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DeFever Cruisers Defever enthusiasts who share a common love of their vessels,

and the cruising life

Fall 1997 Volume 1, Issue 1

Reno & Suzanne Ivy (#53) DF52 “Oh Suzanna” Avid "vacation" boaters since the 60's on Georgia's Lake Lanier, the TVA system, Florida's coasts and the Bahamas, we'd always dreamed of living aboard for some extensive cruising. Our opportunity came in early '94, and we took it, signing papers on the sale of our business on a Monday and on the purchase of our 1985 52-ft DeFever on Friday of the same week! Reno christened her "Oh Suzanna" for me (I hope), and the full-size digital piano he'd bought for me weeks before our final choice of this particular model DeFever. The remainder of '94 was spent restoring and upgrading, and "shakedown" cruising familiar Bahamas' waters. Our plans to "do the Caribbean" took shape in early '95. However, while at Conception Island, Exuma, on an impulse we did a 180 and headed for Maine, joining "Oh Buoy", Paul & Judi Ewing's 48-ft DeFever, and "Anejo", Don, Rose & Kristin Cummings' 41-ft trawler. It was a wise decision considering that was the year the number of hurricanes was second only to 1932. Four thousand miles and six months of wonderful experiences later, back in Charleston, SC, we took a couple of months to sell our house and cars back in GA, as living aboard suited both of us even better than we'd anticipated, if possible. In so doing, we discarded the first of three stipulations made before leaving home: 1) keep a house in the mountains, 2) return every few months to visit families and friends and 3) worship whenever we could wherever we traveled. Numbers two and three are permanently in effect! Now "'going south" became Priority One. Reno, in keeping with his practice of preparing for any potential need, had all the boat's equipment checked out, stocked up on spare/repair parts while I made many provisioning runs,

and we both attended USCG classes attaining our 100-ton Masters certificates (Suzanne got hers first-ed.). Leaving Florida in March '97, we spent a month bumming our way down through our beloved Bahamas, balancing hard work waxing the hull, etc., with beachcombing. A highlight was Easter Sunday services at Nassau's old Scottish "kirk", where any and all were invited to sing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus with the excellent little choir, and I wound up standing alongside boaters we'd met at Man-0-War! A perfect illustration of one of boating's main pleasures - meeting folks on land and sea. Mid-April found us in Georgetown, Exuma - our rendezvous point with "Floridays", Bob & Andy Utter’s 42-ft Hunter sloop from Naples, and again "Oh Buoy",

this time with the Cummings aboard as crew. Finally, on 4/22, our little armada made for Rum Cay where we had a gourmet "first night out" dinner ashore, having lost fish and sighting whales along the way. Several overnight anchorages l a t e r b rough t u s i n to Providenciales, Caicos. We got our first taste of trade winds, rocking and rolling at anchor for the next six days and nights, in a spot where six hours is sufficient time to spend! The memory was obliterated the next day by the beauty of Big Sandy anchorage, all joining in a sunset swim in crystal blue

water, lasagna feast on the bridge, and the "christening" of our voyage with champagne we'd held for the first calm (relatively) evening. An easy 80-mile day run then brought the dramatic mountains of Hispaniola's north coast into view. We dropped anchors in Luperon harbor’s lush surroundings, palm trees growing up to the tops of the mountains. We cleared customs, ate meals ashore and went sightseeing in the Republica Dominicana, our first all Spanish-speaking country. Streets of bamboo/thatch dwellings,

The Ivys and Oh Suzanna. The cruising life is tough, but somebody

has to do it!

Oh Suzanna Does The Caribbean (Part 1 of 2)

(continued page 3)

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DeFever Cruisers Exists!

In less than four months, DeFever Cruisers has amassed 88 members (as of 9/25/97). The diversity of DeFever owners is exciting, even more than we had dreamed. So many of you live aboard, or cruise extensively, or have modified your boats to meet your specific desires. The common thread is the love of our vessels and the cruising life. We all have so much to share with each other, as this inaugural newsletter demonstrates. The boats owned by members are as follows: DeFever 34 1 DeFever 40 5 DeFever 41 8 DeFever 42 1 DeFever 43 4 DeFever 44 22 (WOW! ed.) DeFever 46 2 DeFever 48 6 DeFever 49 15 DeFever 50 2 DeFever 52 7 DeFever 53 5 DeFever 56 1 DeFever 68 1 DeFever 71 1 DeFever - less 7

Finances The member dues are for consumable supplies, postage and photocopying (when necessary) to publish and mail membership information, quarterly newsletters and an annual roster. Our personal PC and scanner will be used to print as much of the materials as possible. We believe that the $20 (U.S.; $25 outside the U.S.) annual fee will suffice, but time will tell. DeFever Cruisers has a checking account at Guaranty Bank and Trust (Venice FL). Below is a financial statement as of 9/25/97. Revenues Loan from Deins $200.00 Membership Dues $1,745.00 Total Revenues $1,945.00 Expenses Supplies & Photocopying $401.59 Postage $201.00 Repay Dein Loan $200.00 Total Expenses $ 802.59 Balance $1,1432.41

Roster The first roster, as of 9/25/97, accompanies this newsletter. Please check your demographic information. If you see any error, please notify us, so corrections can be made for the next roster publication (2/1/98). Likewise, notify us of any changes in address, boat name, etc. so that modifications can be made.

Internet About 1/2 of you use the internet and e-mail. The rest of you are missing some fun. E-mail connects the pen pals of the 90’s. Several members have already “met” and exchanged information via the net, and DeFever Cruisers has a fledgling website, HTTP://members.aol.com/DFCRUISERS. As new members join, they will be announced by e-mail to those members on-line.

Newsletter As you are about to see, the first newsletter contains an eclectic collection of material that reflects the diversity of the members. Notice that the editors do not create the content. You do! Please send material for the second newsletter by Nov.15. It may be sent by mail -typewritten or Word 6.0 file on diskette, or by e-mail or downloadable file (DFCRUISERS@aol.com) . Don’t forget photos, which will be returned if accompanied by a SASE. Use your imagination to create material that will be interesting to your fellow members. Consider announcements, narratives of cruises, descriptions of boat modifications, questions about boat systems or destinations....well, you get the picture. Do not hesitate to get your two cents in. After all, this is your newsletter!

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pigs, chickens, goats, sheep and naked toddlers gave new meaning to the term "culture shock". Fourteen of us, including a delightful live-aboard family from "Kassandra", a 56-ft Cheoy Lee, whom we'd gotten to know, hired a Scottish guide and took a van over a pothole-y road into the interior. We hiked the final short distance to a seven-level waterfall, where the more athletic of us could dive and swim, and then we stopped at a "rancho" for our delicious specially-prepared meal. Up at 0530 departure morning, the first unexpected problem presented itself when one of our engines failed to start; fortunately it was minor, tracked down with help from Paul, Don and Bob, but cost us another day.

Trade winds here arrive at 0800 (set your clock) and die around 2000 daily, so we pulled out of a calm harbor at dawn, rounding the headland into lumpy, head-on seas, a foretaste of almost all future runs. An attempted anchoring among Sousa's coral heads failed; braved it on to Rio San Juan, with its quaint, colorful rowboat fishing boats and tiny settlement, and carefully anchored for a nap, planning to make a "calm night run" to Samana Bay on D. R.'s east coast. Thus began what Paul termed our "night from hell". Floridays, only slightly slower than the trawlers, left first at 2000; radioed from just outside the harbor that her prop had fouled in a drift fish line, rendering her adrift in the ocean swells. By now darkness was complete; we reply that we will weigh anchor, come out and tow her back in. The next radio call was mine: "Would you believe our anchor is firmly hooked on coral and we're not going anywhere!" By now it's completely dark, and neither boat's repairs can be undertaken in 25 ft of coral-infested water. "Oh Buoy" now will retrieve Floridays and use our stationary lights to come back in, a tricky maneuver considering we'd entered this maze using GPS coordinates; BUT...her "good" starboard engine won't start for the first time ever! Several satellite phone calls and major work got her going (hope you will read her version of our cruise in a later issue). Rescue was made; and exhausted, all aboard the three boats spent a very rolly night in a spot barely suitable for a short daytime nap! However, a "heavenly" day, and a calm, gentle ocean greeted our leaving the next morning, after Bob freed both his prop and our anchor at dawn. The charm of lovely Samana Bay, friendly English speaking customs officers, infinite variety of exotic fruits and vegetables, good restaurants and our guys' discovery of the D. R.'s own Presidente beer offset the memory of the night spent playing musical bunks trying to sleep with the swells rolling in. Such poverty here that even a couple of the harbor "officials" wanted shoes in payment for launch service; two even had an actual fight on Floridays' deck over Bob's well-worn boat shoes! Richard, a U.S.-educated Dominican, planned and guided us on our greatest adventure yet: a long drive through the countryside to a small farm. There we all mounted stocky little horses (Reno and Bob given moo-lays.."strong!"), with banana-leaf saddles covered with rag-rug blankets. We were hand-led with rope halters by local young men, up and down the rockiest, muddiest, steepest terrain imaginable. We walked the last half-mile to "Limon Cascado", a 150-ft waterfall, well worth the effort. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the ladies had spent the morning in their separate open-hearth cookhouse preparing our lunch of chicken, D.R.'s own red beans and rice, plantain, tomatoes, lettuce and coleslaw. All was immensely enjoyed at a long table under a thatched roof, closely observed by the livestock, chickens and giggly children. An interesting stop on

our return trip was to see raw rubber dripping from the trees in a similar manner to that of maple syrup. It was mixed with acid in trays, flattened in a handcranked press, and hung to "cue" on fences, all outdoors. Exhausted by all this fun, and in possession of a 36-hour forecast of 5 ft swells, 3-4 ft chop, and 15 k winds, we all collapsed early to rest up for the dreaded run across the infamous Mona Passage. True to our experience thus far, all above predictions were underestimates, but a long 20-hour night run saw all three boats safely into Boqueron on Puerto Rico's west coast. No drastic problems, thankfully, except seasickness after dark obliterated the horizon. Bobbing boat lights, GPS and radars weird green lights are NOT stable references! Having current U.S. Customs decals, we were able to clear by phone, a blessing in our tired state. However, Bob declared his stash of cash, so had to journey into Mayaguez in person, as did Kassandra's crew. P.R. is U.S. for all practical purposes with malls to shop, Sam's to re-provision, Sears to replace our dying washer/dryer, and friendly people who smiled while making dates for repairs never kept. While waiting out five days of high winds, I gave Reno a Yul Bryner hairstyle, my "trade winds" special cut. We had a rough ride along P. R.'s south coast headed east, as usual. We hoped to get away from the swells, and attempted several times to get a hook in Ponce harbor in 25k winds and very close-crowded conditions - a white-knuckle experience at the helm for me. Running one more hour, which in our state seemed like several, we anchored securely at Muertos (Coffin!) Island. Days and nights are now blurring together with the strange hours we've kept trying to find the "good" running times. Next stop was Salinas. Though we'd phoned ahead to order 2000 gallons of fuel for two trawlers, in keeping with island business practices, none was at the marina. It finally arrivedfive days later. Fun here, but frustrated to use so many extra days waiting; we're beginning to feel the pressure of time constraints placed by our insurance carriers to be safely south of 12 degrees N latitude by July lst. Anemometer obviously broken, it registered "O" at 0630 one day. Boats are always facing east down here, usually into 20 knots plus. Finally, trawlers take on half of fuel amounts requested; Floridays fills her jugs. We enjoy a short sunset run to mangrove anchorage, quietly sleep until at 0400 the full moon illuminates reefs on either side. We glide out into gentle swells and no whitecaps. Eight hours later all three safely pull into the largest marina we'd ever seen: Puerto del Rey close to Fajardo, on P.R.'s east coast. (To be continued). mm

? Do You Have An Answer ? Rich Goldman (#60) wants to know if anyone has heard of using sandbag ballast in the port side of the lazarette of the DF41 to compensate for the bow-down tendency, and to counterbalance the weight of the water in the smaller starboard tank. His boat lists to port, especially when the starboard water tank is empty. Any suggestions? mm

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Paul & Carole Bardes (#5) DF44 “Choraules” REDFISH HEAVEN Lat 25 degrees 48.0' N Lon 81 degrees 28.1' W Instead of going directly from Naples to Marathon, we enjoy breaking up the trip by stopping at Indian Key and the Little Shark River. Indian Key is approximately 40 N.M. from Naples and is one of our favorite anchorages. Both Shark River and Indian Key are smack in the Everglades; in fact, from our anchorage at Indian Key, we can spot the Everglades National Park Tourboat cruising the edges of the mangroves looking for birds and other wildlife. As we approach Indian Key, there are signs welcoming us to the Park, then a small channel leading into the anchorage. If we continued up the channel, we would come to Everglades City, but we like to drop the hook on the north side of the channel, just past marker Fl R #6. There is an eighteen-foot section right in the middle of the lagoon and we usually head for that. Sometimes there will be one or two boats anchored with us, but often we're alone. Not only does this area have a beautiful little beach a short dinghy ride away, but it also has more fish than we've ever seen. One time while fishing from the dinghy near the oyster beds in the shallow mangroves, we came upon a little cove filled with hundreds of redfish! Our first catch was one which weighed over five pounds! We have also seen plenty of snook cruising the mangroves, and huge tarpon. The last time we were there we caught a nice sized trout and a big redfish. You have to realize neither one of us is an experienced fisherman, but it didn't stop us from succeeding here. We've seen so many fish 'tailing"; REAL fisherman would think this is fish paradise. The one drawback, (you knew there had to be one) is that if you don't go inside an hour before sundown, you can count on being ravished by giant-size mosquitoes. They are most bothersome from late spring to early fall, and there is no brand of repellent that can keep these guys away. Shoals do exist as you leave the channel and motor into the anchorage. They extend farther from shore than the chart shows. We turn into the anchorage about one hundred yards before Fl G #7 and head right up the middle, and have never had a problem. Maybe we'll see you there some time.... mm

George & Vanetta Beckman (#49) DF48 “Rapture” We have been boating for all of our 30 years in Miami and have sailed extensively through the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, and Eastern Caribbean. “Rapture”, our DeFever 48, is the first trawler we have owned. We spent approximately 2 years on board her in the Central American countries of Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Guatemala (namely the Rio Dulce), and the Bay Islands of Honduras. We presently spend our winters, from late October through April, onboard Rapture in Georgetown, Exuma. Our address in Georgetown is: George and Vanetta Beckman Trawler Rapture c/o Exuma Markets P.O. Box Ex 29031 Georgetown, Exuma Bahamas mm==

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Tony & Jenny Norton DF44 “NKWASI” Typhoon Victor has come and gone, and fortunately the boats in the marina stood up well! Jenny and I have been living aboard our DeFever 44 for seven years now, and we love it. We are originally from Zimbabwe in Africa, and moved to Hong Kong nine years ago. While in Zimbabwe, we built a 50 ft. ferro cement yacht - a Hartly Tahitian - and sailed it to England. We went on to the Med via Durban, Cape Town, St. Helena, Ascension Islands, the Azores, and then the UK, so I guess that we got rid of the sailing bug. When we decided to live aboard in Hong Kong, we decided that a motor boat was the way to go. But which one? We had certain criteria in mind, like a full displacement hull, good range, D/L ratio, etc. We narrowed the search down to two boats - the Nordhavn 46, and the DeFever 44. We think that our choice of the 44 could not have been better. We have been extremely happy with the boat , which was built by CTF Marine in Taiwan. I have previously been in touch with both Gary Oviatt, and the grand old man, Arthur DeFever, both of whom have always been most helpful. Boating here in Hong Kong is not the greatest, as the weather is very unpredictable, and there are not many places to go. Eventually , we will be taking the boat to Australia where we hope to enjoy her much more. There are other DeFever owners here in Hong Kong, and all are very happy with their boats. We believe that

? Do You Have An Answer ? Jim Kuhns (#75) has two questions. #1 Has anyone added flopperstoppers to a 49, and what were the results? Who designed them? #2 What size props are being used with the twin 120 Lehmans? I’m having trouble developing full RPM on both engines, and want to eliminate prop size as a cause. They are 26x21 inch. (Bob Smith - are you ‘listening’?-ed.) mm=

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there is not a live-aboard afloat to beat the DeFever 44! mm

transient slip in a marina which can offer a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts and fine restaurant all on the premises. Just thinking of the names of some of these world famous towns like Charlevoix, Leland and Pentwater conjures up visions in my mind akin to the French Riviera. Crossing Lake Michigan takes planning, a working position indicator (Loran or GPS), radar and a good weather eye. Many have done it with less and many have not been able to do it because they had less. There are very few, if any, commercial tow boats on the lake so if you break down or get into trouble out in the middle it is the Coast Guard who comes to the rescue. This year while returning from Bay Harbor, MI. (which is about 275 miles from my home port and was the site of the Great Lakes Cruising Club's annual rendezvous followed by the First Annual Great Lakes DeFever Rendezvous), I lost two of my three electronic navigation systems. We were crossing the lake on a heading of 273 degrees true from White Lake, MI. to Port Washington, WI. when we ran into a weather system sweeping down across the upper Midwest. At a position 12 miles out from our destination I lost the Loran signal and shortly afterwards lost the GPS signal just as the sky darkened and the rain started pouring down. What had been a five knot head wind turned into a twenty knot cross wind from the south. With visibility limited to less than a mile and the seas building on my beam I had some concern that I would not find the harbor entrance because of leeward drift. Fortunately, the blip I had spotted on shore with the radar, and took for the light house guarding the entrance breakwater to Port Washington, was correct. I was able to correct my cross track error by steering to this mark on the radar screen and we were able to enter the harbor straight on even though we could not see the 70 foot light house until we were 200 yards off. Fog, thunderstorms, lightning and, rarely, tornadoes are all part of Great Lakes cruising. Fortunately, these are uncommon and can usually be avoided by the prudent mariner. During our two week summer cruise we did not lose one day to weather. Usually I allow one day in five for weather days. Many times the lake was so flat you could have skied all the way across! Day time temperatures were in the 80's by shore and 70's in the middle of the lake with night time temperatures in the 60's and 50's. I rarely ran the AC. We saw lots of swimmers in the crystal clear 72 degree water along the powder fine sand beaches of the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. With the sand dunes rising as high as 200 feet above sea level (lake level) it made for a dramatic backdrop. The lake is fairly deep right up to shore which allowed me to cruise as close as 1/4 mile off shore. What a wonderful sight it was through the binoculars as we slowly coursed along the shore picking out the lovely flora and fauna that frolicked on the beaches. Well, it was hard work, but somebody had to do it. mm Larry & Ruth Seckington (#16) DF44 “Pokey”

Joel & Marion Busse (#6) DF49 “Resurgent” Lake Michigan Cruising "What's it like?" is the question I am most often asked by my salt water cousins of cruising on the Great Lakes. Well, that usually launches me on a half-hour discourse that boggles their minds as I extol the virtues and diversity of voyaging on our vast fresh water oceans. It is hard for sailors who have been confined to salt water all their lives to take "lake" boaters seriously. They begin to change their tunes when I remind them of the magnitude of the Great Lakes. For instance, the Chicago to Mackinac Race which just celebrated its 90th annual running covers over 300 miles of off-shore racing, most of it out of sight of land. One of the great dangers in that race is being run down by one of the huge 900 foot tankers which constantly ply the waters between southern Lake Michigan and the Straights of Mackinac.. Traveling at 15 knots, it takes a freighter or tanker one or two miles to stop or divert course, so all of us who enter the shipping lanes in Lake Michigan take collision avoidance very seriously. To my way of thinking, this race represents real blue water sailing which is something ocean- going boaters think we don't have. While the winner this year covered the course in 35 hours, 28 minutes and 23 seconds (Fujimo at 48 feet) the last boat to complete the race took more than 60 hours. That is two and a half days of round the clock sailing - setting watches, cooking meals and changing sails - without stopping in port or touching land. Add a day and a half and my DeFever traveling at 8 knots could have traveled from Cape Hatteras to Bermuda during the same time span. In reality, most of us who cruise the Great Lakes are coastal cruisers who pull into port each night. Occasionally I'll make an overnight crossing from one shore across the 70 to 90 miles to the other shore of Lake Michigan. Most of the time I make 30 to 60 mile hops north or south along the shore from one resort community to the next. I prefer going up and down the eastern shore of Lake Michigan because the towns are more inviting and the harbors are more interesting. It is really neat when you come off a blustery big lake adventure and enter a green-walled river ‘canyon’ leading to a small five mile lake surrounded by porticoed summer cottages, more like mansions with manicured lawns. There are often quaint historic towns along these finger lakes filled with boutiques, fine eateries and water side bistros. Many boats may be anchored for the night and others may take a

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Larry and Ruth Seckington were anxious to get cruising when they bought their DeFever 44. The simplest way was to have what for many of us would be the cruise of a lifetime, while bringing their pride and joy home. "Pokey" was purchased in San Diego, and the Seckington's, along with son Matt and friend Lucille, cruised her through the Panama Canal to her new home in St. Petersburg, FL. "Pokey" had her debut at the Oviatt DeFever Rendezvous at South Seas Plantation, January, 1997. Along with a beautiful boat, Larry and Ruth had a wealth of photographs of the delivery cruise. Larry, a computer junkie, kept a detailed log (on a computer, of course), that totaled 50,000 words! The following are exerpts from the log, taken from the Panama Canal passage: March 6 Wednesday, Balboa During breakfast there was a commotion. About a dozen Panamanians were preparing to tow a large disabled vessel next to us. They were fending off our boat. That made up my mind, we would leave Isla Tobago for Balboa. We were about five miles from Flamenco Station. I didn't want to be required to anchor and wait at the remote and dreary Flamenco Island until officials could come out and inspect. There were dozens of ships anchored waiting to transit the Canal. I called them on VHF 12 for permission to go to the Balboa Yacht Cub. They asked if I had ever transited the Canal before. Since I did in 1972, I told them I had but not in the present vessel. After a pause they gave permission to go to the BYC. A launch met us and assigned a mooring. There are over 100 boats moored in front of a pier and a building in need of refurbishing. We took a motor launch to the pier (no dinghies are allowed). At the head of the pier we had our passports stamped with the entry to Panama. All the previous time in Panama had been spent without an official entry. The only official interested was on Isla Contadora and he took down only the name of the boat and names of the crew. Next we went to the Yacht Club and checked in. March 8 Friday, Balboa We puttered around Pokey that morning. Ruth with her orchids, Lucille with her eyelashes, Matthew with the dinghy cable and me with the computer scanner. I learned I could crop pictures in the scanning software. Surely I will use that feature. With the new impeller we bought in Panama City, Matt reassembled the water pump for the Onan. We have a spare. An enormous "sailboat" transited the Canal. Actually it is a French cruise ship with three tall masts to give it character. Many ships go by every day. Mostly they are container ships; but, there are many for grain, lumber and petroleum. They hardly cause a ripple and we are within 100 yards of the channel! However, the pilot boats, and other small displacement boats with big engines that can push them faster than their theoretical

hull speeds, cause wakes that are annoying if not dangerous. At times Pokey and the other yachts roll and pitch unexpectedly. So, we keep tables and countertops cleared. It’s like being at sea. We went to the BYC and exchanged a $100 bill. We have found no stores that will accept that denomination bill in Panama. There are too many counterfeit bills. We even have difficulty with $50’s. We took a taxi and went to pick up the isolation transformer for my printer, the chocks that were welded closed and a transmission cable for the dinghy. Ruth and Lucille tagged along. They enjoy shopping at Noveys. It is like a K-Mart. March 9 Saturday, Balboa Ruth and Lucille went into Panama City to shop at the Dorado Shopping Center. While they were gone, Matt and I had to find a way of transporting both dinghies on Pokey. To do this we had to get the heavy 12ft. hard dinghy up on the boat deck with the rubber Achilles dinghy. First we removed the rubber dinghy from the boat deck by removing its 35 HP outboard engine and sliding the dinghy onto the bridge. With some different cable arrangements we were able to use the "strongback" from the rubber dinghy for the hard dinghy. Fortunately, I had a large selection of shackles on board. We tripped the circuit breaker to the davit as we began hoisting the hard dinghy. It wasn’t quite powerful enough. So we rigged a double-purchase block to it and Matt lifted and I operated the davit control – takes one finger. The davit is not high enough to raise either dinghy so that they can be swung over the chocks. In the case of the rubber dinghy, we lift it and set it into its chocks; however, we couldn’t lift the hard dinghy into them. So, using the dinghy fenders, we rolled the hard dinghy between the chocks, transverse on the boat deck. We tied it securely to the deck using more fenders as cushions. Then we capsized the rubber dinghy and set it on top of the hard dinghy and tied it down so the wind wouldn’t blow it away. Very heavy work. I was pooped. Matt wasn’t breathing hard. March 10 Sunday, Balboa Heavy, dark cumulus clouds. Matt and I went ashore to the BYC to call the Admeasurer's Office. We needed to make an appointment to measure Pokey. We took Pepe le Pue with us. He did not like the noise made by the BYC launches and their diesel engines. He was so happy to be on land. It had been a week since he rollicked on shore! He is has become quite a good "boat dog." He uses the forward deck near the anchor whenever we can’t take him to shore for a couple of days. How he holds it so long is amazing. Anyway, we didn’t get through on the phone to the Admeasurer and gave up until the next day. March 11 Monday, Balboa Raining, solid overcast sky. The first rain we have had in the morning. The rain in Golfito was always in the afternoons after an intensely hot day. We were never able to determine how hot since we didn’t have a

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thermometer – nor did anyone else. Now we have one and yesterday, I found it was really hot during the midday: 105°F in the sun on the bridge. Thankfully, we had a cooling breeze flowing through the cabin. In pouring rain, Ruth & I went to the BYC to call the Panama Canal Admeasurement Office. A Mickey Donahue answered and we made arrangements to meet at the Mine Dock since their personnel consider the BYC launches unsafe without lifejackets and fire extinguishers. We arrived at 10:00 AM where the Canadian trimaran Koyote was being measured. After they finished with them the measurers did Pokey. They filled out all kinds of paperwork:

• Handline Lockage Request • Handline Undertaking to Release and

Indemnify • Ship’s Information and Quarantine Declaration

Ruth requested to leave ASAP. That meant March 13th, the same day as the Storm of the Century. Ominous. We were given the Ship Identification Number 795143 and told to go to the Treasury Office where they estimate the required fees. They did and we paid a total of $265.00 that consisted of: Admeasurement Service Charge–$138.00, Transit – $73.92, and Buffer – $53.00. They will send a refund check if we don’t incur other expenses such as damaging their locks. Next we had to check with the Transit Scheduler to confirm the date and to be provided with the time for the pilot to board Pokey. They had just received our paperwork and requested we call back the next morning.March 12 Tuesday, Balboa Many warships were transiting the Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The Mainland Chinese are trying to influence the upcoming elections in Taiwan. The Chinese Government is firing live missiles within 20 miles of their island. This is certainly strong intimidation for Taiwan. We had to queue up to fuel at the BYC fuel dock. It took about two hours to fill Pokey’s tanks. The person that pumps the fuel does not collect the money; rather, he gives the customer a bill to take to the office. The customer is obliged to walk up a 50ft. gangway, span a 300ft. dock, climb 75 steep steps, walk 150ft. around muddy puddles, descend 30 steep greasy steps into the BYC, wait in line until you can pay and then reverse the procedure and show the receipt to the dock master. Then and only then can you move your boat and allow another boat at the fuel dock. We started waiting at 7:00 AM and finished at 12:30 PM. There were three sailboats ahead of us. How much fuel can they take – 100 or 200 gallons? The delay is cause by the typical Spanish business procedure, namely, separation of service and payment. Sometimes there is a third department, usually with personal computers, that handles only credit cards . While fueling, I called the Panama Canal Traffic Office and confirmed a transit time of 7:00 AM the next morning. After fueling, we took Pokey back out to its mooring and went into Panama City to the Dorado Shopping Center to buy a few groceries to feed the transit crew. March 13 Wednesday, Panama Canal. We tried to get a good night’s sleep, but woke at 3:00 AM, and slept fitfully until 6:00 AM. We made two pots of coffee and the crew

started to arrive. Our Atlantic-bound yacht transit began at the BYC. We went into the ship channel where a launch put the pilot, Tomas, aboard Pokey. The Canal consists of 1.Flamenco Signal - - - - - Controls entry into the Panama Canal 2.Friendship Bridge - - - - Joins N/S Americas via Pan American Highway 3.Miraflores Locks - - - - - Twin locks tall for the 20ft. Pacific tides 4.Miraflores Lake - - - - - Man-made to separate the two Pacific locks 5.Pedro Miguel Locks - - All PCC locks are 1,000ft. x 110ft. 6.Gaillard Cut - - Eight mile ditch cut through the Continental Divide 7.Gamboa Canal Channel - - - - - Where the Chagres River fills Lake Gatun 8.Gatun Lake - - 85ft. above sea level. Water works locks by gravity 9.Gatun Locks - - Three locks. Less turbulent "down-locking" 10.Limon Bay - - On which is Colon, Republic of Panama We went through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks "nested" with Simpatico. Sounds Spanish? Well, Simpatico is a Canadian sailboat with Frank and Karen, an Austrian husband and a Danish wife. . Considerable turbulence resulted as the lock filled, but not nearly as much as when the ship, a few feet in front of Pokey, started turning its "screws" as it left the lock. Since I had twin engines, it was necessary that I maneuver the nest to keep from hitting the sides. Very stressful, as is every March 13th! March 14 Thursday, Colon That night the aft cabin was too hot for Ruth, and I woke up to find her sleeping up on the bridge. We made coffee and listened to the weather. After Matt and Ruth prepared Pokey for rough weather, we went to shore and took a taxi into town. Each trip requires a taxi ride for personal safety. Matt wanted a starting solenoid for the dinghy’s engine and we had to have immigration stamp our passports with a "Salida" to exit the country. The Panama Canal Yacht Club has a fence around it, and no one, not even a boat owner, is allowed in or out

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after 1:00 AM. Fifty percent of the citizens of Colon are unemployed and, as a consequence, it is risky going into town with jewelry or purses. Our taxi driver, Whittiker, drove us through the best part of the city and the poorest. The best part of the city has houses similar to that of Middle America. They cost around $100,000 and have great views of the harbor. Many are owned by Arabs. All have heavy security fences around them and each window and door are secured by metal bars. These security bars actually look nice. They are not an afterthought, but, rather, an integral piece of the house design. The poorer parts of Colon are as poor as any town we have ever seen! Nevertheless, people were dressed nicely and were rather handsome. There are many that speak English – more than in Panama City. Matt had some difficulty with the new solenoid and had to find another. He went into town and found that none of the solenoids in the store "clicked" when a battery was connected to them! So he went to another store, but they refuse to test theirs. Matt gritted his teeth and bought one. Back on Pokey, he tested it and that one didn’t click either! This time, however, he felt an electric tingle from the mounting plate. Starting solenoids must have their mounting brackets grounded. Another little mystery solved. We decided to eat at the Panama Yacht Club restaurant. The dinghy was much faster than usual as we headed to the restaurant. Matt had cleaned the outboard’s spark plugs and the engine was much more powerful. What a difference! We startled a long silvery fish that leaped into the dinghy next to Lucille. She gave a little scream and then, when she saw what it was, started giggling. At the restaurant, we had a feast. Matt ordered a Porterhouse steak which filled his plate. At the end of the meal, the only scrap of food left was the steak bone! Pepe loved it. mm

was our second best decision. The captain became a good friend, taught us so much about power boating, and was familiar with the GICW. We left Bahia Marina, which is just off Christi Bay, on Sunday. Except for a 10 km run across Aransas Bay and a 16 km run across Matagorda Bay, the 91 km we covered that day were in a ditch. We stopped for the night in Matagorda Harbour Marina, which is entered directly off the GICW. Monday was a 79 km run to Galveston. Except for a total of 9 km crossing Chocolate Bay, West Bat and Galveston Bay, this trip was also in a ditch. We stopped at Galveston Yacht Basin Marina, which is entered off the GICW. During this run, we developed a large fuel leak from a generator fuel filter, and broke our antenna mount when we lowered the antenna to pass through a bridge. We spent Tuesday at the adjacent Galveston Yacht Yard, where their friendly staff solved all our problems. Wednesday was a 66km run to Rainbow Marina, which is about 2 km off the GICW on the Neches River. After going aground several times in the very small channel to the marina, we were able to tie up, connect to shore power and have dinner at their restaurant. All but 2 km that day were in a ditch. Thursday, returning to the GICW, our captain told us that from that point, until we reached New Orleans, pleasure facilities along the GICW were limited. That night we tied up to a sunken barge off the GICW next to a small facility that fuels and provisions tug boats. A sign on the sunken barge directed us to put $10 in a metal box when we tied up. We were at the the 193 mile marker and had gone 71 km that day. Friday was a 85 km run, all in a ditch, to the city dock at Morgan City, Louisiana. The city dock is a bulkhead along the river where boats can tie up and plug into free shore power. Saturday, after a two hour wait to enter Bayou Boeuf Lock, we traveled 71 km in the ditch to the intersection of the Barataria Waterway, and tied up to a fuel dock in Lafitte, Louisiana. Our captain knew the owners of this dock and also the owner of ‘Bounties on the Bayou’ who took us to and from the restaurant. As we left the fuel dock on Sunday morning, we were only 27 km from our destination, Orleans Marina, off Lake Ponchartrain. We entered the Harvey Canal #1, and at the Harvey Canal Lock, entered the Mississippi River for about 5 km. We left the River at the Inner Harbour Navigation Canal, and locked out of the Mississippi. After about 5 km in the Canal, we entered Lake Ponchartrain. We were at the Orleans Marina within 5 km, which was a pleasant change after the previous few days. West of New Orleans, the GICW was almost devoid of pleasure boats. The Waterway belongs to the tugs and barges with red flags indicating hazardous cargo. Cruising at only a slightly greater speed than them, passing a group of tugs with barges lined up ahead, required a lot of communication. This was especially true when a bend in the ditch blocked what might be coming from the opposite direction. The captains were always courteous and helpful. From New Orleans east, we were back in waters where marinas, pleasure boats, and open water abounds, with fewer tugs. But that’s another story. mm=

Bob & Glenna Davis (#66) DF44 “King’s X” After sailing on the Chesapeake Bay for 23 years, our plans for retirement were to build a home overlooking the water , with our own dock, and to convert to a trawler. Our priorities were a walk-in engine room for Bob and a galley -up for me. We both wanted a large, covered aft-deck (back porch) for relaxing with coffee in the morning and having cocktails while watching the sunsets in the evening. Based on pictures only, we decided that the layout of the DeFever 44 had it all. At that time, there were two for sale in Florida, and two in Texas. We chose King’s X in Corpus Christi, Texas. Bob flew there for the survey and sea trial. On June 1, the same day we took possession of our newly-built home in New Bern, NC, Bob flew back to Texas to get the boat ready for the delivery trip home. I arrived a week later. Seeing the boat for the first time, I was thrilled by our decision. Since we were new to the boat, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW), we decided to hire a captain for the first week, which would cover the distance to New Orleans. That

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landfall at Kingston, Jamaica, we went nonstop for 8 days, to Baltimore. In the following years, we made two one-month trips to Bermuda, along with extensive cruising of the Chesapeake and Deleware Bay areas. In 1972 and 1973 we were able to spend a year aboard, and cruised to Miami, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the West Indies as far as St. Lucia. After retirement in 1983, we moved to Tampa, bringing Meerheim down the Intracoastal Waterway, with several outside passages, and crossing Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway.

Charlie & Kat Bezinover (#72) DF42 “Meerheim” On June 20, 1997, Charles and Kat Bezinover took delivery of a 1966 steel-hulled DeFever trawler named Meerheim. They took her to West Palm Beach in September and plan to move aboard with a golden retriever, two cats, and an Amazon Parrot named Jo Jo. They intend to cruise the Caribbean, transit the Panama Canal, and head up to the San Juan Islands of Washington state. The following is provided by Otto Witzell, Meerheim’s only previous owner. The Vessel Meerheim had its genesis when Karl Ihrig and I, both of Santa Barbara, CA., decided that we each wanted a trawler design with a steel hull. A search for a naval architect uncovered Art DeFever of San Diego. We outlined our desires to Art and he found a builder in Guaymas, Mexico. The yard was named Astillera Playa, and was owned by Tony Vidal, who had been building steel shrimpers for his own fleet. Vidal built three vessels to DeFever’s plan, and all were completed in six months. One was for Ihrig, one for me, and one for Art’s personal use. Meerheim was delivered in August, 1966. Taking possession required the presence of a member of the Mexican government, a member of the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo, the builder, Art, and Jane, my wife. The next day we ran a successful trial run on our own, crossing the Gulf of California and back. Meerheim is 42 feet long and has 5 watertight compartments. Fuel tanks are integral with the hull and hold 1,400 gal. Two fresh water tanks hold 400 gal. The main engine is a Waukesha diesel, 102 HP, and the generator is 5 KW powered by a 10 HP Faryman. This engine can be connected to the propeller shaft by chain and belts, and will power the vessel at 2-3 knots in an emergency. Steering is hydraulic. The vessel has 1/4-inch welded steel plate on the hull, and fiberglass-covered plywood on the house. The keel is an I-beam with plates welded to form a double box that acts as a keel cooler for the engine. Exhaust gasses from both engines are removed through a dry stack designed with a venturi inlet to provide positive ventilation to the engine room. There are three electrical systems, 12vDC, 32vDC, and 120vAC. One hand and two mechanical bilge pumps are present. The main mechanical pump is belt-driven from the main engine through a clutch and is connected to all 5 watertight compartments by a manifold system. This pump is also available for washdown of the anchor and chain. The forward cabin has two bunks, locker and drawers, head and sink. The aft cabin has queen-size bed, locker and drawers, settee, and head with shower and sink. The galley is equipped with a kerosene and electric two-burner cooking unit, sink and separate under-counter refrigerator and freezer. Voyages The maiden voyage was with a crew of four. We left Guaymas for Acapulco, a several day trip. After provisioning, the next wet and stormy leg was to Panama. Flopperstoppers greatly improved the ride. After several days in Panama City, Meerheim transited the Canal, along with a Mexican tanker. Following

Meerheim, flexing her ratlines and flopperstoppers

Mort Lyons (#36) DF52 “Miss Shugah Too”

Awl Grip Tip

When hand brushing Awl Grip, combine all ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes before applying (suggested formula for sub-tropic conditions: 2 parts catalyst, 1 part reducer). Use a badger brush and apply minimal amount of paint, just enough to cover small area. Apply horizontally and brush off vertically. Do not go back for seconds!!! Paint small areas in order to keep working with a wet edge.

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Frank & Linda Ricketts (#29) DF41 “Escape II” Our search began last December shortly after a sailing vacation down the Exuma chain with friends. We had sold our Gulfstar 44 sloop a few years before, much to my husband’s dismay. Personally I never understood or, quite honestly, cared to learn the science of sailing. Still I enjoyed the cruising that we had done around the Northeast and in the Caribbean. To make a long story short, we agreed that maybe a traditional trawler might be the answer for us. For three months we poured over the Yacht Trader magazine and made calls all over the country. We didn't, at the onset, have a clue as far as what make of boat we wanted. Our top priorities were seaworthiness, comfort and, of course, a decent galley for me. Brokers and owners sent specs for countless boats, none of which fitted our needs. I found the Internet to be a good source, as well. There I could do my search by location etc. We were able to download pictures which was a big help and we did ultimately look at some of these boats but again, nothing seemed to fit the bill. In the meantime we were working extensively with a broker where we live in Ft. Lauderdale. Our broker was much like a real estate agent. It took him awhile to truly understand what we wanted, but day after day of looking finally narrowed our choice to a DeFever. That should be easy enough- just punch it in the computer and print out a long list of DeFevers. Boy were we wrong. There were two in our size range and one in our price range. So we made the long drive to Northern FL, only to find a boat in such need of repair that it would've taken much more time and energy than we were willing to spend. By that time we were really discouraged. It looked like we were going to have to fall back and regroup. That evening I decided to check the classifieds in the local paper "just for grins". Lo and behold what should jump out at me but "By owner -1981 DeFever 41”. The price was right in the ballpark. We called immediately and learned all the details. It was just too good to be tue. While some of the electronics that we wanted weren't there, everything else sounded perfect. One look at her the next day and there was no question. She just had to be ours. By the time we had decided what price to offer it was 7:30 in the evening. We were leaving first thing in the morning for a week and the owner was also leaving before we returned. So we had to move fast. By 1 PM the deal was sealed. We had taken lots of pictures which were immediately developed so that we could show off our new baby just like proud parents. Our broker handled the news very well, and while he didn't find the actual boat, he was instrumental in our choice. That was back in April. Since then we have been having a ball. So far we've stayed more or less close to home, but plan in December to return to the Exumas for two weeks and perhaps Cuba in the spring. We look forward to meeting a lot of you at next year’s rendezvous. mm

Wally Palmer (#6) passed away suddenly, three days after joining DeFever Cruisers. Many of us knew him and his wife, Phyllis, from many DeFever Rendezvous, including Rendezvous #1, Key

The Palmers were previous owners of DF44 “Castaway”, and lived aboard for two years at Indian River Plantation, FL. Wally was retired from AT&T and Northern Telcom, and was three times elected Mayor of Acworth, GA. Phyllis lives in Marietta, GA, near her two sons and two daughters. She maintains her DeFever Cruisers membership, and would like to hear from her DeFever

Estelle Lyons (#36) DF52 “Miss Shugah Too” For those cruising days that you are either out of fresh provisions, or out of energy, I offer a recipe given to me by a fellow cruiser at the time of our first offshore cruise. It has served me well, and is actually a favorite of Mort’s. Recipe for Gourmet-ish Dinty Moore: One two-pound can of Dinty Moore One can of sliced carrots, drained One can of whole or sliced white potatoes, drained One medium onion Powdered or leaf thyme (may substitute favorite herb) One clove garlic, pureed (optional) Healthy splash or two of red wine or sweet vermouth Saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil in a large sauce pan; add other ingredients. Cook over medium heat until bubbling and heated through. Serve over stale bread. Serves two or three. mm=

Barbara Fordyce (#41) DF44 “Good Grief” Barb’s Key Lime Pie One 8 oz. pkg. lite Phila. Cream Cheese One can Eagle sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup Key Lime juice (I use Joe & Nelly’s) 8 oz. Cool Whip Beat cream cheese; add milk and lime juice. Fold in Cool Whip. Put into graham cracker crust and freeze. Take out of freezer about one hour before serving. mm

? Do You Have An Answer ? Your editors have had no luck in fitting a depth sounder for their DF40. Both Datamarine and Standard Horizon units refuse to read lower than 7 feet. The transducers are located where the manufacturers suggest and have been replaced twice. Any suggestions appreciated. mm=

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DeFever Rendezvous Sponsored by Oviatt Marine

January 28 through February 1, 1998 Faro Blanco Marine Resort, Marathon, FL

Contact Gail or Jenni at Oviatt Marine (954)925-0065

John & Marion Fahnestock (#35) DF43 “Moonshine” Mounting 30-Amp Shore Power Polarity and Voltage: Many of us have had the experience of hooking up to shorepower away from home and finding something amiss - like a dead leg, low voltage, or even reverse polarity.This usually happens right at the beginning of Happy Hour. Obviously, it is best to know the condition of your dockside power before switching it to your boat. Also, it helps to be in a position to tell your dock attendant of any electrical problem before he disappears. Maybe he can fix it by plugging your cord into another dockside receptacle within reach. One way to be informed is by connecting a portable polarity indicator with a 30 amp plug into each of your dockside receptacles anytime you are in doubt about the quality of shoreside power. The problem with this approach is that it takes a special effort to use it, and, on a probability basis it is not a priority concern. Another way, which I prefer, is to hard wire a dedicated receptacle in your boat directly to your shorepower inlets. With a port/starboard toggle switch, and an inexpensive polarity indicator, shorepower can be monitored with the onboard selector switches still in the OFF position. Recently I bought an ideal plug-in polarity indicator at an RV show. In addition to the standard features, (normal polarity, reverse polarity, open neutral, open ground), it has a digital voltage readout with a one-volt resolution, and as a bonus, provides surge protection. It is a Model 662 AC PowerLine Monitor made by Automated Engineering Company in Riverview, Florida, and costs about $40-$50. (813-671-1581) The wiring for the monitor is straight forward. The biggest installation challenge is to find a place to mount a ‘one-hole’ house-type 15 amp receptacle, a 3PDT ON-OFF-ON toggle switch, and a panel-mount fuse. On my DeFever 43, I built a sloped teak ‘shelf’ a few inches below the main selector switch, and drilled a hole underneath through the bulkhead for the wiring. By the way, these instructions are for two 30-amp shorepower lines. The same procedure applies to a 50-amp service. First, unplug shorepower / turn off genset and switch the main selector switches to the OFF position. Unscrew and pull out the main selector switch assembly, port and starboard. Find the positive and negative (black and white wires) that run from the port and starboard power inlets to the selector switches. Tie into the selector switch terminals

with 14 - 16 gauge stranded black and white wires and run them to the corresponding outboard (port and starboard) sides of the toggle switch (four wires total). Now you need to hook up the ground wires. Unscrew and pull out the port and starboard power inlets. Tie in a green 14 - 16 gauge ground wire on each, one long-enough to reach the toggle switch. Replace the port and starboard power inlets. Now hook up the green wires to the toggle switch, making sure port goes to port, etc. Finally, hook up the center terminals of the toggle switch to the receptacle (black, white, green). Run the black wire through a panel or line fuse in the 3 to 15 amp range, compatible with your wire size and length. Before replacing the main selector switch assembly, test the system as follows: Hook up the port shorepower cord. With the monitor in place, and the main selector switch in the OFF position, port and starboard, switch the toggle switch to ‘port’. You should see on the monitor display ‘normal polarity’ and 110 to 120 volts. Switch the toggle switch to ‘starboard’. There should be no voltage / no light on the display. Now remove the port shorepower cord and hook up the starboard cord to verify that the starboard-side wiring is correct. Replace the main selector switch assembly and you are done! From now on, all you need to do is hook up your shorepower cords with the main selector switches in the OFF position and then toggle ‘port’ / toggle ‘starboard’ while looking at your monitor to know the condition of your shorepower. Notes: 1. It is suggested that the monitor receptacle be appropriately marked, such as - FOR TEST ONLY, and that the monitor be left plugged in. If in doubt about the wiring arrangement, wire size, fuse size, etc., contact a qualified electrician before proceeding. 2. A 120 volt panel or line fuse can be bought at Radio Shack for about $2. 3. The 3PDT ON-OFF-ON sitch is Carlingswitch Model HM254-73, Grainger stock no. 2X594 - about $15.

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Bill & Cheryl Fowler (#56) DF49 “Cheryl Marie” We are the third owners of our 49.9 Pilot House, and are in the first of a three-year project. The boat was about a solid “6” on a “1 - 10” scale, but posessed other attributes that made her desirable. Those items listed below were done this past winter ending in June 1997, at an investment of about 150k, and I will stand ready to report any or all in writing. I’m not necessarily proud of the expenditure, nor do I expect much in the way of investment return other than personal satisfaction, but I absolutely know the DeFever 49 on a personal level at this point. 1. New bottom, planning of .130 from hull, lay-up of three

layers of new glass in one 45oz., with two 16oz. layers on top. Finished with barrier coat with suspended copper.

2. New through-hull ball valve fittings and connections. 3. Rebuilding of Lehman engines and Borg-Warner CR-2

Transmissions. 4. Replacement of shafts and cutlass bearings with reboring

of struts. 5. Installation of PYI “dripless" packing fittings. 6. All new DC wiring of ship systems. 7. All new AC shore power to 50 amp and at four stations

with new seven-position switch. 8. New bow thruster. 9. New Autohelm ST-80 electronics. 10. Conversion of refrigeration from air to water-cooled. 11. Replacement of both A/C units, re-ducting, sound

silencing. 12. Installation of generator sound cover and exhaust water

separator. 13. Installation of Gulf Coast bypass engine oil filter system

and new Racor grid-style full flow filters. 14. Installation of Exchanger oil recycle system with 16

gallon reservoir tank. 15. Re-piping of both heads into new Lectrasan. 16. Piping of forward "holding" tank into supply for both

heads for fresh water flushing. 17. Re-piping all bilge drains overboard. The remainder all falls under the general description of general maintenance and not worthy of mention. The projects scheduled for this winter are new interior finish, new Bose sound system, propane fireplace for salon, and new Webasto oil-fired hot water heating system. I'll keep you informed, and we both look forward to seeing you and your boats on cruise and at the next rendezvous! mm

Spanky & Sedje Sims (#30) DF40 “Scandals” The Sims live aboard in Dauphin Island, AL. In July, Hurricane Danny “came-a-callin” and dumped about 30 inches of rain. The following is Sedje’s reply to our inquiry about their well-being. “Of course, Spanky was on a towboat (his job -ed.). He got caught about a mile east of the ICW Gulf Shores bridge. No problems, will be home on 8/1/97...YEA!!... Scandals got some cap rail damage to her starboard bow quarter. Nothing that cannot be taken care of. I, unfortunately, did not think I needed to move until it was too late. We don’t leave for 50 knots wind, but when it changed, toooo late! I pulled out all the extra lines, constructed “Sedje’s Web”, and left via car. Came home to a lot of water and mud, but a floating boat. One can not ask for more. Nice to know someone knows how you fear the loss of a boat.” mm=

George Handel (#18) DF44 “Hallelujah” George has had a good experience with a vendor in Louisiana. He searched far and wide for used props, but had to settle for new. This vendor was substancially cheaper than competitors. Alario Bros. Hardware and Fisherman Supplies

P.O. Box 468 Westwego, LA 70096-0468

(504)341-1843 mm=

Bill & Judy Fletcher (#62) DF44 “Meander” We purchased a 1982 44’ DeFever seven months ago, and are now starting the third month of our “shakedown” cruise. We started in Houston (we’re from New Hampshire and found the boat south of Houston), and have been in New Orleans, Pensacola, back to Mobile, up the Tenn-Tom Waterway, and around the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky where we are now (7/27/97-ed.). This is spectacular countryside for those who have not seen it. We’re on the Cumberland River heading up-river towards Nashville where we’ll spend a month. Then back to Houston via the Mississippi. “Meander” (that’s how we’re trying to live - slow and easy - our dinghy’s name is “Mosey”) is an unbelievably perfect trawler for two neophytes who have never had a boat. We’re full time live-aboards with no house to go back to, and have discovered that this DeFever has become a

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very comfortable new home. We have a question that we hope that someone in the membership can answer for us. We would like to solve this problem, if it’s solvable, before leaving Houston in January for the Great Circle Trip. After running the main engines for a period of time, the “cold” water supply becomes hot. It is apparently the engine room heat and is particularly troublesome when we anchor out, since the generator keeps the engine room hot around the clock, so we never have cool or cold water. While this may be a peculiarity of this particular boat, it seems more likely that this is a problem that someone else has experienced (It is - several DF44 owners have mentioned this -ed.). We hope that there is some reasonable fix that we could apply to relieve the problem. mm=

Engine Speed Fuel Usage Speed MPG Idle(800) .9Gal/hr 5.0Kts. 2.78 1100 1.0 5.3 2.65 1300 1.5 6.3 2.10 1500 2.0 7.1 1.78 1700 3.0 8.0 1.33 1900 4.25 8.6 1.01 2100 6.5 8.9 .68 2300 7.0 9.2 .66 mm=

Tom & Dee Little (#61) DF49 “Kalani” Tom submitted the following to DeFever Cruisers. It previously appeared in the newsletter of the Marine Trader Owners Association. I recently installed two Flowscan fuel usage meters on my Lehman 135’s in our DeFever 49. The previous owner had purchased the Flowscans in 1989 and had never gotten around to installing them. The information that the Flowscans provide is interesting, but the initial cost and problems of installation are not worth it. The table of fuel usage below is not totally accurate because the tachometers have not been calibrated recently, and the Flowscans require several tanks of diesel to be properly calibrated. The speeds were taken from a GPS over short courses in varying wind, wave, and tide conditions. The fuel usage shown is for a single engine. The bottom was freshly painted, and the yard’s travelift showed an empty weight of 58,000lbs. on her 42 ft. waterline. The Flowscan appears to be very sensitive to engine loading. For example, when charging the low batteries, the starboard engine, which has a 135ah alternator, showed 1/8 gallon higher usage than the port engine. When travelling in large waves, the stabilizer hydraulic pump powered off the port engine showed 1/4 gallon higher usage each time the fins were activated to counter wave action. The Flowscans will not tolerate any air in the fuel and show an early warning of air before the more tolerant Lehmans. All this goes to show that increases in engine speed increases boat speed and fuel consumption. On the 800 mile trip to the St. Augustine Rendezvous (MTOA Rendezvous -ed.), we estimate that we used 1.5 gallons per hour per engine. Normally we run only one engine at 1500 rpms, which moves us at 5.8 kts. in calm water.

Dick & Karen Stevens (#21) DF44 “Beyond The Wind” Each year when we return from our summer holiday in the Bahamas, our most precious souvenirs are those that don't need dusting - our special "island" memories. There is never any warning, you wake up unsuspecting that the day might hold a special surprise. All of a sudden you realize you're having one of those magic, one of a kind, got to write it down, tell all your friends, kind of days. We have met so many wonderful interesting people and have had so much just plain FUN, it's why we return year after year. One such experience this year was our visit to "Flo's Conch Bar and Restaurant" at Little Harbour in the Berry Islands. We had seen the place a few years earlier, were intrigued, but for some reason didn't go. We vowed to return though, and are we glad we did! Don't let the outward appearance scare you off. The big welcome sign on the roof is genuine. The dinghy dock is a little rickety and the short climb up the hill may appear daunting from below, but it's really not. Chester Darville is your host and we all commented on his beautiful face and big smile before we saw his card that read "featuring Flo's famous conch fritters and Chester's friendly smile". He was truly a delight. He has an American bartender, Jeff, who came down from Missouri on spring break and never left... Flo is Chester's mom, and the cook. Dinner was served family style and the grouper was to die for. I'm thinking the dinners were $8.00 apiece and included the standard peas and rice and cole slaw - more than ample servings. We also tried Flo's famous fritters and conch salad which both lived up to their reputations. Chester has a brother who is a well-known fishing guide out of Great Harbour, a few miles north, and a cousin, Chan Pratt, who is an accomplished artist in

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Nassau. One of his prints was given to President Clinton and graces the walls of the White House today. They are available for purchase in the "gift shop" (a few shelves behind the bar). Speaking of the bar, it only has three stools but the dining room itself is large with picnic tables, ceiling fans, (we had to wait for the generator!) lots of shells and other "neat stuff 'to look at. It is all screened in so you can see your boat in the beautiful uncrowded harbour below.

We were underway by 5 a.m. the next morning and headed east towards Eluthera. Harbour Island was our ultimate destination this year. You know what they say though .... getting there is half the fun!! Don't miss "Flo's". Make dinner reservations by 3 p.m. Call "Little Harbour" on VHF Channel 68. --You'll be glad you did. mm

First Annual Great Lakes DeFever Rendezvous

Petosky, MI

from Michigan to Florida to Illinois to Massachusetts to Ohio and back again. Rather than letting this waylay all the plans, the participants rallied - “to do this for the Coopers”. Everyone met for dinner at the Bay Harbor Golf Club the first evening, enjoying a wonderful meal , meeting new faces and catching up on news of families, pets and cruises. The next morning was spent touring Joel & Marian Busse’s (# 6) 1988 DF49 “Resurgent” and the 1982 DF44 of Bob and Karel Howse. The ladies then visited the Quiet Moose, a home furnishings store surrounded by a magnificent floral garden, before lunch and shopping in Petoskey. The men had a discussion session before going to lunch. The sponsored dinner was held that evening in Harbor Springs at the New York Restaurant. Another outstanding meal was consumed. Door prizes, Attendance Certificates, and lots of boating stories were the after-dinner entertainment. At the farewell breakfast held at the historic Perry Hotel, all agreed that this had been a very fun and worthwhile gathering and that it should become a regular event. Karel Howse, who calls this area her “other home”, conducted tours of Petoskey and the historic town of Bay View. Those who remained spent the day visiting Mackinac Island, the towns of Charlevoix and Harbor Springs, and shopping, before meeting again for dinner and an area specialty - Moose Tracks ice cream. Charter members of the First Great Lakes DeFever Rendezvous were: Marian & Joel Busse (#6), Gwen & Pete Damon (#58), Shirley & Dick Davis (#28), Arthur DeFever (#1), Barbara Dein (#2), Barbara & Bob Fordyce (#41), George Handel (#18), Karel & Bob Howse, Gary Oviatt, Karen & Chuck Spriggs (#13), and guests Ann & Roger Srigley and Bonnie & Jim Van Bortel, and “in absentia” - Shirley & Chuck Cooper (#85). mm=

When Chuck & Shirley Cooper (#85-DF41- “Seven C’s V”) first heard of the Summer DeFever Rendezvous several years ago, they regretfully said they would not attend. Their home cruising area - the Great Lakes - was too pretty, and their season too short, to be away during that time. Neither the lure of the Florida Keys nor the beauty of the Bahamas could change their minds. Then the first Winter Rendezvous was held in 1994 in Marathon, FL. The Coopers came and had a great time meeting other owners, learning at the lectures and touring the boats. Even though this experience made them rue the previous missed Rendezvous, they still wouldn’t “give up” some summer cruising time. The answer to this conundrum became obvious to them - have a Summer Rendezvous on Lake Michigan! The summer of 1997 was chosen for this new venture. Gary Oviatt offered to do the mailing and to attend, along with Arthur DeFever. It was decided to keep the first time low-key, no lectures, but with plenty of opportunity to socialize and swap sea stories. The brand new Bay Harbor Marina at Petoskey, Michigan was chosen as the site, with dates set for July 20 - 22. There was going to be a Great Lakes Cruising Club gathering at the same location immediately preceding, and it was hoped this would encourage more vessels to attend. The mailing went out and the Coopers’ phone started ringing with inquiries and reservations. Even though recovering from major orthopedic surgery, Shirley was ready with answers about on-shore amenities and travel distances. Dawn Speros of Jack Martin Insurance offered to co-sponsor a dinner for the participants with Oviatt Marine. Then “disaster” struck. Chuck had a major medical problem (he’s doing fine now), and the Coopers could not attend their own event! Calls and e-mails went