Little by Little Progress is Made

I got back to the cold weather on Sunday after spending a week down on Skylark. The weather was fantastic and it was really nice being in the warm sun after a few weeks of freezing temperatures. It actually felt like spring but I know the cold stuff is still on it's way. Between now and then though, there are a few things that are in the works and I hope to have it all done by the end of  January.

Good Old Boat Shirt Pic

As I mentioned previously, the engine work is basically finished although there are a few things that still need to be tweaked. That should be wrapped up this week though and I can officially cross the Atomic 4 refurb off the list. Skylark already seems happier that her innards are back together. She sits so much better now that the 400 or so pounds are back where they belong. When the engine was out, we bobbed like a cork in any bad weather. But between the engine and a full fuel tank, she is so much more stable. It's amazing what adding a little weight to a boat will do to her feel. 

In addition, my buddy Trevor will be painting the deck, an item on the to-do list that desperately needs to be done. I have decided to go with white on white since the light blue got so hot in the summer, it was crazy. So after a recommendation from someone who has cruised all of the Caribbean, white on white it is (thanks Ralph.) I am really excited to see how she turns out. The hull had recently been done right before I bought Skylark and still looks good, so once the deck is clean, she will look real great.

On top of that, the fresh water tank will be fixed or replaced, so my water woes will finally be behind me. If all goes to plan, the next time I get down to the boat, I will be ready for the first cruise of the year. I know you can't see it, but I am smiling from ear to ear. Trevor and I have already figured out a few places to buddy boat  while running sea trials. It's been way to long not being on the hook. I can't wait.

I also got lucky and found someone selling brand new, in the box 75w solar panels for a great price, so I picked one up. I don't have a cold plates at this point, so my power requirements are really low. A 75 watt panel should do me just fine until I replace the refrigeration sometime later in the year or next. I will post pics once it's installed as well as the type of controller I go with. Something simple should work for now.

So that's the update. I will post more pics of everything once I get things a little more sorted. 

Fair winds...

De Ja Freakin' Vu

Well, we got another 10 inches of snow in Asheville, NC this weekend. Ice was horrible this time around as there was sleet that froze to everything. I am sure you saw some of the news cast about the power being out across most of western NC. For a change, we never lost it here but it flickered a few times. Once again we made the trip over to Greenlife market on foot Friday night and got a few items to make it through.

At this point, I am really getting sick of this cold and need some sun. Can only do so much getting the boat ready for the trip when the temps don't get out of the 20's, but I am certainly trying. Looking at mid March at this point, but it's still way too far out to lock anything down.

As far as what's left to do, the list is getting shorter. Still have to secure the propane tank to the cockpit stanchions and run the line properly through the lazarette to the stove. Need to get new flares and replace all of the old ones that have expired. First aid kit, off-shore life vest, inflatable raft and a MOB (Man Over Board) pole that attaches to the backstay. Thinking about a radar reflector that goes up the mast and helps the big ships see us small boats at night. I have heard a lot of different opinions on whether it's worth it, but have not nailed that down as of yet. Also want to add 2 new deep cell batteries to the house bank. The near term power solution will be solar panels, but that won't happen till I am down in Florida. And last but not least, a few days before we go, I will have the boat pulled out of the water and have them power wash all the growth off the hull, prop and through-hulls. It's a pain in the ass but necessary at this point as I could tell the prop was covered last time we went out. Was planning to scrape a bit before the water got too cold but certainly missed that opportunity a long time ago. There is more of course, but that's good for now. Hang in there, the warmth has to be getting close.