SV Ulladh (ul-la)

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

December 2025

Engine winterized.

This was the easiest winterizing I have ever done.

Close seacock.

Remove cap on seacock standpipe, remove strainer.

Start engine and pour in rv/marine antifreeze.

Done in three gallon, shut off engine.

Reinstall strainer and cap.

Tape note to starter key, and tape over key slot.

All done in 15 mins.

I am leaving a thermostaticly controled heater on at 40degF in the engine space until overnight temps are consistently above 40degF, which is probably overkill, but overnight temps for the rest of the month will be below freezing.

12 volt to 110 volt pure sinewave inverter, 3,000 watt continuous, 6,000 watt peak.

Delivered.

Dryfit before installing battery cable from house bank and 110v to refrigerator/galley and toggle for shore power. Space heater will remain on shore power only outlet. Replace engine battery, which will be relocated as second house battery. Both batteries are same year, manufacturer, AGM, type and capacity.

Fridge is less than 100 watts at peak, microwave is less than 1,000 watts at peak, induction top is less than 1,800 watts at peak.

So 1,800 + 1,000 + 100 + 2,900 watts. Round to 3,000 watts all on at same time

3,000 watts / 110 volt = 27 amps. Round to 30 amps so 10AWG wire

Fridge and one appliance 1,800 +100 = 1,900 watts. Round to 2,000 watts

2,000 watts/ 110 volt = 18 amps. Round to 20 amps so 12AWG wire

Inverter can supply 3,000 watt continuous and 6,000 watt peak, but with the current single battery I cannot supply 3,000 watts for all appliances at same time at peak but I will install 10AWG to accomodate for future battery upgrade.

Functional use will be refrigerator with microwave or induction top, cannot use microwave and induction top at same time even on shore power which is 30 amp

Saturday, November 8, 2025

November 2025

Galley renovation.

Ikea small refrigerator installed. Small microwave and portable induction top to be installed.Currently on shore power, inverter to be installed this winter

Composting (desiccating) head

Water Tank installed under fore peak berth

SV Ulla at winter dock, Anchorage Marina Essington PA

Fox Grove Marina has problems with the travel lift, so no haulout this years, and the marina while at a great location also has long fetch to the west. Anchorage is well protected by Little Tinicum Island

which limits the fetch. I am on "C" dock but will probably move to "B" dock for less exposure.

Ulladh

Ulladh pronounced "ul-la" (null lad).

Uladh the gaelic spelling for the territory of the U-Nail chieftains in the ancient Irish province of Ulster (English/Norse), originally the counties of Down and Antrim, but now including Derry, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, also referred to as Ulidia (Greek/Roman),.

Uladh was the home of a pre-celtic, cruithne (crew-en-ya) pictish tribe, who may have been descendants of prehistoric tribes indigenous to the British Isles since the retreat of the last ice age.

Evidence from cut marks on deer bones from more than 30,000 years ago found in the karst formations of the Burren probably from hunters suggest a homonid precence. Archeological finds date first inhabitants (DNA evidence suggests dark or black skin and blue eyes) to about 6,000 BC and trade goods from Rathlin Island, County Antrim off the northeast coast of Ireland made from porcellanite stone appearing in Egypt and Crete by 2,500 BC.

The early tribes of Ireland where displaced by later waves of migrants from mainland Europe; about 1700 BC by bronze age tribes, celtic tribes about 500 BC, and in the past two millenia; Roman trading posts, Viking settlements, English plantations... and in the 21st century a welcome increasing diversity from the European Union and the world.

SV Ulladh (for vhf clarity I use "sailing vessel ul-la") is named for the territory of the first peoples to settle in Ireland after the retreat of the last ice age.