clean, reflects the heat, and it's attractive. It has been there for 9 years now and has endured some pretty amazing rides. Up top is one of our eight Hella Turbo fans, reasonably quiet and lots of air movement. Notice the sturdy stainless grab rail in front of the stove - an essential item for offshore.
In the upper right corner is one of our Alpenglow lamps; it really lights up the galley so we can see what we are doing. These lamps have a low/ high power switch as well as a switch for red night lighting. You'll notice the positive cabinet door latches in addition to the factory finger hole catches. Those hidden catches work nice at the dock, but not offshore when the boat is working hard. After having all our dishes spill out one time, I added the positive latches. Look closely and you'll notice teak inlays on the freezer and frig lids. I added those not just for looks, but to allow for positive locking latches on both lids. Food stays where it belongs.
Here are two small do dads that make the galley work better, a fitted cutting board and a glass/cup holder. We finally added the glass holder this year after tiring of trying to hang on, fill a cup, then trying to fill a second cup while the first one danced on the counter. I'll find a few more interesting interior bits later.
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