Friday, January 18, 2019

December 12-15, 2018 Dr appointments and projects

Wednesday
I had to go to the lab this morning to draw blood.  I told Dave to do whatever he wanted for breakfast because I had to fast.  Before I even left for my lab work, a friend came by to pick up Dave to go out for breakfast.  I guess I need watch how I say things.

I joined 10 other women at the marina for lunch today.  A local boater chose a restaurant with a buffet for lunch.  I knew at least 4 of the women, so I was fun to meet some others.  Everyone has a different boating experience. 

I spent the rest of the day washing all of our bedding.

Thursday
This morning, I had my annual physical. 

Dave took the outboard off of the dingy and mounted it on the stern of the boat.  It will remain there until we get to the Bahamas this winter.

He also started working on a plan to remount the windlass for a better flow of the chain over the gypsy.  It hasn’t felt right since he replaced them last June.
 
Friday
Dave had an appointment in St Mary’s, Ga this morning for his annual lab work at the VA.  We took Fred and Patti’s car this morning.  Afterwards, we had breakfast at a little cafe downtown that we remembered from our summer here 2 years ago.  We also saw a wild boar along the interstate.

When we got back to Brunswick, we ran more errands with the car, picked up packages at the marina office, used one of the boxes to return an item, which we took to the post office.  Then we went to West Marine for boating “whatever”.  We ran into Duane and Peg there.  They had taken an Uber there and were getting groceries nearby, too.  We offered them a ride back to the marina, but only if they wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant with us first.  That was an offer they couldn’t refuse.

We got back to the boat in time to reboot and go to happy hour.  I was the only one of us 4 that went.  I visited with some of the women I met on Wednesday and called it an early night.  

Saturday
I spent the day cleaning, doing laundry and writing and sending our Christmas letters.  Most are sent via e-mail with less than 10 mailed in a card. 

Dave changed the gas filter in the dingy and replaced the fuel lines.  He said enough people stopped and talked to him today while he was placing the filter that he wouldn’t be surprised if it was stolen while we were gone.   Actually, this place has been very safe with security.
new gas filter in the dinghy

different view with the new 20hp Mercury motor
Dave also mounted new doors for our companionway.  The original doorway had 2 sections that have to lifted out and laid aside, then replaced every time you entered or exited the boat.  These door open in and out on hinges.  No more removing and replacing!!  We’ve been researching these for a couple years and finally made the purchase.  Selling my office building in September helped move this project along.  All the reviews included “and your wife is going to love them!”  And I do!!
View of the new door from inside.  There is a sliding hatch on the top. We hang the knotted rope to avoid hitting our head when it is closed

doors from the outside

doors open looking into the boat

November 28, 2018 Repair of water leak at shaft extension

The boat was pretty cold this morning, so we decided to out for breakfast.  Plus, the kitchen sink drain would dump out on the ground right in the area they were going to be working today.  So, as a courtesy, we didn’t want to use the galley.  Good excuse anyway.

When we returned, Eddie was already at work.  He dug out any material that was around the shaft tube extension.  Next he put a thickened epoxy in the gap and wound fiberglass around the shaft extension.  He tried to help it set by propping a blow dryer in place to warm it up.  He was rigging a new sailboat in this boatyard, so he came back later and put another layer of thickened epoxy over the fiberglass.  He covered that in a clear wrap and said to leave it until tomorrow.  He said he could put a layer of paint over it in the morning, but it wasn’t necessary. 

 
I spent part of the day at a laundromat, using the courtesy car.  I guess we were the only ones staying in the boatyard.  So we had the car to ourselves.  A lot of our throw rugs were damp from moisture within the boat.  So it was nice to be able to take them to a laundromat.  When it is warmer in the boat than outside, we get so much condensation on the inside of the boat.  We’ll have to do some major cleaning when we get settled in Brunswick with their free laundry. 

Dave always likes to do some hull maintenance when the boat is out.  He would really like to do some touch up painting, but that would have taken more time.  And all of our tools for that are in storage in Brunswick.  He replaced the zincs. The one on the prop was mostly gone.  And the one on the shaft was completely gone.  It had actually come off since it was placed in September.  The worst place for electrolysis to take place is when we are at a marina and plugged into their shore power.  The only place we did that since September was in Annapolis for 3 nights.  Dave greased the prop blade and any spinning parts.  He cleaned through hulls and their scoops (bronze covers to slow down the debris that can enter).  He added oil and antifreeze.  He cleaned the raw water screens for the water maker and the engine.  He also vacuumed any remaining water that he could see.  We want to be able to look for any new water.  The tough part is that water can be pooling in an area that won’t show up until the boat rocks again.  So it can take awhile to know if everything is sealed. 
greasing the prop
new zincs
prop zinc
prop and shaft extension exiting the skeg
We met a young couple that were from North Dakota and Minnesota.  They just bought a used sailboat and brought it here to have some work done before they move aboard.  They have been living in a pop up camper.  We asked them to join us at the Wild Wings Cafe for dinner.  We discovered this restaurant in the Carolinas 4 years ago and were anxious to go back.  Great wings with lots of sauces made in house.  (Not Buffalo Wild Wings.)  It was fun filling their heads with all kinds of information.  We exchanged info and told them to contact us any time.