New build Princess F55 flybridge

[jfm]

Looking fantastic Henry

I definitely don't agree with the "dishwashers are a waste of time" fringe group on here.

Regarding the multiple Garmin displays, I agree generally that it's good to create a fixed set up so the radar is always here and the chart is always there, etc, but it's worth playing around with Garmin's "one helm". This links all the screens so you create "scenes". Highly recommended. On my last boat I had these scenes available as "one touch"

• Normal nav =daytime, with chart prominent
• Night nav = radars more prominent, cameras less so
• Anchor watch = chart, a close up chart to spot dragging, AnCam (TM)
• Docking - cameras take priority + big depth readout and big wind readout
• Anchoring (used while anchoring/unanchoring) - one chartlet, radar (for distance) and AnCams (TM) take priority

 

[henryf]

I worry for you @jfm Cushions, dishwashers..... you're embracing this whole 21st century man thing far too tightly

Out and about popping into a few different harbours and marinas I am absolutely loving the variable speed side-power bow and stern thrusters. I appreciate these are not a new thing and have been around for a while now but combined with shafts and props that bite gently but effectively at tickover I can report that the F55 is an absolute joy when it comes to close quarters maneuvering. You would be insane not to tick the stern thruster / variable speed option box because everything combined makes you look like a hero when it comes to docking.

Being a new boat and a big boat ( for the Solent ) means people tend to jump to conclusions when you arrive at a port. Docking staff are worried, on lookers are willing you to fail miserably and it doesn't help that Mrs Henryf is only 4 foot and a tea leaf tall so you assume we're going to struggle. We haven't even got the little 2 way communication headset things that seem all the rage. But you can pop it onto the pontoon with a feather like touch and then gently hold it there with a single button push whilst lines are fastened. Admittedly port side to is my favourite because starboard side to means I have to leave the controls to take a peek over the side but that said the boat does have my preferred arrangement of port side flybridge helm and starboard side lower helm, so you could bring it in from the lower helm when docking on the dark side.

Had a visit from @spottydog of this parish when in cowes and he came bearing gifts. You could see the yachtists going green with envy as spam, Fray Bentos meatballs, Pot Noodles AND pork scratchings were unwrapped. We'll be having a feast onboard soon or failing that if we get shipwrecked all is not lost. It is even national Spam week this week to be sure to celebrate !

A quick blast back to Portsmouth against the tide and the sun came out in time to wash the boat down. I think I'm going to invest in a resin filter to avoid spotting now that the windows have grown.

Oh, and whilst unpacking everything I found my trusty guide and back up to the Garmin plotter just in case the screens go down.......

 

[Nauti Fox]

King Pot Noodle, there's posh.

 

[Bouba]

I worry for you @jfm Cushions, dishwashers..... you're embracing this whole 21st century man thing far too tightly

Out and about popping into a few different harbours and marinas I am absolutely loving the variable speed side-power bow and stern thrusters. I appreciate these are not a new thing and have been around for a while now but combined with shafts and props that bite gently but effectively at tickover I can report that the F55 is an absolute joy when it comes to close quarters maneuvering. You would be insane not to tick the stern thruster / variable speed option box because everything combined makes you look like a hero when it comes to docking.

Being a new boat and a big boat ( for the Solent ) means people tend to jump to conclusions when you arrive at a port. Docking staff are worried, on lookers are willing you to fail miserably and it doesn't help that Mrs Henryf is only 4 foot and a tea leaf tall so you assume we're going to struggle. We haven't even got the little 2 way communication headset things that seem all the rage. But you can pop it onto the pontoon with a feather like touch and then gently hold it there with a single button push whilst lines are fastened. Admittedly port side to is my favourite because starboard side to means I have to leave the controls to take a peek over the side but that said the boat does have my preferred arrangement of port side flybridge helm and starboard side lower helm, so you could bring it in from the lower helm when docking on the dark side.

Had a visit from @spottydog of this parish when in cowes and he came bearing gifts. You could see the yachtists going green with envy as spam, Fray Bentos meatballs, Pot Noodles AND pork scratchings were unwrapped. We'll be having a feast onboard soon or failing that if we get shipwrecked all is not lost. It is even national Spam week this week to be sure to celebrate !

A quick blast back to Portsmouth against the tide and the sun came out in time to wash the boat down. I think I'm going to invest in a resin filter to avoid spotting now that the windows have grown.

Oh, and whilst unpacking everything I found my trusty guide and back up to the Garmin plotter just in case the screens go down.......

That English Channel Handbook must have been top secret in 1943......unless it’s full of disinformation ...it does say don’t use it for navigation

 

[henryf]

That English Channel Handbook must have been top secret in 1943......unless it’s full of disinformation ...it does say don’t use it for navigation

I have very good security clearance......

 

[jfm]

.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

He must have some serious problems either with math or currency exchange rates.
The video shows an offer to purchase 1/8 share of the boat for £230k, and the title mentions a $3.5M yacht.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot...?!?

The interesting part is that he this error seems to appear on Princess Yachts.

 

[henryf]

Anchor chain marking. Ask 10 people and you’ll get 12 different answers. We do a lot of anchoring during the course of a charter season whether to drop off at restaurants, for a bit of swimming - yes even in the Solent, I think they’re crazy but who am I to argue, or to serve up a cheeky afternoon cream tea.

There are clever measuring devices but I’m old school and have a method that works well. Over the years I’ve used tie wraps, little rubber inserts and of late paint to mark the chain but it needs re-applying mid way through the season.

So I decided to be taken advantage of by social media advertising and invested some of our corporate funds in a product called AncoRight. These little plastic bits fit in the chain ring but are different to the ones that fall out in that they are hard plastic, come in 2 halves and screw in position so as not to fall out.

Working back from the anchor I mark my chain thus:

A couple of metres back from the anchor I have a yellow mark that alerts me to the fact the anchor is about to get pulled into place against the roller.

I then have a mark 14 metres from the anchor. It’s 2m down from the roller to the water line and given I’m going to anchor in a minimum depth of 3m that’s 3 x 4m scope = 12m plus the 2m drop making 14m. This mark is red with a yellow centre.

Then every 4m along the chain from there I have a red mark. So in 6m depth I drop the red & yellow mark plus 3 red marks because each red mark relates to an extra 1m depth beyond the minimum 3m

Finally just before we reach the end of the chain and the bitter end I have another yellow mark. So stop at this point before you run out of chain !

In using Ancorite I found you needed to use 4 marks per marking, this ensures there will always be a couple of marks showing regardless of which orientation the chain is sitting, the marks rotate 90 degrees with each link.

It’s easy enough to fit although you do only get just the right number of the small stainless steel screws so when one gets blown out of the lightweight plastic packet you effectively lose a plastic marker.

The marks run through our electric winch without issue, all that remains is to see how resilient they are and how easy they are to spot in use from the flybridge. I’ll let you know.

We did option a deck wash which connects in the forward port side locker where the anchor winch remote is housed so we can clean off both chain and anchor as they are retrieved.

 

[henryf]

Markings as we work back from the anchor.

Yellow - warning the anchor’s about to meet the roller.

Red yellow red - 14m from the anchor, min 3m depth x 4 plus distance of roller to water.

Red - every 4m relating to an additional 1m of depth.

Yellow - warning you’re about to run out of chain.

 

[rafiki_]

Markings as we work back from the anchor.

Yellow - warning the anchor’s about to meet the roller.

Red yellow red - 14m from the anchor, min 3m depth x 4 plus distance of roller to water.

Red - every 4m relating to an additional 1m of depth.

Yellow - warning you’re about to run out of chain.

Looks like Sharon has been very busy with the screwdriver Henry. Good call to enlist the crew as there appear to be some challenging sums involved?

 

[henryf]

Looks like Sharon has been very busy with the screwdriver Henry. Good call to enlist the crew as there appear to be some challenging sums involved?

I had my shoes and socks off to do the maths. We did run out of markers as I needed to use 4 at each position.

 

[rafiki_]

I had my shoes and socks off to do the maths. We did run out of markers as I needed to use 4 at each position.

Good job you’re from Lincolnshire H. You get a few more digits than most of us

 

[Hooligan]

Markings as we work back from the anchor.

Yellow - warning the anchor’s about to meet the roller.

Red yellow red - 14m from the anchor, min 3m depth x 4 plus distance of roller to water.

Red - every 4m relating to an additional 1m of depth.

Yellow - warning you’re about to run out of chain.

Thanks for the pictures. I have used simple coloured plastic ties but they invariably split after a while. These look great and have just ordered. I mark every 10 m starting at 20 m which is minimum I would put out even if in 2 m of water.

 

[MapisM]

Anchor chain marking.
Ask 10 people and you’ll get 12 different answers.

I wish there were ONLY 12 different answers from 10 people, when asked the even simpler question...
...Which anchor?
And needless to say, none of them is the right one, i.e. whatever the boat came with!

 

[rafiki_]

I wish there were ONLY 12 different answers from 10 people, when asked the even simpler question...
...Which anchor?
And needless to say, none of them is the right one, i.e. whatever the boat came with!

You can see the anchor in post #609. I’m sure an anchor connoisseur like you will recognise it?

 

[47GC]

These look great. Just ordered as well. I’m going to go with the 12 meter yellow, then each 10 meters yellow. Red near the end of the chain.

 

[paradave]

I’m surprised to note the absence of a swivel ton your anchor, do you find that’s an issue?

 

[MapisM]

You can see the anchor in post #609. I’m sure an anchor connoisseur like you will recognise it?

What I know about anchors is that whenever conditions are bad enough to have a problem with them, the simpler and safer solution is move elsewhere.
Blaming the type of anchor when it doesn't hold is akin to blaming the quality rather than the quantity of alcohol for cirrhosis.
That said, it looks like a Delta, but the only reason why I can tell is that it's what I've got also on my boat.

 

[colhel]

I'm going belt and braces approach and putting a yellow marker on every link.

 

[henryf]

Just realised what a rubbish photo the one of the anchor is. Sorry about that, yes it’s a delta. Had one on the P50 and it has been great.

No swivel on the link. It always keeps the right way up. I din’t think the windlass allows the chain to turn and the anchor is self righting anyway,