Dog Bed?

Lewis loves to lay in the sun on the Lanai and keep an eye out for critters.  Sometimes he has to move to stay in the sun!

Rigging

I spent a long hot day in the boat yard yesterday working on an IP-38 getting it ready to truck back to Largo for a refit.  Remove the Bimini and Dodger, reattach striker (fell off due to rotted caprail), drain water tank, remove boom, remove anchors, scrape hull, remove zincs, remove internal mast wiring, stow remaining excess gear.

Out -

And down -

Once down on the ground stripped the standing rigging, removed corroded fittings, removed old lines, and started looking at materials needed for rewiring (all internal mast wiring).  I'll post a few more photos of the interior after my next trip up to the yard next week.

While we were working on this boat another boat tied up near the lift well - this boat owner had just had a very bad day on the water!  I think I would trade his day for a day in the office.............

Complaint List

I received an email from Steve (new owner of Grainne) after a 30 day shakedown cruise out through Lake O and I think down through the Keys headed back here yesterday and the subject was:

"Complaint List"

His message: "I have none! The boat is everything you said and more. Used the inverter the 1st time tonight, (microwaved  cheese on broccoli). The only improvement I want is 100 HP 20" bowthruster. All is good. We will be back to the marina by tomorrow or Sunday."

Nice message to get from the new owner of your old boat!

Thanks Steve

Gra'inne no more

The new owners of Gra'inne changed the name so I guess we need to have some sort of special re christening ceremony.

If you run into the new owners out there say hello for us.  They are really nice folks who will enjoy and care for Packet Dream the way we did Gra'inne.

Things you see!

I went over to Gra'inne this morning, now Packet Dream, to replace the HF radio tuner cable and install a new WiFi Radio data cable.  Saw the strangest thing - another Island Packet getting ready to go to the "Bahamas".  This late in the season the trip won't last a month, if that long.

Four diesel jugs, four water jugs, one gas jug!  Lots of crap on the rail for no good reason.  Every time we've been in or traveling through the Bahamas we've been able to get fuel.  We bought fuel in the Abacos, Nassau, the Exumas, and the Turks and Caicos.  Oh well...... I asked the owner why the extra fuel and he said "I read it in .....'s Blog".  Lots of folks in the marina here travel to the Bahamas regularly, without the rail jugs, but guess he didn't want to ask anyone!

New Freezer on an IP-32

I've been building a new freezer and reefer on an IP-32 in Punta Gorda for the past several weeks.  Nearly finished with the interior portion of the upgrade with the new insulation and liner in places, new drains in, divider with spillover complete and final seam epoxy curing.  Plan to start wiring the unit tomorrow and then do some final touch up and begin fabricating the new rear hinged doors.

I'll post some photos in the next several days.

Plan to install the Keel Cooler this summer after the boat is hauled and in the yard and then will complete the system installation.

Making Plans

We've firmed up plans to travel to Kerrville this summer so that we can start planning in earnest.  We had thought of renting an RV but decided the cost was prohibitive and having an RV would also include the need to rent a car once we are in the area! So we will drive our car and stay at a cabin in the Guadeloupe River RV Park once in the Kerrville area.

We've firmed up a meeting with our Architect and awaiting a return call from our builder so we can talk about site survey and home placement.

Looking forward to our trip