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For recreation, we have purchased and renovated a 2005 Bayliner 245SB Sports Cruiser and have registered the domain www.LakeMacquarie.boats as our original intent was to make it available for hire.
Our boat’s name is Havarest and named after Ian’s (maternal) Grandparents riverhouse on the Woronora River and provided so much pleasure for all who stayed there.
Havarest is also felt as a reflection of our caring God with reference to Matthew 11 verse 28 “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”
When we first moved to Lake Macquarie, we found that the only way we could go boating on the Lake and explore was to Hire a Houseboat or a tinny. These are all no license required vessels and have a maximum speed of 10 knots (18.5kph). This is pretty slow to explore a body of water nearly three times the size of Sydney Harbour.
Our renovation involved complete overhaul of the Mercruiser 5.7L V8, new batteries, new hatch lifters, installing 2x EFO Fireball automatic fire extinguishers in the engine bay, replacing the cabin carpet with teak vinyl, new Class F First Aid Kit, replace the microwave with flat plate type, install additional 12VDC and 5VDC USB(A) outlets as well as 240VAC Outlets (replacing and adding to the original 110VAC sockets),Overhauled the toilet and added soap, shampoo & conditioner dispenser, installed new Smart TV, installed 4G wireless broadband hub, installed Google Max + Nest Alarm system, Installed Carpuride Android Auto interface ,Installed a 1140W Solar Array on a roof frame attached to the Biminy with forward facing lightbar and rear worklights ,installed a pure sine wave inverter rated at 1500W/3kW peak (2 circuit @750W each so not enough to drive the microwave) and a modified sine wave inverter rated at 2500W/5kW peak which does alright, all with inverter source remote switching and 240VAC manual changeover switch from shore-power to inverter, plus we’ve installed an auxilliary LiPo 100AH battery. We have also lined the inside of the bimini (ceiling) with insulation (the solar array does get quite hot) and added cockpit ceiling, rear work and forward flood lighting. The boat did come with a VHF radio and a Garmin Chartplotter, and we link this to Garmin’s Active Captain and we are still trying to figure how to configure Mercruisers VesselView (as we’re pre EFI) We replaced the double berth mattress and added a topper as well as linen (pillows, sheet-set, doona).
Of course we have written a complete Operations & Maintenance Manual including the revised electrical schematics and drawn up emergency plans
The boat consumes about 37L/hr of ULP98 at cruising speed of 20 knots and this goes up to about 60L/hr at 35 knots or if we tow the banana.
The boat is on Dry Store at Empire Marina at Marmong Point and the Marina team there are fantastic at looking after things and putting it in and out of the water.
The Grandkids all love it!
We have a tow toy (3 person banana) and a 3m x 2.8m inflatable swim platform mat plus a 2.5m zodiac inflatable which has an electric thruster outboard and it’s own 380W solar array on a frame with buffering through the Coleman 44AH battery. Whilst we also have a rowing single scull (Bannerchek) with croker blades and the single kayak.
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