Sunday, March 27, 2016

Trip home & unpack

The roadway was full of people from Florida right on up to Knoxville Good Friday.  Atlanta was a zoo and we lost lots of time there so the planned home run was cut off and we stayed at the Days Inn North in Knoxville. This was a first time stay and it was OK - room was a bit noisy but the view of our rig in the parking lot made up for that.  The hot breakfast was mediocre with lots of little things missing but we were the first ones there and that made up for the shortcomings.  All-in-all our $62 room was pretty good as it was clean with new carpets.  We would stay again.

The final leg home was on uncrowded roads but we went thru Cincinnati instead of taking the I-74 to Indy.  This was a mistake as the road construction and slow traffic was irksome.  Still we arrived home about 1730 hours and we turned on the house and unloaded the cab of the truck and the car.

On the way home we discussed Sabre 34 and this boat might hold some promise.  Still in my deck of cards is the Pearson 35 and Seaward 26RK.  There may be others that interest me but the role of the boat at this time in undefined.  One thing is known, I must be able to single hand the boat for extended periods on inter-coastal, near shore use.  The occasional open ocean  passage must be safe for a single hander and this might leave the Seaward wanting.  Unlike our other boats, seasonal living aboard comfort is not an issue as we will be out for a couple of weeks to a month at most.  We will be planning and researching for a while.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Inspiration II sold

In very rapid turn of events a cash buyer viewed boat, put the $$$$ down and we performed sea trial and survey and laid her up on the hard.  We moved off in one day - everything - and tried to pack it inot a truck with topper and a car that is pulled via a dolly by the truck.  Both are full to brim and we are now in Knoxville on the way to Indiana.

SAM & I are planning our next moves - from a 26' Seward to 37 Island Pack - and all boats in between.  SAM likes a semi-displacement trawler & I want to stick with a cutter rig sailboat that has a shallow draft keel and skegged rudder.  We will have to negotiate that for sure!  Moore later.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Boat Delivery - Ortega Landing Marina

This morning bright and early we took off with s/v Tuktu & Capt Rockwood to deliver boat to Ortega Landing Marina on the Ortega River.  It was a short fun delivery and afterwards we went out for lunch in Avondale area of South Jacksonville. The marine water was so shallow that we had to work pretty hard to reverse pretty hard to get into the slip.  The west wind plus low tide made the water almost too low for the 5' keel Tartan.  They may have to start dredging one of these fine days.

As I write it is raining at a moderate rate and steadily.  I think this will continue for some hours.  This is the first real long rain we have had for a long time.  Maybe the river will rise a bit.  I just awoke from a short nap and it was welcome.  I'll just finish the coffee pick-me-up and pop a couple Kraft Carmel's - good to go.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Eyebrows and Moore

SAM laid down the second coat of Cetol Natural Teak on the eyebrows this afternoon and it looks good, The weather is not too conducive to applying the third coat for many days into the future.
However, after the third coat of CNT comes the single layer of Clear and we are finished. Yea. I think this will be the final project for this season.  All the rest of the projects will be deferred to next October when I will be aboard to install some new electronics.  The upcoming season promises lots of cruising to places of adventure.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Sturday & Sunday: Overcast, Humid, Warm

We started the day as usual, each with our own tiny agenda and progressed from the morning to afternoon and now early evening.  The rains came this afternoon, heavy at times, and it has been a while so it was sort of a novelty.  I was working on the boat cutting off teak plugs from the eyebrows when I felt the first drops and it rapidly progressed to light rain.  The tools were collected and dried, put in the cockpit and I started to wait it out. Well, it has more or less rained all afternoon but I did have time to fill the boat tanks and it took about 8 minutes so that was approximately 80 gallons or 20 gallons per day.  Now I am watching SAM fix dinner.

Yesterday was a good day.  We finished the caulking on the eyebrow and a few other little tasks in that area.  Afterwards,SAM went to the store to buy some food and I changed the switch on the overhead light at the Nav Station.  After we were both here for a short time we discussed the Refrigerator and how it needed to be defrosted.  With an hour and a half available we started the process.  Man did it need defrosting.  The ice was an inch and a half in parts.  Then it was time to prep for the dinner at the clubhouse to which we were invited.  The hostess was Dee and she was cleaning out the refrigerator for the end of their season, which is next Tuesday.  What a good time we had - Frank/Dee/Garnet of xxxxx, Richard & wife of Three Quarter Time and us of Inspiration II - with the evening filled with laughs and lots of pasta. 

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Started Eyebrow Reinstall

We started the reinstall of the eyebrow today.  I made the port side forward section and it went pretty smoothly, including the teak plugs.  The small angle section of the stbd side was made as a trial run but I did not install the plugs.  I want to wait until I get to the hardware to get the #10x3/4 pan and flathead screws plus the plastic head hammer ( for the teak plugs).

Randy, of MaƱana, was doing some epoxy work with West System 407 thickener that was just starting to kick and I cleaned out his cup and tried applying to a hollow spot on the back side of the teak.  Well, we messed and messed with it has it got harder but it still was running so we turned it face down on a plastic squeege in hopes it would make a flat surface to start sanding on.  We will see tomorrow how it looks. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice again so we will continue the reinstall of the eyebrow.

The Stainless Steel rub rail for the wear spots of the cap rail are cut and ready for install.  I am still contemplating whether to install them or not.  I think it would look good - I will think about it - but there is no rush since our season is ending in 6 weeks±. I do not want to start any more projects and we have one big one on the taks list that we will have to hire out.


Saturday, March 5, 2016

Dock Party!

This evening we had a dock party and there were about 30 people ±.  Several different varieties of food were present so meat rollups, cheese of various types, chips and salsa and SAM's corn bread.
After the party which started to break up at sundown I headed back to the boat to take a soaker shower, man did that feel good!  Now, I am in fresh PJ's with the boat heat turned on and it is warm - life is good.

A program on TV just now is talking about hops.  It is necessary to get female hops root stock.  This start will produce hops for many years.  Gee, it makes me want to make beer again but then again I guess I will not.  I think there is other applications for hops in making tea and as a food enhancements.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

More Stainless Steel Rub Rail

We have decided to add some more stainless steel rub rail along the outside edge of the rub rail centering it in the midships area.  The fenders were starting to dig into the teak rail so this should prevent that issue.  It looks good too.

This day is a wash because the volunteering I do lasted longer today so the day is nearly shot.  Tonight it is supposed to rain so I guess tomorrow will be full applying the port side SS.  I'ss write more tonight as time permits.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Finished

We finished sealing the cap rails, amid high tensions,and are happy it is done.  The port side we did not tape and the stby side we did tape.  The stby side took twice and much 3M FP 4000 UV and for no good reason that I can see - except it looks a little nicer in most spots.  I think if I had it to do all over again I would have tape the port side and use the extra sealant. We may go over the port side but that is undecided.

I am awaiting guest from Michigan to visit us on the boat.  To stay close to the phone I am on the boat and heaven only know where SAM is.  I'll close this missive  so I can look up a few items I need from eBay.  BFN.