December 3, 2016 ICW to St Augustine

We decided to only go as far as St Augustine today.  We decided to get a mooring ball at the municipal marina.  Then we would have access to wifi and boat parts if needed. 

We had the tide assisting us for the entire way.  It was rising as we left, which moved the water into the ICW.  When we were halfway there, the tide was heading out.  That made the water flow with us out of the St Augustine inlet.  Moving at about 7k, we made the trip in 5 hours.

our boat on the mooring ball

We decided to run the generator and water maker to check them out.  That also afforded us to take showers for the first time in 3 days.  Everything was running fine there.  Since most of the day was shot, we decided to have a night on the town.

St Augustine is known for it’s Christmas lights display.  It was rated one of the top 10 Christmas destinations in the World for a couple of years.  It really was festive and hard to capture in photos.  With this notoriety comes lots of tourists.  We headed to an Irish Pub that we knew of, Meehan’s, to watch the Alabama college football game at 4:00.  I left and went to church at 5:00 at the Basilica a few blocks away.  When I returned, there were lines of people at every restaurant I passed, even at Meehan’s.  So we were glad to be at the restaurant early.  We enjoyed dinner as we watched the game.  ROLL TIDE!!

When we left there, we walked to St George Street, a pedestrian only tourist area.  We found a bar with live music and had fun evening.  We enjoyed the band which reminded us our our son’s band.  We danced and made some new friends when Dave did the “snow ball dance”.  That’s where you ask someone else to dance.  So we got a few other couples out dancing.  It was a fun night out.  Can’t remember the last time we did that.  Especially because we didn't have to drive a car home.  But, you do have to drive a dinghy, and be able to get in and out of it safely.  So there you go. 

Castillo de San Marco National Monument from our boat

Castillo de San Marco lit up at night

King Street

December 2, 2106 ICW to Jacksonville, FL

love being back on the water

It was kind of a cool and cloudy morning.  Hurricane Matthew damaged the public docks on Cumberland Island.  That means we would have to land the dinghy on the beach to see the island.  Getting our feet wet on a sunny day in the Bahamas is no big deal, but we both were having second thoughts.  We didn’t know if the shore would be packed sand or deep muck.  So we decided to tour the island next summer when we return from the Bahamas. 

We then decided we may as well start moving south.  We chose to stay on the ICW until everything was working better.  We were having issues with our heads.  Letting them sit for almost 6 moths distorted some of the rubber functioning parts.  So Dave worked on them under way while I navigated us through the ICW.

Our auto pilot is not working either.  Dave will have to look into that further before we head to the Bahamas. 

We anchored on the south shore of the St John’s river as it enters Jacksonville, FL and near the ICW. 

December 1, 2016 Finish Painting and LAUNCH

We were up early this morning to finish getting things ready.  Dave painted the keel and the areas where the boat stands had been.  I finished putting things away inside the boat.  It’s been awhile since we had to worry about things falling off of shelves while the boat is moving.

We were ready to roll by 10:00am.  They used the fork lift to put our dinghy back on the davits.  Just as they were going to lift it, we decided to take the cover off.  I grabbed it and started pulling it off and had a surprise.  A mouse jumped up, bounce off my chest and ran away.  I squeaked from the surprise, but the guys in the boat yard were impressed.  One said his wife would have peed her pants. 

It’s always scary, but exiting to see them lift and move your boat.  After they set it in the water, we made sure the engine was running smoothly and checked to be sure we weren’t taking on any water.  All systems were go.

bringing our boat through the boat yard

the launching part of the dock

bringing the boat out over the water. not much lee way

looks pretty good

lowering into the water, then we climb aboard

Here we go!!

We launched at hight tide and headed down the North River to the St Mary’s River and to Cumberland Island.  That only took about 2 hours.  We wanted to just get our heads together and get used to being back on the water.  And we remembered how to anchor, no problem.

We could see the wild horses on Cumberland Island as we passed the shoreline.  We planned to tour the island the next day. 

wild horses on the beach of Cumberland Island

Dave studied about this island when he was in 7th grade

November 30, 2016 Lifting the boat to finish painting

We thought this day would never come!  The boat lift raised our boat off of the boat stands so we could finish repairing and painting the hull.  They brought in the boat lift.  They center the lift over our boat.  The straps have to go in certain places to lift the boat.  Our manual tells where, but they knew.  They wrap the straps in plastic so nothing scratches our new paint job, or gets it dirty from lifting other boats. 

fork lift to move our stairs away

bringing in the boat lift

lining up the straps in the correct place

Dave supervising the wrapping of the slings

off the ground and ready to finish the work on the hull and keel

After it was lifted, Dave went to work to finish the bottom.  There was an area of bare metal on the bottom of the keel that he had to repair.  There was a step that was supposed to dry for 24 hours, but they can’t tie up the boat lift that long.  So Dave used a heat gun to help dry the steps that needed it.  He started at noon and didn’t quit until midnight. 

While layers were drying, we made one last trip to our storage unit in Brunswick, GA, about 1 hour north of us.  I also did some laundry.  May be the last time we use a washing machine for several months.  That was a long day.

November 29, 2016 Boat Yard Life

There were several things I found interesting that didn’t really fit in with any projects.  But many photos are of Dave and his buddy Clayton.  He would routinely stop by the boat to chat AND ask for candy.  He had such a cute southern drawl for a 3 year old.  He first would ask Dave about his girlfriend when he asked about me.  But he eventually learned my name, too.  He was a high light of the boat yard life. 

the machinery needed to raise a mast (not ours)

How much wood would a wood clamp clamp if a wood clamp could clamp wood? (not ours)

This is why you periodically clean your hull and prop (not ours). Your boat wouldn't move very fast like this.

Beautiful night on the North River

such a calm night

at the Catholic church in St Mary's-Our Lady of the Sea

birthday party for Brenda

night out in town with other boaters.  yes Dave is wearing Crocs

view of our boat yard from St Mary's boat ramp on North River across the grass land

Clayton helping Dave repair his truck that I ran over it with his Dad's car

crew helping turn Adrian and Brenda's boat as it is leaving the boat yard

2 peas in a pod

Rosie and Larry leaving for the 3rd time this summer after 3 years in the boat yard.  We head

Ice cream truck in November and playing Christmas carols

Clayton hauling my laundry to the laundry facility about a city block away

last day in the boat yard

I'm not sure who was having more fun.  Should have taken a video

the boat yard's Christmas tree the last night in the boat yard

November 28, 2016 Other boat projects

List of projects not in any order and through out the summer

added a window air conditioner to the v berth hatch to use while in the boat yard.  later removed and put it in our storage unit

lube through hulls
check navigation lights and deck lights, check connections and re-goop
mark chain with paint and rubber markers at 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 feet

found a scrap of stainless steel that Dave cleaned up and shaped to place on the bow/bow plate to protect the area of fiberglass where the chain would run across as it was raised and lowered.  He was able to use the machine shop in the boat yard.




 
 

used scrap pipe to make supports for the radar arch and mounted it to the davits and stern pulpit which also beefed up the davits
replaced the broken gate on the snubber
replaced block for preventer with a beefier one

raised single side band antennae higher on the back stay and you re-positioned counter poise in the bilge
placed a flag halyard on the other back stay for our American flag



used a piece of aluminum to make metal stops to replace plastic ones on the mast on the spinnaker pole track
 

 
12 volt receptor in the cockpit for charging cords and for cockpit light to use at anchor
repainted dorades, propane tank and vents on the stern
zinc painted anchor and prop
mounted 2 stern cleats to use for dingy
fixed hole in hull made from screw hole back in May
added a 4D battery.  had to take out aft air conditioner to be able to mount the battery in it’s place.  had to create supports to hold it in place

clean and lubed 4 winches.  had to place a box over them to contain spring loaded parts, but it was actually in the way.  wouldn’t use in the future. now he knows what to watch for

 
 
 
 
finished sanding the teak
bought an anti theft steal handle for our Honda generator so it can be locked to the boat
new lines and pulleys for the dingy on the davits
dinghy-traded for a bigger anchor, cleaned and painted it
Bilge pump added an alarm and mounted it on the nav station.  larger raw water screens for both bilge pumps
replaced the galley faucet because it was corroding and leaking
added a light for when the water pump is running on the nav station
polished the hull with a buffer twice, once when we arrived and again before leaving
added our boat name to both sides of the bow and replaced our home port on the stern


 
 
 
Lehr outboard-replace impeller and fluids, greased
Mercury outboard-replaced fluids and greased
added a pvc pipe onto the galley through hull shot off to be able to maneuver easier
removed the microwave
 removed microwave and gained storage space

 
added a fuse for each fan inside the boat-5
mounted metal blast gates inside the stern vents that can be closed  to prevent taking on water should we get pooped
measured a 600 ft rope into segments of 200 x 2, 120, and 40 x 2  Then Dave made eye splices on both ends of the 200 ft lines

 
moved the raw water filter was for the generator and in it’s place installed new valves and pump for the electric fuel pump for the Yanmar engine.  It can be switched over if needed, especially while under way
The plunger is used to run water through the engine through hull

the area behind the engine and under the bed in the aft cabin, new filter is at the bottom of picture