Now it s your turn to make a Granite Transformation. GREAT ESCAPE Canvas Work Story continued from Issue #99. Issue #100

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1 Issue #100 Greetings! This month, we have a couple of stories that began in the previous issues #98 & #99. If you need a copy of either one of those past issues, contact me and I will get it for you. We have 2 dock parties coming up in August. One in Annapolis, MD and the other is at the Jersey Shore. Hope everybody is enjoying the lower gas prices this year. We are going to be starting a new promotion for hats and tee shirts soon. It s still in the planning stages. We will post it on the Facebook page and it will be in the E-news, hopefully next week. So far, it s been the year of the shark. I guess they are getting low on food so they are coming closer to shore. I went fishing a couple of weeks ago and every fish I caught was lost to a shark! It was easier to gobble up my fish, than look for one of their own. Take Care and enjoy the rest of your summer! GREAT ESCAPE Canvas Work Story continued from Issue #99 The old canvas was in ok condition (somewhat), but again, we are trying to baseline the boat from our ownership on and add to it for the lifestyle we are living. So all canvas was replaced, the cockpit was enclosed and screening was added that can be removed. i.e. when locking, don t want anything in the way. Here are some final pictures. (Continued on Page 6) See article Beach House in Issue #98. Watch our Issue 99 (whoops!!), should be Issue 100, for a $200 coupon Granite Transformations gives you when you purchase their product. If you decide to take the leap like we did and call Granite Transformations, give this filled out coupon to Granite Transformations salesperson with our name on it. You will get $ off your job and we will also get $ for referring you to them. SEE ISSUE #98 UNDER BEACH HOUSE FOR MORE INFORMATION Now it s your turn to make a Granite Transformation.

2 2 Bulletin Board Password: cloud (in all lower case letters) Bulletin Board User Name: It s your first and last name with a space between the names. Contact Info: Webmaster and Newsletter Editor: Nyla Deputy at RedBW@aol.com E-News Editor: Nyla Deputy RedBW@aol.com Assistant Newsletter Editor: Ellen Rylander prografixdesigngroup@gmail.com E-News Reporter-at-Large: OPENINGS Club Liaison: Patrick Sparks Website Visitor Liaison: Christopher Mangin Website Address: Newsletter Submissions: Articles, pictures and information: RedBW@aol.com Mailing Address: Silverton Owners Club P.O. Box Cape Coral, FL Website Tech Support For bulletin board posting problems RedBW@aol.com or call cellphone Dedicated fax line Need to find out about the status of your membership or renewal? RedBW@aol.com or call Boat/US Membership Discount # GA84387B Use our number on your Boat/US form when you join or renew Boat/US. This is not for store merchandise in West Marine stores. In this issue Greetings 1 Great Escape! 1 Beach House Coupons 1 Silverton Owners Group Info 2 My 4th Silverton 3 1st Annual Chesapeake Dock Party 8 Land & Sea Boat & RV Here s a few of the features we provide: *** SAME DAY APPROVAL *** FAST CLOS- ING AND FUNDING *** *** ASK ABOUT OUR DEALER AND CUS- TOMER REFERRAL *** *** NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LENDORS *** *** INSURANCE AND COAST GUARD DOCU- MENTATION *** Phil Swaun Intercoastal Financial Group, LLC INTERCOASTAL FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC SPECIAL ADJUSTABLE RATE PROGRAM $350,000 $2,000,000* 2.67% 20 YRS *Based on Monthly LIBOR RATE-rate changes monthly payments changes are done quarterly. Minimum 20% down payment. $150,000 $400,000*** 3.94% 15 Yrs $7.14 $100,000+** 3.74% % Yrs $5.92 $7.26 $75,000 $99, % % 15 Yrs $7.33 $7.79 $50,000 $99,999** 4.11% % 15 Yrs $7.45 $7.90 $25,000 $49,999** 4.99% % 15 Yrs $7.90 $8.43 **Rates are based on minimum 20% down, rates may vary based on age of collateral. Certain Lenders may have geographical limitations and value guidelines. *** Based on 800 scores and 30% down. ALL RATES SUBJECT TO

3 My 4 th Silverton I have been boating for many years starting when I was a kid. My parents were avid boaters and we spent a lot of summers cruising the Great Lakes. I live in the Detroit area so most of my boating is on the Great Lakes. My first boat was a 21 Slickcraft cuddy cabin that I used for day boating, water skiing and short overnight trips. After a few years, I decided I wanted to do more extended travel and bought my first Silverton. In 1973 I bought a brand new Silverton 25 ft. Sedan and used it to travel around Lake Erie, Lake St Clair and Lake Huron. In 1976 I decided it was time to move up and I traded it in on a brand new 31 ft. Sedan Silverton. I kept this boat for 31 years and put over 5000 hours on it. Except for Lake Superior, I had this boat in all the other Great Lakes including Georgian Bay and the North Channel. Yes, there were many upgrades over the years including replacing the original engines and up grading the electronics several times. This boat served me well because it was easy to handle by myself and big enough for 4 people for weekend trips. When I got ready to retire in I knew I was going to spend more time boating so it was time to replace my trusty 31 with something bigger. This time I decide to look at the used boats and found a1985, 37 ft. Silverton convertible with low hours that surveyed well. It did needed a lot of upgrades so I had a custom half tower made to replace the old bimini top, replaced and upgraded all the electronics and all new interior and carpeting. In the four seasons we had this boat we put 700 hours on it traveling all the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay. Since all our friends are also retired, we started inviting other couples to travel with us on our longer trips. It soon became clear that one cabin and one head was not enough for our new boating lifestyle. In 2011 we started looking at aft cabin boats between 40 and 47 ft. We did not limit our search to any specific brand but we did have a wish list of what we wanted in a boat. It had to have 2 cabins and 2 full heads. We also wanted the back 3 deck covered with a hard top and diesel engines. We looked at some 45 ft. and larger boats but my wife was afraid they would exclude too many ports for travel in the Great Lakes. In the fall of 2011 we went to the in the water boat show to look at used boats and found one that was the right size and layout with everything we wanted except diesel engines. It was a 1993 Silverton 41 aft cabin motor yacht. For some reason most people in the Great Lakes don't buy diesel engines unless they have to. At this point, I went on line and found that this model was built between 1990 and 1995 with the standard power being gas and a diesel option. I also found 2 used diesel 41's for sale in the Baltimore area so we made arraignments to go look at them. The first one we looked at was a 1994 and a major fixer upper so we moved on. The second one was a 1995 and in great shape, just needing some upgrades. The only problem was some other people put a deposit on it the day before we got there, so the search continues. In January we found some more 41's for sale in Florida. One we really like was in Daytona Florida. This was a 1994 model with the premium diesel upgrade and 1995 were the only model years Silverton offered the diesel upgrade with 2 levels, the 6 cylinder 350 horse and the 8 cylinder 435 horse power. The 435hp Caterpillar in this boat is pretty rare. We flew down to Florida, looked at the boat and made an offer. We had both a boat survey and a diesel survey made on the boat and were able to make a deal. Like most used boats, it needed some upgrades and new canvas but overall it was in good shape. Now we need to get it home. We spent the month of February on the boat in Daytona, Florida doing some minor upgrades for the long run to the Great Lakes. On March 1st we started the run north with the goal of getting to Chesapeake Bay and closer to home so we could do additional work for the final trip home. We made arraignments to dock the boat in Shady Oaks, MD until May. This turned out to be a 1100 mile trip up the east coast, most of it in the Intercostal Water Way. We took our time and enjoyed the adventure. My wife enjoyed it so much that now she wants to continue and do the great loop. We are planning to start the Great Loop in Docking the boat at Shady Oaks turned out well for us. We wanted to have the canvas replaced before we continued our trip north and it turned out that the onsite company was Gioia Sails. Gioia Sails was the company that did all the canvas work for the Silverton factory. Needless to say, they did a great job including the changes I wanted made. The owner told me all the canvas patterns are on his computer and if I needed a replacement for any of it, I could just call and they would make it and ship it to me. After we got the boat home, I called Gioia and had them make replacements for the back deck and bridge carpets. The originals were made by them and the patterns were also on the computer. My 4 th Silverton (Continued from Page 3) (Continued on page 4)

4 For the next part of the trip we had another couple with us and planned for a 3 to 4 weeks to run to Detroit. We left Shady Oaks on May 15 and continued through the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River and on to Cape May, New Jersey. After a few days there, we went out into the Atlantic Ocean with a stop in Atlantic City and then on to New York City. We stayed on the Hudson River at a place called Half Moon Bay about 25 miles upriver from New York City. Going up the Hudson River to Albany is a beautiful trip, but you do have to be mindful of floating debris from the spring thaw. At Albany we fueled and bought a 5 day pass for the Erie Canal. We could only take the Eire Canal to Oswego, New York because of fixed bridge clearance. All bridges from Albany to Oswego have a minimum of 20 ft clearance but from there to Buffalo there are bridges that only have 15 ft clearance. The trip through the Erie Canal to Oswego took 3 days. There is not much to see or do and the 34 locks keeps you busy. After the stop in Oswego, we ran Lake Ontario to Niagara on the Lake. We took on fuel and stayed the night with plans to get an early start to the Welland Canal. Niagara on the Lake is a pretty town with lots to see and do. We had spent time there on previous boat trips, but this time we were going to lose the weather and we wanted to get into the Welland before it got rough. The Seaway Welland Canal is the shipping canal that connects Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. It's about 18 miles long with 8 locks that lift you a total of 327 feet. If you're lucky, you can get through the canal in 8 hours but that only happened to me once. This trip took 12 hours to get through the Welland to Lake Erie. At the Lake Erie end of the Welland there is a nice port called Port Colburn. They have good facilities and fuel and the town is very nice. Now the weather is a factor. Leaving Port Colburn we knew the next stop was going to be our last for a few 4 days. Since we have been in almost every port on Lake Erie, we decided to try for Cleveland, Ohio before the lake got rough. We got most of the way there before the wind and waves started getting nasty. We ducted into the east harbor entrance to get protection for the miles long break water that protects the Cleveland shore line. We proceeded to the river and went up to the Old River Yacht Club. We ended up staying there for 3 days waiting for the weather to calm down. The facilities and restaurant at the yacht club are great and the people are very friendly. We took one day to go see the science museum and have dinner down town. Finally, Lake Erie started relaxing enough in the morning for a short run to Kelleys Island. We are now just 42 miles from home but the lake is being difficult again. The next morning was calmer so we ran for the Detroit River and finally home. The trip from the Chesapeake Bay to Detroit was just over 1000 miles and took us three and a half weeks. Both legs of the trip were an adventure to remember and the Silverton 41 aft cabin turned out to be a great choice. Editors Note: Thanks Jim & Kathy for sharing your story. My 4 th Silverton (Continued from Page 4) Share with us your thoughts on what you were looking for and what made you pass on some boats along with what made you pick the one. Was it the condition? The (Continued on Page

5 5 Silverton Owners Club on attaining Issue #100. GREAT JOB!! Order style? The amenities? After you bought the boat, tell us about the trip home. The preparations you did and the weather and sea conditions that you encountered. Even if the trip was only a few miles from home, you can encounter some challenging situations. And if everything went smooth, we like to hear about those uneventful trips too. Send your boat story to Redbw@aol.com. You can now purchase SOC logo patches ONLINE and you can call in with your credit card number. The first one will be $7.00 and that includes shipping. The second one will be $5.00. The url for the storefront is: The logo fabric patches can be put on anything they have with fabric glue that is available at craft stores such as Michael's, AC Moore, JoAnn's etc. Just check the glue bottle to (Continued on page

6 (Continued from Page 5) 5 We had decided to also rebuild the transmission, 25 years old so the pads at least needed replacement. Because of the time we re going to be putting on them over the next year. My best estimate of time is from 500 to 600 hours over the next year. So best to rebuild under a controlled environment then under an emergency condition. The carbs where also sent off to be rebuilt. As the heads where taken off and the cylinders/pistons were looked at, it was noticed that engine work had been done before on two cylinder, different pistons, I don t think they would of deliver original engines using difference pistons, but you never know. I mean how many people when they buy a boat take off the heads, I would venture very very few. While the engines/transmission where out, time to rearrange the engine compartment to make it much easier to work in, very happy about this. So we decided to pull both engines and rebuild. So here are the pictures: En- gines / transmissions: (Continued on Page

7 GREAT ESCAPE! (Continued from Page 6) 7 Inverter System Upgrade: Over the trial period the summer before, we anchored out a great deal. This caused us to run the generator often even for regular 120ac outlets. So time to reduce generator time. A 1,800 watt inverter was installed with two 8D batteries. The old house batteries (now new) have been changed to engine only, the 8Ds support all other electrical power requirements along with two 100amp alternators. The only 120ac requirement not supported is the AC system and hot water heater. We didn t see as a big issue we are planning to be up north in summer and south in winter, hot water heater is connected to the port engine. Here are the final install pictures. That is most of what we have done to bring Great Escape back to life. There are smaller items done, but overall that is the big picture. We have already started our dream of traveling the Great Loop, currently on the Hudson River heading to see Lyndon in Canada. Have already met (at least boat to boat) another SOC member (M. E. Lou II), one of these days we ll catchup with each other and have that beer we talked about. Admiral and I hope that you have enjoyed this. Nyla had requested that we provided information about the pictures in the gallery, but felt this would provide a bit more insight into our dreams and love of Great Escape. May we all continue to enjoy the life of boating, find friendship wherever we go and wave to a fellow boater, even if it s a Carver.

8 8 1st Annual Chesapeake Dock Party Host Robert & Kim Legates Somers Cove Marina, Chrisfield, Maryland --- Lower Eastern Shore Maryland So, we have completed the first Lower Chesapeake Rendezvous. We had planned for 4 boats, but at the last minute Jack Greve and Rick Ham both from up on the Chickahominy River couldn't make it. So it ended up being Carl Hawkins, his wife Duanne, a couple they brought along (Chuck and Ellen), and my wife Kim and I (and our kids Noah and Abby). We had a great time. Despite some intermittent weather we still managed to have our BBQ, make a trip to Tangier Island, and enjoyed an excellent meal at Waterman's Inn. Carl and Duanne are just wonderful people and I am so glad we got to meet them. Chuck and Ellen were great too and we look forward to seeing all of them again at the docking competition in Crisfield later this year. Chuck & Ellen Robert & Kim Legates Coming into Tangier Island Carl & Duanne Hawkins (Continued on page

9 Milton Parks telling us all some hilarious stories. Milton 9 owns Parks Marina where we docked. He gave my wife and I a personal tour of the island. He was quite the character. Carl was pretty well known on the island too. Apparently he and Duanne make several visits there every year. (Continued on page

10 (Continued from Page 9) Also attending, 1 year old Abby Legates, future line- 10 Remote Control Boat A/ C from my iphone or Pimp My 351!by Jack Greve So... after having my Smart Things home monitoring network set up on the boat for a few weeks, I got to thinking about the potential for other things that could be tied into it to work remotely from the iphone app that controls my Smart Things hub. I currently use the system to monitor temps and water intrusion, also if my salon door opens when I m not there I get an alert and a text message sent to my phone. For more details, I gave a brief description of my setup in this thread, post #17: (go ahead, I'll wait...) Using an old iphone that I added to my Verizon account to share my 30G of monthly data, I set up a dedicated "home" WiFi network on the boat using an inexpensive 3G/4G/LTE broadband router. Future Captain, Noah Legates, age 3 This would at least allow you to position your phone where it gets the best signal, and then be able to leave it there while still tied to the router. ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=utf8&psc=1 Setup was pretty simple. You connect power to the router and then connect the iphone to the router with a USB cable, then turn on the mobile hotspot option on the iphone. The router automatically talks to the iphone and a brief minute later, you have a WiFi network that is visible to any WiFi compatible device that uses the 4G/LTE data connection of the phone. This is important, because not all devices will recognize a mobile hotspot. Web cameras and home automation hardware use port assignments not present on a hotspot. This is also a good use for that old iphone 4s sitting in your drawer at home that otherwise isn't doing anything for you. Once the network was set up and running I was able to configure the router for network name and set up a WPA encrypted password to secure it. Now any WiFi

11 compatible device on the boat (TV, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, ipad, MacBook, etc.) can connect (and stay connected if desired) through that network without tying up one of our iphones in case we need to make a voice call, etc. I got two WiFi enabled cameras for Christmas and was able to add them to the network so that I can "see" the boat interior when I'm away, or any other area I choose to point them at. I also got a Smart Things hub and some moisture and temp sensors and tied them to this network as well. ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=utf8&psc=1 These are marketed as home automation gadgets, but I thought I'd give them a try. I have three moisture sensors located in the bilges near the pumps, as well as one by the shower sump. These also sense temperature. In addition, I have a multi sensor that tells door open/close mounted on the salon door, which also senses temp. I got an extra multi sensor to mount to my rudder linkage, it tells me when the rudder is centered or not (door open=rudder not centered) and also the temp in the upper part of the engine compartment. I'm sure that the sensors are not dead-nuts accurate, but they work great for giving me a good overview of boat temps at a glance while I'm away. (they are supposed to be within +/- 2 degrees accuracy, however you CAN calibrate them through the software if you have something super accurate to compare them to, which is a handy feature) In addition, if you had something you could use them for, there are 110v outlets that you can control to turn on and off, motion sensors, etc. I've been toying with the idea of getting a 30A line contactor and using one of the smart outlets to turn my AC on remotely in the summer time when I'm headed down to the boat. All of these devices are highly configurable with regard to how you intend to use them, sending alerts, etc. I receive text alerts on my phone whenever the salon door opens and closes, as well as when temps on any of the five sensors fall below a set temp of my choosing. I can modify these alerts for when I'm there vs when I'm away, the list goes on and on. Right now everything runs on 110V, but I have future plans to either run them off a simple UPS, or just tie them to the boat DC system via a dedicated inverter. Power loss at our remote (mostly self service) little marina is a distinct possibility, and the ability to monitor temps for peace of mind, or the ability to get an alert so we can take some action if the grid is down for a few days is awesome. Bottom line, with a few clicks on my phone or ipad I can look at the boat or check my bilge temps, no matter where I am. Data usage isn't bad at all. I don't have a figure, but I check my usage almost every day and even with multiple camera checks and temp checks I don't see an appreciable daily drain compared to watching movies, youtube, etc. Why go to all this effort? Simpler to just keep the boat on the hard and forget about it for six months? Yeah, probably. But even though we occasionally get some block and tank splitting low temps for a week or so at a time (like this week), there are many, many more winter weekends that are apt to be sunny with highs in the 50's or even 60's. What's better than popping down to the boat on a sunny Saturday afternoon in February, fire her up and go for a little cruise. Maybe have some cocktails when she's back in the slip and spend the night. That's the balm that soothes my Seasonal Affective Disorder, right there. I wanted to incorporate a Z-Wave compatible device that would allow me to turn my AC on and off remotely. I thought about a few different ways to do this that would work with what s available to tie into the Smart Things hub. Most of the devices offered are only rated for about 20A, as they are used for controlling lights and such. As the AC circuit on the boat is 30A, I wanted something rated for as much or better. Also many of them are pass thru 110v plugs - you plug the smart outlet in, then plug your lamp or whatever to the smart outlet. I was able to find a hard wired device that I could use to then control a 30A line contactor - basically a big 110V relay. B00ER6MH22/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00? ie=utf8&psc=1 ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=utf8&psc=1 With a basic idea for the control system established, the next step was planning what sort of install to do, taking into account accessibility, ability to bypass or remove in the event of a problem, and safety. I chose to put all the components into a weatherproof box with two 30A marine twist lock pigtails and have the system inline with the 30A AC/Heat shore power cord where the cord plugs into the boat in the transom locker. The way the 351s are wired, one 30A cord is dedicated to the A/C system, making it pretty easy to control. Other boats may have multiple circuits across both 30A cords, making a different approach necessary. Some of my reasons for

12 doing it this way were: 1. Ability to completely remove/install the system at any time with zero modifications to existing boat systems 2. In the event the unit stops working or needs repair, bypassing the unit to remove it from the system only involves removing and reconnecting the shore power cord back to the transom boat inlet like normal 3. Generator operation will not be affected, as the device is upstream of the transfer switch 4. Issues of permanently installing and wiring the device in the panel or other suitable location inside the boat below decks are eliminated. Unit is protected by Shore Power 30A breaker and technically doesn t even have to be installed on the boat. It could just as easily mount to the power pole and connect there. 12 With this plan in mind, I devised the following list of components needed to build the control box: 1-6x6x4 weather proof junction box 2-3/4 weatherproof cord grips 1-30A male twistlock 1-30A female twistlock 4 - terminal posts 5 feet of 10/3 30A STOW cable plus the already mentioned Z-wave control and 30A line contactor, also ring terminals and spade connectors, machine screws to mount components and other misc hardware as needed. I included some photos of the assembly process:

13 13 All finished with twist locks on and ready to mount! I didn t take pics of it hooked up mainly because I forgot, but it s also pretty selfexplanatory shore power cord hooks to box, box hooks to boat. After getting everything connected, it was time to add the controller to the network and test it out. Adding things to the Smart Things network is easy just select add new device and the hub automatically finds it and asks a few questions about how you want the new device to work. Done. It s that easy. Once the device is added, it appears in your list of things. Tapping on the icon turns it on and off, and it changes color and also the text to tell you if the device is on or off. You can customize the icon default was a pic of a 110 outlet, I changed it to a snowflake so at a glance, I know it s the A/C. Tested it out and it works great within a second or two of tapping the icon, the contactor energizes with a click, the A/C powers up and goes to town doing whatever it was doing when the power turned off. Needless to say, I will leave my A/C panel set and turn it on and off with the breaker, but I normally do this anyway. Now in the summer when I m headed to the boat, all I need to do is whip out my phone and tap the icon to turn the A/C on, and by the time I get there the boat will be nice and cool! There are also smart apps that will turn your devices on or off based on your location, etc. I may set it up so that it turns on anytime I m within a set radius of the boat, e.g. 30 minutes out but right now I m happy with being able to control it with the icon. Standard disclaimer applies this is what I ve done and I m pretty satisfied with it I m not touting this as a solution for everyone, just sharing my setup for those that may be interested. If it s not for you or you wouldn t feel comfortable with it, then don t do it and I respect that.

14 Slip Finder By Nyla Deputy There is a new FREE app out for iphones and Androids, that locates boat slips for you. It s an app for boaters and marinas to find each other. Marinas create a profile and click on a selection to upload vacant transient slips. That lets boaters know which marinas have vacant transient slips. The app has a map to show you where the marinas are so you can determine which marinas have slips available. Looking for a slip in a particular marina? Browse their vacant transient slips. One thing all the advertising doesn t tell you is that you have to register to use the FREE software. You also have to provide a credit card as part of the registration. When you use slipfinder, you are booking the slip and paying for it. You are not reserving the slip and paying for it upon arrival. Marinas want to be paid up front. They are not going to hold a slip on a reservation and then you not show up because while they were holding a slip for you, who turned out to not show, they lost the opportunity to rent it out to someone else. So with the slip finder you are dealing in real time and paying for your slip at the time you book it. When you arrive, the slip better be vacant, because you will have already paid for it. If you would like to see your boat occupy this space in a future newsletter, send your picture to Redbw@aol.com Sta-Sea convertible Middle River, Maryland Upper Chesapeake Bay Owned by Wendell & Stacey Cover Bel Air, Maryland This newsletter contains information sent in from people who own Silverton boats as well as other sources and does not intend to prove or disprove any information contained herein. Readers should keep this information in perspective as they read the articles. This newsletter is not written with intent to inflict injury or damage to any person or business. The sole purpose of this newsletter is to exchange information and experiences as well as to promote friendship and camaraderie among its members. The newsletter editor reserves the right to edit, accept, or reject any material submitted for publication. We also reserve the right to decline membership renewals or decline to accept new prospective members.