28 TE -- Long Range Live Aboard Modifications

[Mntry_Goodson]

To all of the members that take long live aboard trips or want to; I'm passing along the modifications I've made after taking two trips into Mexico's Baja Sea of Cortez over the last three years. Two of my brothers and I just returned from a 6 week cruise during which we lived aboard full time. I'll be glad to provide details on the modifications.

[kathylsails]

Wow! Great upgrades.

[doughat]

Great idea for the stowable cockpit table/bunk! Could you show more details of the underside in place?

[Mntry_Goodson]

I'll be glad to, but I'm out of town through the weekend. When I get back I'll take detail photos and post them.

[eseyoung]

2 brothers in a 28 for 6 weeks. i'll bet that got humm cozy. i couldn't be in a cruise ship with mine for 6 days (seriously we tried)!

Seriously, i am jealous...it looks like a blast.

Great mods too.

[Mntry_Goodson]

Yeah, there is a fair amount of what we call brotherly "nitter-natter". But we all enjoy diving, fishing, hiking on the desert islands and drinking double margaritas! This was actually our second "month plus" trip together and they signed up for another. These mod's dramatically improved the second trip.

[whwells]

Really great well done project.
whwells "Howard"

[Luvinlife]

Did you modify the holding tank

[DCatSea]

Great mods - what a difference they would have made. You must have a very talented carpenter in the family.

[Mntry_Goodson]

Just noticed a question posted by LuvinLife. No modifications were made to the holding tank. We vac'd it when available and dumped it when way offshore.

[catalina_mike]

I was explaining to my son inlaw just the other day (while on a cruise to MX) about your adventures and fuel bladder to make the legs. Great photos, looks like the radar is a bit blocked. I was surprised when I helped take a new Mickelsen Nomad down for delivery the pangas out at night with no lights. Pretty sketchy and good thing we had night vision. We ran 24/7 down to Los Cabo. Thought of doing it with my vessel sometime...

[Mntry_Goodson]

Re-posting for recent new subject of long trips in a 28TE.

For Catalina MIke; the radar wasn't effected at all by the dingy being up on top; read right through it apparently. Of course, once we left San Diego heading for Cabo the dingy was towed behind the boat.

[catalina_mike]

Re-posting for recent new subject of long trips in a 28TE.

For Catalina MIke; the radar wasn't effected at all by the dingy being up on top; read right through it apparently. Of course, once we left San Diego heading for Cabo the dingy was towed behind the boat.

Thanks for the info. I just long lined my Zodiac back from Catalina and actually liked it better then on the swim step. The new Simrad electronics were fine tuned by my son inlaw as we traveled and the autopilot (Raymarine) is following tracks using NMEA 0183 network. A great trip but it would have been awesome if the larger fish were biting and the squid boat had squid.

[Nancy]

Darryl and Mike - how fast can you run the boat while towing the dinghy?

[Mntry_Goodson]

Hi Nancy --
When cruising long distance towing the dinghy I typically stayed at 8 knots to balance travel time and fuel economy. There was an occasion when a sudden change in wind and waves required travel at 18 knots with the dinghy in tow; wasn't a problem.