2017 POST #22 - 23 SEPTEMBER - WINTER WORK
Got the three day, 45 degree night, dark days, high of 58 degrees, run two heaters at night, rain-fog-wind warning from Mother Nature . . . about 'get your winter-work done !'
Today, it is back to clear skies-sun and 65 degrees ! So, time to finish the outside work,
Reupholstered the settee in the salon, and rebuilt the sides of it as well, and needed to redo the wood frame (sand/stain/varnish), next are the fascia wings in the salon and galley - to match, and continued on with various leak-fixes, closed off the engine room vents and installed the covers, need to mount and rewire the mast light bar, then figure out a rear Bimini cover for Bonnies poop deck aft.
The upcoming aft Bimini is a big and crazy job, needing lots of design thinking and self-construction, but, it will most likely still be 'in progress' in the rain as the last outdoor task of 2017, installed a boot gland on the anchor chain riser, rehung the anchor and put the winter cover on, added the pond liner atop the generator for drip protection, and finally got those three missing dots on the port bow So . . . fea put on !
We are three weeks away from our one year-aboard anniversary, and still . . . we are not done outfitting to our needs and comfort-fully !
I spent years poking fun at cruisers who told me it took them 18 months to ready for their cruise . . . I was wrong, it "does" take that long before you can know every nook, cranny, bilge space and wire run aboard, much less redesign for your life style, and "really" have all the kinks worked out . . . my list on the reefer is still 12 major items away from completion, who knew ? I didn't.
The single GIANT best dollars spent-best time investment aboard, hands down is the 240 volt 50 amp service panel and rewire project !!!!! I would venture a guess that 75% of the attempted liveaboard assaults fail due to not enough ampacity to sustain life (with 30 amp 120 volt dock service), we found it damn' near impossible, and we are very very experienced.
21st Century moorage sites (like RV sites) should, by 2017, "all" have 50 amp service as standard, the only reason obsoleted 30 amp service is kept, is to allow harbors to stay away from liveaboards.... because, "who" could possibly survive on 30 amp service ? (like we did 6 months over last winter).
The dockwater, WiFi and septage service issues can also create havoc, but, "are " workable-nothing like the problems paltry 30 amp service can cause. Very very few people or couples actually "live aboard" a boat November through March . . very few ! Even down in San Diego or in Florida, the rains, winds, and currents drive almost all ashore for winter evenings, and gale-days of misery.
Today, it is back to clear skies-sun and 65 degrees ! So, time to finish the outside work,
Reupholstered the settee in the salon, and rebuilt the sides of it as well, and needed to redo the wood frame (sand/stain/varnish), next are the fascia wings in the salon and galley - to match, and continued on with various leak-fixes, closed off the engine room vents and installed the covers, need to mount and rewire the mast light bar, then figure out a rear Bimini cover for Bonnies poop deck aft.
The upcoming aft Bimini is a big and crazy job, needing lots of design thinking and self-construction, but, it will most likely still be 'in progress' in the rain as the last outdoor task of 2017, installed a boot gland on the anchor chain riser, rehung the anchor and put the winter cover on, added the pond liner atop the generator for drip protection, and finally got those three missing dots on the port bow So . . . fea put on !
We are three weeks away from our one year-aboard anniversary, and still . . . we are not done outfitting to our needs and comfort-fully !
I spent years poking fun at cruisers who told me it took them 18 months to ready for their cruise . . . I was wrong, it "does" take that long before you can know every nook, cranny, bilge space and wire run aboard, much less redesign for your life style, and "really" have all the kinks worked out . . . my list on the reefer is still 12 major items away from completion, who knew ? I didn't.
The single GIANT best dollars spent-best time investment aboard, hands down is the 240 volt 50 amp service panel and rewire project !!!!! I would venture a guess that 75% of the attempted liveaboard assaults fail due to not enough ampacity to sustain life (with 30 amp 120 volt dock service), we found it damn' near impossible, and we are very very experienced.
21st Century moorage sites (like RV sites) should, by 2017, "all" have 50 amp service as standard, the only reason obsoleted 30 amp service is kept, is to allow harbors to stay away from liveaboards.... because, "who" could possibly survive on 30 amp service ? (like we did 6 months over last winter).
The dockwater, WiFi and septage service issues can also create havoc, but, "are " workable-nothing like the problems paltry 30 amp service can cause. Very very few people or couples actually "live aboard" a boat November through March . . very few ! Even down in San Diego or in Florida, the rains, winds, and currents drive almost all ashore for winter evenings, and gale-days of misery.