Day Zero

Well, it's been quite a long time since I last posted to this blog.  I am preparing to do the return trip to Florida for the winter months.  When we bought the boat 3+ years ago, that was the original intent. But as "life is what happens while you are making other plans", (a little John Lennon reference) it hasn't happened yet. So this year a friend and myself will be leaving around November 16th and heading south.  We intend to stop in Brunswick Ga. and return home for the holidays to be with friends and family.  After the first of the year another friend and myself will return to the boat and continue southward. I hope to update the blog regularly, depending on internet access of course.

It seems as if I have been working on the boat most of the time since we put it back in the water this spring getting it ready for several months of "cruising".  This is what I accomplished thus far.

1. Bottom work - blister repair and anti-fouling paint.
2. Heads rebuilt - Put new macerator motors impellers and grinders in both heads.
3. Replaced the reverse cycle AC/Heat unit in the forward stateroom.
4. Replaced the CQR anchor with a new 55# Rocna Vulcan.
5. Replaced the old windlass with a new Lewmar reversing self feeding windlass.  No more manually pulling and feeding the chain rode into and out of the chain locker.
6. Replaced one of the drain hoses from the flybridge that runs through the aft cabin ceiling, hanging lockers and into the salon wall to the engine room.  That was quite a job, dropping the head liner in the aft cabin, removing the ceiling in the hanging lockers,  rebuilding one section of the headliner, and ceiling supports that had rotted out from moisture, and reassembling it all together. Even had to cut an access port in the step riser to the flybridge to access the drain fitting.  Ugh!
7. Applied tank sealer to the forward belly fuel tank - This required draining, cleaning, and acid washing the inside of the tank before applying the sealer.  All on my belly.  That was an ugly job.  I hope it works !
8. Serviced both engines and generator - new impellers, oil changes, filters, fuel filters etc.
9. New bimini cover - the other one got ripped up in a wind storm.
10. Replaced the oil cooler on the starboard engine - The multi cooler began leaking and the oil cooler section had corroded beyond repair. Needed to be replaced, including the tube bundle.
11. Replaced oil lines on the starboard engine which had begun to leak.
12. Recaulked/sealed the windshield glass and frame screw moldings.
13. Did a short haul to clean the bottom, and put on fresh zincs.

Now I hope I am prepared for the trip, and winter in Fla. The dinghy is loaded, water tank is full, fuel saddle tanks are full, provisioning starts Monday, packing and move on to the boat Tuesday, and leave at sun up on Wednesday.  Most of the trip is in shorter increments than when I came north, the days are shorter now than they were then, so we will average about 50 miles a day or so.

Hope you can follow along.