Specs
I'm gonna start listing stuff of possible interest. The actual paperwork is aboard and available. But let's at least start the conversation.
0. Yolande is Coast Guard registered, so the paper work is clean as a whistle. Title transfers are simple with Coast Guard registererd boats.
Getting initial registration is harder than it sounds. 1. Basic propulsion: Gray Marine (Chevy?) 327 from the mid 60's, rebuilt and installed in the early 2000's. 2. Helms: Separate chart plotters with separate depth sounders. 3. Anchors and windlass. 4. Safety equipment: Fire extinguishers (2), Carbon monoxide sniffers (2), Propane sniffer and electric propane shutoff (Coast guard approved)
5. Dingy: lightweight inflatable with new Yamaha 4 hp. 4 cycle outboard.
6. Batteries (4) deep cycle marine with an isolator for "start" and "accessories". Replaced 2025. 7. Spare parts for the motor, fuel system, bilge pumps, electric wiring. Most lighting converted to led.
8. Marine radio and waterproof handheld. Both work fine, but everybody, including the coast guard, focuses on cell phones now.
9. Bottom job: Detailed bottom job completed in July 2025.
Zincs were replaced but they are checked every 4 months on contract with a local diver, who also cleans the bottom, as needed. 10. Shore power is 30 amp 120 with circuit breakers and ground fault protection. Smart charger for the batteries.
11. Eyes Aboard: the boat has a camera that "sees" DC voltage, bilge temperature and bilge water level.
The camera can be viewed from anywhere in the world thru wifi. There are smart plugs that can run heaters, chargers and bilge pumps on demand or on timers via cell phone apps.
12. The head. The best head setup should be functional at the dock and at sea. Yolande came with a new head but no holding tank. The head dumped into the water, even at the dock.
Not acceptable. We pulled the toilet and are using a porta potty, which can be dumped at sea or into a proper toilet on land. Long term, we'd install a vacuflush system and reuse the toilet that's in storage.
Not THAT hard. For now, we aren't pissing anyone off (over board in our marina). ha. Our marina has a nice bathroom with all the mod cons for daily use.
13. Sure, I could/should add a bunch of videos. Maybe I'll get to that next time I'm on board.
Yolande is insured throught Hagerty (Markel). Somebody said that they thought insurance was hard to get on old wooden boats.
I didn't have any trouble after filling out all the forms, (knock on wood).
electric fuel pump, twin fuel tanks of 36 gal each. Big water separator filter and smaller filter at the pump.
The motor starts instantly even after sitting for a month or more.
Why? I've never wished for fewer chart plotters. Each helm has its own. When we added the second one, it was easiest to add the whole setup.
I've been in situations up in Southeast Alaska where a failed chart plotter and depth sounder could spell disaster.
Normally a chart is sufficient. Yolande has paper charts of Puget Sound so the big picture is always at your findertips.
Two Anchors on deck. Easy to switch from Plow to Danforth depending on the seabed. Sand or rocky.
Chain:100 ft, Rope: 50 ft. Plus a spool of line in the hold for a stern anchor or for emergencies.
Windlass works but it doesn't accommodate chain, just rope. That's on the todo list although I don't mind pulling up the chain as a form of exercise.
Bilge pumps: 2 manual and 2 automatic.
Communication with CB channel 9 and 16 is not what it used to be. "Breaker 16. This is Yolande for a radio check" does not get the response it used to get back when.
The helm has old-school fuses on the DC side, which are easy to manage.
"Eyes Aboard" eleminates the stress of wondering how your boat is doing insofar as power, heat and bilge water are concerned.
In our mind it's a deal maker if you have to boat unattended for extended periods of time. We built the system and "take a look" every few days.
It only takes a few seconds on your phone to add a few hours of charge time, bring up the bilge temp. or pump the bilge dry.