In preparing my ASM for a multi-year voyage next year, I am hoping that other owners can offer me advice on a number of issues:
1. My wife an I will need to look out for coral heads when entering South Pacific islands. What is the best way to get a few feet above the deck in order to have better visibility? Are mast steps up 10 feet or so a good way to get the needed visibility? Do foldable mast steps pose any structural or safety issue with the Amel main mast? Are rat lines a good option?
2. Another way to spot coral heads is to install sonar. The transducers seem very large for most forward looking sonars such as EchoPilot and Interphase? What do these transducer do to sailing performance on the Amel Super Maramu? Are the sonars practically useful for finding one's way in coral fringed islands?
3. I would like to add some fuel capacity for ocean crossing. I am thinking about strapping a 100 gallon bladder tank to the roof aft of the mizzen. Once across the ocean, I would roll the tank up and store it in a locker. Has anyone had any experience with bladder tanks (such as those made by ATL or Nauta)? Is there some reason that this would be a bad idea? Would there ne a lot of fuel sloshing noise?
4. Has anyone used AGM batteries in an ASM? Is there any issue with charge regulation with AGMs in a newer (2003) ASM?
