Today we got the first real rain of the season. Started about midnight last night and came through again this afternoon. The nice thing about rain in the level lands is that it passes through rather quickly. AJ was still able to remove the binnacle and I started sanding the exterior teak on the cabin roof. It's soft bare lovliness is getting rained on as we speak. The rain is back this evening with more menacing intentions. The wind is howling again, I have not heard that since the stormy season last year when we were out on the ball. You don't hear that as much in a house. I have always loved thunder storms and the rain. I have wondered if living on a boat would change that. Could I still enjoy a thunderstorm when out on the ocean? when it's at best exhausting or inconvenient, and at worst life threatening? Don't know yet. But I find there is something thrilling and strangely calming about nature screaming at you. And even water dripping on me in bed all night from the leaky hatch doesn't put a damper on sleeping under the loud patter of rain on the roof and glass hatch a couple feet above, with the wind roaring and causing a ruckus on the deck, as the boat rocks and bobs. It's kind of heaven.
At this moment, AJ is shining a flashlight in the engine room onto the waterfall coming in from the hatch we are replacing, .. sometime soon when it's not raining. We'll have to keep an eye on the bilge and make sure the automatic ones are kicking on before going to bed. The lower one has just been confirmed to not work. I'm starting to remember this routine. It's been a long time since it rained. When we drop back in the water Cheoy Leaky will be leaky no more.
Binnacle Job: Easy Greasy
Binnacle with the wheel and compass already removed. That's the new hatch lip on the left, and the old hatch lid on the right.
From inside the engine room.
The cockpit will be nice and roomy with the new tiller.
In other news, we've found ourselves a place to sleep while the boats on the hard. The woman hired to replace me at work offered AJ and I her spare room. Which is really amazing because we were dreading what budgeting in a hotel would mean. She and her husband live right there in Manatee where we will be hauling out, and they are letting us store stuff at their house too. Storage is a big help because we need to clear half of our stuff off the boat so it can be a dirty workspace. I doubt all of it will make it back on the boat. The more crap that leaves, the more I like it.
10 days to haul out.
At this moment, AJ is shining a flashlight in the engine room onto the waterfall coming in from the hatch we are replacing, .. sometime soon when it's not raining. We'll have to keep an eye on the bilge and make sure the automatic ones are kicking on before going to bed. The lower one has just been confirmed to not work. I'm starting to remember this routine. It's been a long time since it rained. When we drop back in the water Cheoy Leaky will be leaky no more.
Binnacle Job: Easy Greasy
Binnacle with the wheel and compass already removed. That's the new hatch lip on the left, and the old hatch lid on the right.
The cockpit will be nice and roomy with the new tiller.
In other news, we've found ourselves a place to sleep while the boats on the hard. The woman hired to replace me at work offered AJ and I her spare room. Which is really amazing because we were dreading what budgeting in a hotel would mean. She and her husband live right there in Manatee where we will be hauling out, and they are letting us store stuff at their house too. Storage is a big help because we need to clear half of our stuff off the boat so it can be a dirty workspace. I doubt all of it will make it back on the boat. The more crap that leaves, the more I like it.
10 days to haul out.
I'm sad to report, that those chainplates will not look like that for long. The bronze we got rusts due to it's iron content. I suppose you could varnish them.
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