Work, work and more work!

Today is Saturday and we plan on launching Monday. Original plan was to launch today but the yard is closed on the weekends. Having 2 more days has made the pace a little slower so we're not sorry about the delay. Work has progressed all week and tomorrow I will get the second coat of bottom paint and hopefully get some wax on the hull.

Ann sanding the boot strip

She painted it and sanded it prior to the second coat.

 

Now removing the tape.

Down in the hole!

Painting the registration numbers on.

The engine room geek.

We had a bow thruster installed which should help alot in the locks.

The joy stick! Just like back flying the A330 again!

New battery box for 1 anchor windlass battery and 2  thruster batteries for 24 volts. All under our berth in the forward cabin.

Everything has gone pretty well this week and Ann has been great and is learning as she goes. I had all this done by the time she arrived last year. We are both very sore having used muscles that haven't seen much use lately and bending our bodies into tiny narrow spaces as well as postures and positions that just plain hurt! Advil has been our friend this week as well as a bloody mary in the evening!

Back to the Boat!

We left home on Friday the 12th and spent the weekend in DeLand, Fla. where Ann & I grew up. A great visit with family and friends. We departed Monday morning for the MTOA (Marine Trawler Owners Assn ) spring rendezvous in Fernandina Beach. This years theme was pirates! The event was well attended with 68 boats and 192 people. We met some old friends and a lot of new ones.

The first night was the pub crawl. Three groups, 3 pubs with 45 minutes in each one.

We had a great time  with lots of events through Friday morning.

Ann was enlisted to play the tambourine with the guitar player.

Friday we left for Charleston, SC to visit with Ann's cousin. Another great few days.

We arrived back in Solomons, MD Sunday afternoon about 430 pm. Hit the grocery store and got a good nights sleep. Bright and early Monday morning we headed for Charis. It's been 6 months since we hauled and shrink wrapped her.
She looked great!

 First step is removing the shrink wrap! it was fun in 15 knots of wind! And my first time.

 Just cut it out in sections and Ann rolls it up for the trip to the dumpster.

 Notice Ann dressed for 52 degrees.

And Ken!

Now the chore of redoing everything we undid last fall. Like taking the dinghy out of the cabin. Several more days of chores before putting her back in the water.