Bud, thanks for the update. Deep into this dark season it is refreshing to hear enthusiasm for the coming year being expressed so eloquently...and money-savingly!!!

The GX2100 is in my purchase plan for later this year. I learned of this product on panbo.com, a blog that I check frequently, and I am very excited about it. The S-H GX2100 combines a great VHF (if it is anything like the Standard Horizon VHF I presently have) with a built-in AIS receiver AND fog signals. We spend a lot of time in the fog up here, offshore, and I hope to install a small speaker underneath my radar (at the spreaders) for PA and fog signals. My experience with S-H has been first class. The RAM mic is amazing, one of the best items at the helm...it has such a clear-sounding speaker built into that small hand mic.

Went to the Portland Boat Show yesterday, and one of the dealers had the GX2100 there. "Just got it this week," he said.

And thanks, Bud, for the new strategy of attending a boat show in the final few days, as products might be more subject to blow-out negotiable prices. I hadn't thought of that.

Re PFDs, yes, it is strange. A Canadian-approved PFD works just fine in our waters when they're on a Canadian-registered boat; and the You-all ones work fine up there on a US-registered boat; but vice versa and we drown. We all have our bureaucracies to maintain I guess.

Good luck on your installs and the interior refinishing. Seems to me that you might have material for a couple more C36IA upgrade articles. :)

The only difference between a USCG approved PFD and a Transport Canada approved PFD is the TC one must have bilingual labels, french & english since Canada is supposed to be a bilingual country. When we bought our C36 in Ohio, it came with a package of 4 brand new USCG approved PFDs and we had to purchase a new set, that were identical in every way except they had bilingual labels to be TC approved. Sure am glad this biligualism stuff isn't costing us any money ;)

We were at the Toronto boat show on Saturday and picked up a new rigid vang from Bill & Mary Felgenhauer. I ordered it in December and had them bring it up with their display. We also plan to do the Miami boat show in February.

More on the Standard Horizon GX2100...

At the Seattle Boat Show this weekend I stopped at the SH exhibit and discussed this nicely designed radio. It sounds like just what I want, but I wasn't happy to learn about some installation hassles that would affect my boat.

I presently have an SH radio (now 7 years old) at the nav station, with the RAM mic mounted at the helm. The RAM mic connection with its mother radio is apparently an analog connection. But the new GS2100 radio uses a digital connection, necessary because there is so much more data being communicated. For example, even the AIS picture is remoted for display on the new GS2100's RAM mic.

What this means for me is that the cable between the nav station and the helm will have to be replaced. This is Not Trivial, as you can imagine. (On the other hand, it's not rocket science either...just labor intensive.) Another benefit of the GS2100 is automated fog signals, which would require that I install a speaker, located (on my boat) immediately beneath the radar scanner, which is mounted slightly above the spreaders. Then I need to run a fairly large-gauge pair of wires up the mast to the speaker. Also decidedly Not Trivial.

The evolution of technology brings its blessings, but they come at a price (in hassle) that often seems burdensome.

A day at a boat show during the off season is almost as enjoyable as a day on the water.

Tom,

I thought you could make those vests Canadian compliant by just putting an A at the end of each sentence. Can't you do that with a Sharpie markere A.

Good one Steve! But actually its spelled "eh" ...eh.

Speaking of late Christmas presents, we just ordered a new set of sails for Allez Yukon. While at the Toronto Boat Show I spoke with several different lofts including North, Ulman. UK Halsey, Performance and Hyde Sails.

We ended up going with a Hyde main and 135% Genoa. We chose the Hyde because they are represented by a local loft who has a great reputation, although he only started representing Hyde Sails last year. Their pricing was competative even though they quoted 8.3 oz cloth versus 7.62 for most of the others. The Company is based in the UK and have their own loft in the Philipines. So we will see how they turn out.

Unfortunatly, my mast is down on the rack at the moment so the sailmaker will have to wait until we launch and step the mast in the spring in order to do a proper measurement. None of the other lofts we spoke to seemed concerned about coming out to actually measure the boat as they all pretty well said a C36 is a C36. Besides I think they felt that we were too far away to bother.

So the fact that the sailmaker will come out an measure the boat and do some post installation sailing with us really helped to seal the deal.

I am also getting a Tides Marine Strong Track main sail handling system.

Bud & Suzanne,
Please keep us up to date on the improvements you are making to Delaroux. We are proud owners of a '95 MKII also, we purchased Sceptre in Aug. '09 and although the boat is in excellent condition we plan on making many upgrades over the next year or so. I am especially interested in the installation of the Standard Horizon VHF and Chart Plotter you recently acquired.
Thanks,
Tony

Bud, in my experience the most problematic part of running new wiring to the helm is the five feet of the length from the quadrant area through the stainless steel tubing to the helm. It may be easier to start your wiring install at the helm and run the full length downwards from there.

Bud,
When you get your new wires installed in the stainless steel tubing, remember to install a new piece of small diameter rope or string so that next time you can easily pull a new wire through.