Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Almost ready to sail...

Sunday:
Rebuilt the forward head today! Very indelicate to talk about but wonderful to experience. Things flush the way they do at home. Very exciting. Glen will tackle the other one tomorrow!!!
Tools are interesting. We are shopping at Sears. The thinking is that Sears is in Canada and the US and usually the Craftsman brand stands up. Got a socket set and a cordless drill/90 degree combo for not too much. Also, some screw drivers and pliers. It is amazing to see how much we need.
The most problematic??? We can’t find any coffee mugs. Every morning we re-use the same old Styrofoam cups… trying to find the perfect mug. Somewhere out there…!
Our friends next door continue to give us their junk/treasures as they get ready to sell. Tonight it was booze. We think we can find a use for that!
Waited for the shuttle launch. Easy to see from here… apparently. Scrubbed for tonight. We will watch tomorrow. Julie (Canada) Payette is on this one!

Evening G&ts
Evening G&Ts

Monday:
Guys came today to install the windlass (the electric motor that pulls up the anchors) and worked all day without accomplishing much. Glen repaired the aft head so we now have two super flushers. We hope they are finished installing the windlass tomorrow.

Wiring the windlass into the existing system
Wiring the windlass into the existing system

We are hoping to go sailing on Wednesday! Pam did a major shop at Walmart (they have huge groceries) and got us enough food for a month. She also found mugs at a local “Good Will!” We are supposed to go out for dinner at the local Italian restaurant but we are waiting to watch the shuttle launch. Brad will be joining us on Thursday and then we head off to Marathon… through Venice, Naples, Fort Meyers, etc. Dinner tonight with the Twin Dolphin Marina crew at “Fav’s.” What stories these people have!!!

Tuesday:
Guys continued to work on the windlass. Wow, it’s hot. I’m glad I’m not working outside in this heat. Windlass is almost done. Boat is denamed/renamed. Tonight we are going to share some champagne with Paul and Mary (next door) and King Neptune (the god of the seas.) LOTS of champagne so the boat is comfortable with her new name.
Bought a life-sling arrangement and a new barbeque at West Marine today. The guys were very pleased to see us. We didn’t go in on Monday and they wondered if something was wrong.

Making lists
Making lists

Things we’ve done so far…
1. Getting windlass installed.
2. Changed fuel filter, getting ready to change secondary fuel filter, oil and oil filter
3. Bought new dinghy/got rid of old one
4. Removed old name/put on new name

Renaming
Renaming

Sharing champagne with King Neptune
Sharing champagne with King Neptune

5. Bought new personal flotation devices
6. Searched out all lockers and found treasures (old crappy pumps)
7. Had refrigeration looked at
8. Rebuilt both heads
9. Bought tools
10. Bought a frying pan (and a shipload of other stuff)
11. Provisioned (Walmart has individual filets wrapped in bacon)
12. Bleached water lines so fresh water wouldn’t smell like crap
13. Replaced galley, forward shower and cockpit water nozzles.
14. Pumped out holding tanks!!!
15. Fixed water gauge
16. Met tons of new friends
17. Entertained previous to previous owner
18. Art Richard (Art’s Anchorages) came over for a morning and taught us a ton about the area and the boat. We made his Jambalaya. It was delicious.
19. Helped Sea Otter move off their boat
20. Received tons of welfare from Sea Otter as they get rid (give us) all their treasures.
21. Put memory foam on master bed
22. Installed new sound system
23. Getting fuel “polished” (it has been sitting on the boat for 3 years. The boat has been used almost never by the previous owners. They lived aboard at this marina before buying their house.)
24. Took loads of knick-knacks (like music boxes) to the local Salvation Army Goodwill.

Brad flies down tomorrow.  We'll pick him up in Miami on Thursday; we'll spend Friday here and Saturday we will launch into the Gulf.  Destination... Marathon in the Florida Keys.

1 comment:

  1. Pat was so pleased to hear that your mugs were purchased at Goodwill.I hope you acquired all the history of these treasures. I am also anxious to check all the data in your memory foam on the master bed.Will these memory gadgets be on the guest beds as well? All is well in Abbotsford..we had a great time working at the Special Olympics Basketball tournament.Very rewarding. Several ex-Yale kids carried the torch on opening ceremonies-Lindsay Atkinson and Mike Paletti.You get top marks for your daily entries. Don[and Pat]

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