RV Window Insulation - Who Needs It?

 

We are on our way pulling a Coachman Apex Ultra Lite 215RBK behind a F150 from Tampa to Cape Canaveral for a rocket launch and some cool Atlantic beach time.      

Its mid-July – in Florida. The truck thermometer locked at 96 degrees.  Nobody could accuse us of excessive sanity.

 We poked along I4 closer to double the nickel than the usual 60 mph.  All gauges remained within limits and stops were longer than planned.

Measured by a naked hand, the trailer tires were above body temperature. Hubs more, but not overly so.  The truck tires were noticeably cooler.   Our rest stop plan included lunch under a shaded picnic table however, both of us preferred a slow Florida walk to the idling AC truck.  (Never walk fast during the Florida summer heat)

We arrived at our destination just after sun stole the shade. The effort of set up tired us to the point of Heat Exhaustion that plagued the both of us the entire 3 day “vacation”.   The heat/ humidity overwhelmed our three quarters of a century old bodies.   

Sailing Hideaway  You Tube Video

Something Must Be Done.

 First The obvious action: Don’t camp in Florida during the summer.

 and second;

 Don’t believe the myth that because Atlantic Ocean is colder than the Gulf of Mexico, therefore the afternoon sea breeze would keep us comfortable.  The difference in water temperature from the west coast at Clearwater Beach was one degree.

Although You are not going to beat the Florida summer heat/humidity you may be able to mitigate the roar of AC by insulating your RV windows and maybe some cabinetry.  Letting the awning out for shade is assumed.

A reasonable daytime interior goal of 80 degrees and a nighttime goal of upper 70s is acceptable when augmented by an oscillating fan to encourage cool air movement.

 Window insulation- Is it worth the time and cost?

 The goal of window insulation is to reduce the RV temperature during travel so the air conditioner can cool the living space quickly and efficiently upon arrival.

There are no monetary savings in this- the savings are relative comfort and maybe avoiding hospitalization for heat exhaustion.

Our Highest recorded RV interior temperature in full sun with no window insulation, awning, or AC   is 107 degrees. Camper stored on concrete driveway

Normal temperature on west coastal FL – Tampa Bay area  for July is  92/79 with 76% humidity yields a Heat Index of 108-110

TESTING

The tests were conducted with and without direct sun, closed windows with factory supplied curtains, and with and without insulation.

Results of tests vary – a 101.3 outside sun temperature yielded 96.6 inside without insulation or AC.

The one cloudy day partially insulated in sun 97.2 yielded inside temperature of 75.9 a difference of 21.3 degrees

Exterior temperature 102 degrees -- interior temperature full insulation 96.6 = 5.4 degrees difference. Estimated temperature variance using the high 107 degrees – 96.6=10.4 degrees no ac or awning

The hottest area in the RV is the bathroom shower skylight where temperatures of 100 to 103 degrees were recorded.   Dropping to 83 with insulation.

 A close second is the large front bedroom window, not insulated 102.2 dropping to 84 with insulation.

Full insulation in sunny weather, no shade, NO awning is 5-10 degrees cooler than before insulation

Conclusion:

The goal of window insulation is to reduce the RV temperature during travel so the air conditioner can cool the living space quickly and efficiently upon arrival.

So, yes, it’s worth the money and effort to insulate the windows. 

However, the easiest solution is-  Just don’t camp in florida during summer.

I cancelled the remaining reservations.

 I regret it already – but – it’s just too hot!

PROJECT  TOOLS

Measuring tape

Good pair of scissors

Four-foot drywall square

Marker

High quality mask

Painters/duct tape for edges

Velcro strips for shower roof light

Lid for rounding corners if desired

Always wear a mask when cutting the insulation, small particles are released during cutting process.  Be sure to seal the edges with tape for the same reason.

Always seal the edges of the insulation with tape to prevent pieces of the fiber insulation fall out.

Assuming you have the necessary tools, the material available at any home center costs about 40-$50.  Depending on how many mistakes you make.

Standard AC for normal use with 215RBK – Apex Coachman, 13,500 BTU 

 For travel in the south, get the optional severe weather unit with 15,000BTU

Comments Welcomed

 You know us as the Sailing Hideaways (SV HideAway) that ran hard aground on the age/health reef we all must face eventually. We found a Coachman 215RBK in need of new owners. After all, how much different can they be?

This is not so much a "How To" video as a "Here's What to Expect". "Course, my water heater on the HideAway was a solar powered bag hanging from the jib halyard, fairly similar after a brew or two. Right?

How to Paint Confidence - You've seen the videos --Now What??

 Gripped by the Fear of Painting, or rather the dreaded Painting Panic? 

 You’ve witnessed gallons of expensive paint, expertly applied to canvas, without of fear of failure, and with stunning result by, schooled artists.

What now?  Courage and optimism, can only carry you to the moment when you realize the blocked in stage, is dry.

 Painting Panic has arrived.

 Don’t’ worry, so much, about ruining your art – at some time or another, you will anyway, why stress over it now?

 Nobody is born with painting software preinstalled.

 The act of painting, is less important than learning how much paint is required on your paint application device, to render reasonable success.

  Relax and enjoy the process!

Stop, when you want to, or if you do throw something.

 Now, take your brush out of your coffee, and go have some more fun today!

 

So, how long did it take you to learn to ride a bicycle?

A Tip Quickie

It wasn't so much the fear of messing up as mending the unforced error that produced the coward's way out of trying something risky. 

 

Will it work with oil? Nope. Water color? Nope. Wet acrylics?  Nope. (Don't ask)

I knew I'd find a use for that odd glass eventually.  The difference this time was that revelation came before the trash.

Sailing HideAway: The Pink Thief - Video!

Driving along a county road in western Oklahoma, chance glance to my right offered a painting possibility.  A late afternoon blue sky thunder storm in the distance approaching a farm house and silo across a field.  The narrow road and traffic prevented a photo stop. 

The rain, was pink. 

 

The trouble began with a texture experiment gone wrong (see my video Talking Texture). Attempts to salvage the new canvas created small holes and worse, not all the texture could be removed.

 

Repairing the original sin required much thicker than normal texture spread across entire canvas.   Blending acrylic paint on the rough surface to create a believable thunder storm was unlikely.

Not much of an excuse, but the best I can come up with at the moment.

 

After committing 12 gigabits of memory, my own and the computer’s, and four months effort to the project a question arose.

Why continue investing paint and time like I could afford both hoping for a pretty good outcome when I could be making new, more creative mistakes on another painting that doesn’t require texture AND a thunderstorm?

I came to realize this painting, however memorable the event, is a THIEF stealing my time and my Art Dollars! 

Don’t let this happen to you, my friends!  Act now!

 

Even a perfect painting is never done – Besides, It will look better in the morning

Holes in Your Canvas? Now What? Sailing HideAway

A while ago I published a wildly unpopular video, “Talking Texture Testing”, where I demonstrated several unconventional texturing products for potential use with oil or acrylic fine art paintings. 

One of those was a type of caulking that unexpectedly turned into a permanent, hard, glue like substance.  It was an artistic failure of the highest kind.

 I learned that the caulking/glue holding factor was excellent. So much so that holes appeared in the stretched canvas during removal attempts.  I resorted to using a razor knife to carve down the mountain peaks. The result was a hill country canvas on the great plains with small lakes scattered about, no doubt caused by glaciers.

My new video “Holes in Your Canvas? Now What?” demonstrates one solution. 

Can you see the damage?  Does it matter to my acrylic painting?

Talking Texture Testing Today

 In “Talking Texture Testing” we explore unconventional texturizing products applied canvas and hardboard, some were successful, others not at all.

My project, more than two decades ago, was to build storm shutters for our windows.

Of course, as a sailor, the shutters had to include sailboats, but not just any; these were large cutter rigged gaffers, some 80 feet on deck sailing the Gulf of Mexico. The boats were built using Masonite panels cut from my drawings. Several works of possible artistic quality were made from the waste cutouts. “Marker 6 at Midnight” is one of them. So, my story goes: I’d forgotten to seal the exterior house paint cans properly thus, over the months, nay, years; OK, decades- their contents became a five pound hockey pucks the size of dinner plates. One, however, was half full of slurry and soft paint chunks that showed promise for art work texture. The works have survived these twenty plus years with no attention paid to extend their existence, leading me to conclude that soft acrylic exterior house paint the consistency of a malted milk with paint chunks, a good texture producing brew. Be aware though, the cure time is rather long. In our next video, we attempt to repair canvas damaged in this video by that darn roof sealer! – Sailing Hideaway

Sailing HideAway - Here, Hold My Brush!

Tired of chasing your brushes around on the floor?  My video, “Sailing HideAway - Here, Hold My Brush!” is for you.  Made from found materials most pack rats would have stored somewhere, this easel mounted brush holder is easy to make and can be used on a table too! Such a deal! Now, if I can just unglue my fingers, I’ll go paint something. 

 Early Researchers, after moments of careful study, have determined there are three types of Traditional Easel Painters:  Stand up, Sit down, and both.

Most artists, after spending many precious Art Dollars, secretly wish to modify their new easel, but are hesitant to make changes to it. After all, why would you risk messing up this,  professionally designed easel by drilling holes in it and attaching stuff to it that, by their absence, must not be required to achieve the Quality Painting Experience we all seek?

After a while though, the Artist in Making, tires of picking up floor-stored art supplies and living in constant fear of stepping on an open paint tube.  Besides the easel is no longer new, likely paint splattered anyway, and the fine oak floor thus far has escaped desecration.

Thus, the creative wheels turn to making the Art Easel the best it can be, or at least easier on the bending structures of the average human. 

Here’s what I did to mine.

 

If you are a thirsty traveler this   is your palm.  Its  leaves store water and the seeds apparently are edible if you're hungry enough

A Road You Should Take

 It's not about how fast you can traverse this road - It's about slowing down, listening and watching the world around you. So pull up a log or comfy rock and be a part of the scene

Peek - A- Boo Hoodoo

 Have you ever thought you saw something out of the corner of your eye but dismissed it? In Bryce Canyon, you may have glimpsed a very rare Peek-a-Boo Hoodoo. They like to play just at the edge of your vision. Walk slowly, carry a fast camera, and embrace a sense of playful wonder. You will find them.

Do Fish Swim In the Air?

 

Walking along a Blue Springs trail I saw an alligator in flight. Now, grant you, it wasn't a large alligator-maybe five feet or so in length, still, a flying alligator is not something you see in the city.  An embarrassing few moments later, my alleged brain determined alligators can't fly, this one in particular was swimming in a crystal clear spring out flow stream.  Occasionally, you may see a fish do the same thing 

Blue Springs State Park 

Does Your Art Float?

Framing doesn't have to be expensive if you let your creative eye take the lead. In this video, we show you how to transform two deep frames, originally used to display sales performance awards, into high-quality art floater frames. These awards, deemed worthless by their retiring recipient, were headed for the trash—nevertheless with a little vision, they became something extraordinary.

Part of the Artist’s life is about reimagining and repurposing, proving that beauty can be created from the unexpected.

Another example comes from the era of sizzling steaks served on metal platters set on wooden trays at upscale restaurants. When this trend faded, we salvaged a dozen wooden trays with recessed areas meant for the platters. By refinishing the wood and painting miniature landscapes or seascapes in the recessed areas using acrylics, we gave these discarded items a new life.

Jack Pine Garage: The Real Story

                                            Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station

I’ve been told, by someone who knows, that paintings should have a story to tell. Well, here’s mine.  This is the story of the Jack Pine Garage - The Real Story  

In the mid third of the 20^th century a vacation trip was to be endured traveling along on county or state highways of wildly varying construct and maintenance schedules.  Bouncing along in a car equipped with natural air conditioning, usually following a slow moving truck or farm vehicle for millions of miles, while listening to hog futures on your dash mounted, static filled AM radio that was mostly drowned out by squabbling siblings in the back seat. Along the way gasoline stations, road side motor inns, and odd attractions just off the main highway supported the small towns.

 The roadside gas stations offered some degree of repair, enough, usually, to get you back on the road with proper amounts of air, oil and water in the proper places along with clean a windshield. Soda Pop, ice, snacks, candy and local gossip were plentiful.  

 The Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station assigned their youngest son to wash your buggy windows, headlights and grille while an older sibling will fill your front bumper mounted water bag and check your tire pressures.

 The eldest will open your hood to make sure your radiator wasn’t about to explode and that the engine had not deposited an unhealthy amount of oil on the gravel road leading into town.

True, spilled oil does reduce road dust, but that’s Henry’s job and it’s impolite to horn in on his source of income.

  All the while the owner of the Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station considered it his civic duty to inform you of local dinosaurs, two headed snakes and the World’s Largest Pheasant,   (located at the end of the towns’ grass aero plane field). All attractions not to be missed. Then lunch at Mable’s Fine Restaurant, right next to the fire station- You can’t miss it, but if you do, be sure to stop by Colleen’s Collectables Gifts. You’ll see it on your left as you turn around.

The Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station

   The Jack Pine Garage was not officially named after the family. A shocking departure from the norm, rather, the concrete block building occupies land that is greatly favored by straight and tall Jack Pine trees, many of which gossip over the goings on at the Jack Pine Garage.  (The actual name of which was too big to paint on the building).

 Now, Jack, probably not his real name, knew quite few things about cars and mechanical inventions. Since Jack figured everyone knew where the Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station could be found, (Highway 15, Half mile or so from town on the right, just before the intersection of State Highway 281).  Thus, paid advertising was not required in any form including the sign on his building.  Consequently, it was his hand that painted the building’s sign, proving Jack was not as handy with a paint brush as he were a wrench.

Time does not stop long in such places and before you know it the interstate came through and somebody invented shopping malls and corporations built shiny new gas stations where you could get most anything and not be bothered to go out of your way, of course-    at a price inflated higher than your tires. It didn’t help matters that the new interstate turn off to State Highway 281, the one with the fancy gas stations, removed much of Jack’s income possibilities.

 You could drive fast on the interstate without much fear of finding a raccoon stuck under your transmission or a deer in your windshield, however the larger pot holes on the washboard county roads had provided a self-regulating speed control and a major source of income to the Jack Pine Garage and Friendly Service Station.

 The new road, asphalt, of course, used a more modern method of speed control consisting of a white car with two big red cherries on the roof and large emblems on both front doors. The car’s inhabitants of which were happy to invite you to reduce the local citizens’ tax burden.

It got so that the excuse of the new road being so smooth, as it was, the automobile operator could not accurately judge his speed. Such a complaint would induce great amusement for the occupants of the car with the cherries and an expensive piece of paper along with an invitation to visit the County Judge next week, when you have the time, naturally.

 Otto dropped by some time ago now. Said his ole Hudson was overheating again.  “That’s what they’re supposed to do” replied Jack, thinking about the stack of dusty suspension parts stored along the back wall of the garage and the check for which that should have been mailed yesterday.

Jack flushed the radiator, patched the offending pinhole leak and replaced the questionable radiator cap with a shiny new one guaranteed to last a good long while.  Otto decided he didn’t like the car that much anyway, and expressed the same interest in settling the bill, leaving Jack apprehensive about fixing the garage door, broken by an errant children, during the Hudson’s repair.  

 As business fell off, the family drifted from their homestead leaving Otto’s old car in the garage.  If you’re interested, Otto’s car is still there, with a repaired radiator, and runs pretty good, I’m told. Be warned though - the new owners are well aware of its worth, so don’t hold your breath.

 All characters, locations, and subjects are fictitious.  Any relation to reality is unintentional. In case you’re wondering - “Jack Pine” refers to a type of pine tree (Pinus banksiana).

Copyright 2024 matt m maloy  

Where Dreams Sank - Hurricane Milton

You may remember the opening scene on Sailing Hideaway You Tube video   Finding the Other Door

We Parked on secluded, pristine beach on a perfect sunny day launching borrowed kayaks on Boca Ciega Bay. 

I guess we knew all along, it was just a matter of time, before luck raises anchor.

I hesitated to make a video about Hurricanes Milton, Helene and TS Debby.

 It didn’t seem appropriate to make a video of a wrecked marina (Hideaway’s home port for many years) when thousands of homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed by these storms. 

Then I remembered that the main purpose of the Sailing Hideaway You Tube channel is to create a record of our sailing life.  The good times have always been entangled with the bad - the successes with the mistakes.  

When life made us landlubbers, we discovered the most difficult obstacle to overcome   when starting something you don’t know much about   is the embarrassment of looking foolish  .

  Like jumping into a cold lake- After you do it a few times   it’s not so bad. 

So with that in mind, the only thing worse is not trying.

Hideaway has come about – we have no idea where we a headed or how to get there – 

Come follow us - it should be interesting – 

Paint Wasters Society: Rediscovering Water Colors

 

Splashing Back to Water Colors

I’ve been away from water color for the better part of 15 years.  Lately, my wife has taken up the sport reminding me of the joys of transparent water color.   

The effort would be easier had I’d remembered that, while they are cousins, water colors and acrylics have different personalities. 

Most Survived 

In my water color days I acquired a startling number of paint in tubes of various sizes and expense. I hadn’t fully realized, to the glee of various suppliers, that all colors come from the primaries.  

Tubes were stored in a fishing tackle box and lost in a closet. Could they still be useable after all years?  Large tubes and small, most were reasonably soft to the squeeze, although, some of the smaller were rocks. 

Surgery was necessary and the rehydration mostly successful. "Professional" grade water color grade paper not so much.  At least, that’s my excuse.   

I've added hot melt glue lines to corral the colors 

As most artist do, I’d acquired several pallets as my need for space increased. I found the best one only after refurbishing the others. (Where did the drywall mud particles come from and why?)  

Paint soaked into the paper- No rescue

I practiced on substandard papers for a while. Frustration the only result.

Where was the sublime joy of color flowing from my brush in a perfect line, dab, or arch?  The effortless perfect stain on the paper – just enough - not too much.    What happened to the transparency you hear so much about?

Searching for answers I came across dozens my early paintings buried in the dregs of the Failure Box.

There's a keeper on the flip side

I’d just received two expensive sets of water color brushes at a low price. Eager to try them, I sacrificed one of my unhappy accident paintings to odd lines, circles and dabs.

What fun!  No pressure! No cost and no worries about failing. After all, the paintings were ready for trash bin anyway.  Occasionally, you may rescue a memory.

Bingo!

I read somewhere that paintings of any kind should be viewed from six feet away and hung at standing height.   In my case, twenty feet seems to work pretty well.  Or at least in a darkened room during a lightning storm.  

Sailboats On Beach- Original Water Color Paperweight
by SailingHideAway

Sailboats On Beach- Original Water Color Paperweight

                                       by SailingHideAway

The Art of Being Unprepared

We are approaching the sweaty, sticky days of summer. The cooling breezes of winter left with the snowbirds weeks ago. It's still a nasty hot morning, though the ant-under-a-magnifying-glass sensation doesn’t start until the sun clears the tree line. It's time for a quick sketching walk in the woods by the lake.

 

My sketch bag is an old cloth emergency first aid kit acquired from a drug store. It’s red with a large white cross on the front, double zippered with a handle, and my added belt clip.

 

It contains two sketchbooks. The larger, a gift, performs poorly with watercolors but is passable for ink, pencil, and charcoal. The other, smaller version is made for both. There’s also a watercolor field kit and old film container filled with extra water, an assortment of pencils, brushes, cut-up credit cards, paper towels… you know the rest.

 

People tend to make way for me when met on a trail. Seeing an old man with a red emergency kit with a big white cross on it, they tend to step aside, not wanting, I surmise, to be the one to apply first aid when the geezer stumbles and can’t get up. They are right – sketching is essential to my well-being, not to mention what’s left of my older right brain.

 

With my bag on my hip, I found a little wooden bridge among the pines and palms, arching over a creek leading to a small lake. I sat on a nearby warped wood bench, the one with short, uneven legs buried in the sand. I opened my kit to find only one sketchbook and one indelible ink pen. No sanity saving erasable pencil. Forgetting to check my bag ruined the entire known universe!

 

But it didn’t.

 

Instead, it freed me to make mistakes. After all, I’d already made the creation of good art unlikely. With no expectations, I had a great time.

 

 Isn’t that what it’s all about?

The Paint Wasters Society of Dog Moon Bay 

White Rose Heart Paperweight
by MACmedia

A Sailing Hideaway Zazzle Store

Of Strawberries and Butterflies

 

 From the Traveling Hideaways- Tales of Our Trails Blog

                                                              Black Plastic Netting

Our elevated strawberry patch has become a haven for strawberry enthusiasts of both wing and paw varieties. To deter unwanted visitors we draped half-inch soft black plastic webbing, supported by bamboo stalks with their small branches still attached to admit only honey bees for pollination.

 

We Didn't Expect the Butterflies

 

During a recent stroll by the patch, I observed six or eight butterflies frenetically fluttering around one of the nets attempting to rescue a trapped comrade. These native Florida butterflies have a two-inch wingspan with tan wings and colorful decoration. I do not recall their name, and my cameras were inside enjoying the air conditioning.

 

Without hesitation, I joined the rescue mission.

 

At first the butterflies wouldn't let me help, constantly getting in the way of my effort to untangle the flimsy net without injuring the victim. Encircled by the butterfly brigade, I sensed their determination, (is that possible?). Some briefly rested their heads on the trapped butterfly’s, perhaps offering silent comfort.

 

As the hot sun weakened the captive, hope dwindled. They wouldn't give up, those butterfly friends, so neither would I. My clumsy fingers fumbled over the net, frantic to find a solution. In a moment of frustration, I reached for my knife, only to drop it. Stooping to retrieve it, I inadvertently freed the entangled butterfly. A swarm of butterflies surrounded their freed companion, and as strength returned, they departed in a flurry of wings.

 

But they returned.

 

As I tore down the remaining nets, the butterflies reappeared, swirling around me for some time in a vibrant display of color and energy before departing once more.

Interpret this as you will, but there will be no more netting in our garden and I have a new appreciation of butterflies.  And, dare I say it? Some butterfly friends!

Lighthouse Spiral Staircase Poster
by SailingHideAway

Jaguar Pick-Up Truck -The Latest News

 

Hot on the trail of a tow vehicle for our soon to be purchased travel trailer, we were checking out a lead at our local Jaguar store.  We didn’t know if there was such a truck, but if there were, a Jag pickup would be worth checking out. 

We sheepishly snuck our old land yacht into the lot and parked next to a large Land Rover.  Later we learned that the custom built Land Rover had a window sticker of $250,000. We were extra careful with our doors.

We entered a building full of white vehicles with their lights left on.  The ultra-modern building was staffed by people ultra-eager to please – coffee, tea, doughnut -Sir?

The show room contained eight Land Rovers and one gorgeous Ferrari two-seater sports car. No Jaguars in sight, let alone an RV tow vehicle.

I asked our assigned representative if he had a Jaguar pick ‘em up truck in stock.  His response was slow to develop, not knowing, I suppose, if I really had any money or if I did and was joking.  

He told us it was hard to get Jaguars to stock because they all are special order and production was nearly sold out.   Only that very morning he had taken orders for three, he declared.  Hard to imagine I know, but the entire line of Jaguars will be electric next year.  Get your 2024 order in soon.

We studied each other for a short while until he remembered that he did, indeed, have a “pick ‘em up truck” in the back lot.   Sure enough, surrounded by a Bentley Coupe, a Lamborghini, a new Corvette, and a Ford Shelby stood a custom Jaguar RV Tow Vehicle, cleverly disguised as black metallic Ford F150 Lariat.    

They hemmed, we hawed. They agreed to fix a few things. We agreed that our land yacht was a bit sorry after the 9,000 mile road trip last year.  It needed tires, only one of the power windows worked and if you drove it awhile it threw the code-$$$.  

Oddly, I haven’t found the button to uncloak the Jag, but you can hear him roar when the blower kicks in…..

                                                    Custom Jag RV Tow Vehicle- Cloaking on.

https://www.zazzle.com/z/aw7l9zdy?rf=238787816549313732