Going hiking

Since we finally got our December weather in February--it was usually overcast and a bit chilly. So not a lot of boating--not to mention the boat was in various stages of disassembly anyway.

On the southern edge of the Naval Air Station there's an abandoned road and beach area that you can access from Geiger Key.  We discovered it the last time we were there.  Technically at one point you are on military property, but as long as we kept to the beach area we would be fine.

Jes' don't want no tourists wandering out to the tarmac when the Tomcat and Raptors are taking off--it'd be a lot of paperwork.

There's a awesome little driftwood house that somebody built, I think there might have been a squatter at one point, but it looks like random campers and bonfire camps just happen now.

It used to be a two lane county road at one time.

Hard to see, but there were these tiny little birds just sitting on the sea grass bobbing up and down with the surf.

Part of the driftwood fort 'sculptures' made from cans/bottles/soft coral.

Entrance to the driftwood fort, it's actually quite soundly made.

In the back country area, maybe or maybe not on the base at this point.

Off to play shoot 'em up over the Atlantic.

Kim boat projects

The first one was to take our old mattress cover that was for a SQUARE bed and turn it into a triangle for the V berth.

Hand sewing a two inch thick cover is something else. Especially when you have stuffing and everything else popping up.  

Not completely done with it yet.....mainly because last time we were there I kept blowing it off--remember HAND sewing. But it will fit perfectly when done.  And I got the bonus round of giving smug looks to my husband.

My other project was patterning the grill, which has currently become a pelican perch.  

Speaking of pelicans--NO FEAR--I had one join me for sundowners when we were there. Just plopped down by me on the back deck, hey wotcha got there, sunshine?

So, patterning done, just have to get the sail loft at home ready to do all the fixit projects on Patriot and small projects on Elysium.

I'm eventually going to have to load up the sail rite machine and take it down to Key West to repair our sail and leech line on our main.  ROAD TRIP!

Here's a pic of the patterning with my supervisor Big Beak O'Reilly.

Fun with VHF

Tim went down and upgraded our VHF to one that will have DSC/AIS receiver, it is SUPPOSED to be able to work with our chart plotter, but I haven't really figured that out.

Our new VHF comes with two wireless handsets, that can also---wait for it---double as walkie talkies on the boat.  Think intercom system.

So we tested it, and I was getting testy, nice honey, but I'm sort of helming the boat through a busy area right now so can we play with these later.

Tim goes down below to lay down---THINKING that the VHF was still in intercom mode--but I had switched mine over to be a VHF because......I was in a busy area and was listening for those all important "all concerned vessels should stand by on 16" which means anything from the Fast Cat Ferry, USCG big boy ships, cruise ships, or one of the 14,000 excursion boats that leave from downtown Key West.

Weeeellll, evidently......when you switch one handset back to VHF mode, they BOTH switch.

Annnnnnddddd....evidently, my spouse was down below broadcasting on 16: "That's why I got these, so we can talk"  (quote/unquote)

He comes back upstairs laughing his ass off because he realized what he said went out on 16.

I'm very happy he didn't decide to say something MUCH worse.  Which is a good reason that we are keeping our 'no alcohol while' underway policy enforced.

Update on some boat projects

So, head install, we've had to boot the first guy for lack of response.  We also realized to replace the shower/faucet head hose will take either a)magic fairy dust that will shrink one of us down to size or b) most likely popping off the counter.  We are currently working with a new gentleman, and after this first project, we'll see if we want him to do the head.

And it has to be replace, the metal covering has rotted away and the actual hose is permeated so it smells like, well, shit.

We-which means Tim-have successfully replaced the holding tank indicators and resealed the front tank so no more odors are leaking from there.  Still need to pull up the holding tank to make sure there's no bad juju hanging out underneath.

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Boat George is currently working on rebedding all of our saloon windows, as I probably mentioned before evidently the fine folks at North Shore used some incorrect window sealant it crapped out on some of the Southerly 135s.  After talking to another Southerly 135 owner over in the UK, we decided it would be prudent to do it right and pull the windows and replace them. Evidently the failure started with the previous owner and there was a suck ass fix job that George had to deal with to remove the window without breaking it.

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Fridge/freezer.  We had somebody come look at it--which resulted in $250 for him to install a thermostat in the freezer (upside down) and basically say we don't have enough insulation.  Our last trip we had proof positive that we had enough insulation around both.  So, this particular service guy is now in my jackass column.  He was on the line anyway for the 'little lady' routine.  Well, sir, this 'little lady' has a good working knowledge of every system on this boat, so kiss my ass.

Tim called the U.S. Frigoboat dealer and received tons of advice and help.  We all came to the conclusion that we probably need to charge the refrigerant a bit, which Tim and I thought might be the problem in the first place, but we could not get the service guy to even check it.  Once again, jackass.

We also have a VERY large freezer and at this point in our lives we don't need to utilize that freezer space as a freezer yet, so it was suggested we hook up a digital thermostat and that will allow us to turn our freezer into a liquor locker for beer and wine--something we did on HemiD.

Project Liquor Locker commences.

After passing the 'beer isn't freezing and exploding' test, we decided to go ahead and replace the fridge with a digital also.  Tearing up all the floor panels to run the wiring was fun.  We don't have a pic of me with my head smashed into our starboard fuel tank up to my shoulder trying to fish a wire to Tim--thankfully.

The digital thermostat we got also has the ability to control the compressor speed, so we can set it to quick cool when we get on the boat or load it up with food and then dial it back---nice feature for our power hungry refrigeration.

So, it seems as if we've nipped that in the bud. Hopefully.

The spouse and I can be SO immature at times.

It doesn't take much for us to get into the giggles and revert to a couple of 12 year old boys.  Think, Beevis and Butthead.

For the last couple of weeks it has been because of this lovely little product that our new friends over in England have suggested for leaks.

However, the name just keeps triggering our inner child and we can't get a hold of the situation.

But hey, laughing makes you live longer, right?

Making a commando maintenance trip

In November, I got to be the bilge rat, mainly because I am more flexible than Tim, and even at nearly six feet tall I can be quite the contortionist.  Although I realize as I get older, my body is starting to give me warnings that if I don't watch out, I'll be staying in whatever contortion for the rest of my life.

This time, Tim's turn.  First, it was getting to Key West.  Tim wants to just take a carry on--no problem, until he shows me what he got.  A little baggie filled with an ICOM antenna, a wiring harness, some crack sealer, and a battery.

Nope, there's been no terrorist activity in the world AT ALL lately, so that's not going to bring any attention at all.  Evidently it didn't, because he made it through.  So, that should tell you something about the rentacops over at MCI.

As we had on Hemisphere Dancer, we are installing an alarm system.  This one has a bit more features than our old one (except for awesome dance music when you open the companionway).  We already tested the preliminary install last time.  It has geo-fencing, so if it goes on the move, Tim and I will get a text (or our boat sitter).  It has the standard motion sensor alarm, bilge alarm, low battery alarm, and it has the ability for a couple of remote alarm so we can run a wire through the lock on the dinghy and if it gets cut, voila.  I believe it can also light up your boat and sound a piercing alarm--but baby steps to get that wired up.  We just need the basics for now.

It's amazing how much more affordable they are getting, and our insurance company likes it.

His other project fall under the category of:  If somebody doesn't want to take your money, then you just might as well do it yourself.  This would be phase 1 of the head replacement.  So, first thing, get the tank monitors working correctly.  Also, he flushed the system with muriatic acid--our heads are sea water and not fresh water, so I am pretty sure we have 12 years of crud there.  He said it's already helped a bit.  He plans to pull the forward holding tank tomorrow to see if there is spillage from the previous owner under it, lucky him.

We discovered through measuring, researching, measuring, researching that there is nothing that will be able to replace the forward head except the newer version of a LAVAC.  Not ideal, but as long as it works.  The aft head has tons of room so we are going to put something different in there.  That will also give us a one manual, one electric set up.

The good part is that it's relatively cool right now in Key West, so that makes boat projects so much easier than when it's baking.

Heading back..

When we started back, the winds were fluky, but at least agreeable.  So we got to sail about 6 miles or so.

Then, they started getting fluky and disagreeable, and on the nose.  So, back on came the engine, down came the main.  We were going to try to keep just off the wind so that our head sail could steady out the boat (we wouldn't be bouncing in the chop).

That lasted about 4-5 more nm and then mother nature said, no, I'm going to be right on your nose.

We would have been fine if the prevailing wind had it's normal northerly component, but due to a pesky high pressure system, our beautiful weather came with a beautiful southerly shift to the wind.

We were sailing south of island chain, so falling off was not an option.

Finally, I gave up and we took in the head sail and I just got over to nice deep water (Tim loves sailing his shallows), and pointed her home.

Tim went to eat, so I asked for snacks up in the cockpit.  Our galley window opens into the cockpit and it has become a food service window.  Awesome.  It started getting out of control though, first cheese stick, then slices of ham and turkey, then fish dip, then water, then coconut water. Okay, honey, thanks for looking out for me.

At approximately 10nm from our slip, I get the announcement.  We have cell service again!  I think even the boat breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a work day for Tim, so I stayed up in the cockpit on watch (poor me) while Tim worked.  We were getting closer to Key West and the deep ship channels so our weeble wobble was getting worse.
Hey, wait! We have an adjustable keel.

I lowered it to about 6 feet, much better on the weeble wobble.  Told Tim. Of course, he doesn't buy into it.  Well, lets have an experiment, dude.  Yes, more keel, less rock the boat.  I just added to my check list--when entering channel pull keel up or boat will ground.

Mother Nature wasn't through messing with us and decided to send a squall right as I was trying to locate our channel marker (there are two sets and between them 1-2 feet of water).

We did much better getting back to the marina with the big girl than our first try.  Headsets back on, docking was quite easy.  And the marina didn't have to hear me say--"I swear to god, Tim, if you leave that helm I will beat you with this boat hook."