Friday, May 28, 2021

COVID, VACCINES, SAILING, AND STARTING A NEW CHAPTER

 Here we are approaching the middle of 2021 after a dumpster fire of a year world-wide.  So many people have been suffering.  Perhaps it is our stage in life and the fact that the work we are involved in (construction) has continued throughout the pandemic crisis.  We learned that we can effectively work from home.  We also learned that there are many selfish people in so called "free" countries who put their selfishness first and well ahead of any sense of the good of others or the good of the planet.  We now have a measure of peoples' character that will guide us in future. 

We are about to be receiving our second doses of the Pfizer vaccines.  Once this is done, we feel confident that we can proceed with the first leg of our adventure of heading south down the coast of the United States.  With that in mind, the opening of the Canada - US border is being discussed by both governments as the pace of immunization intensifies.  The US has done well in the short time the new administration has been in place.  Canada has and continues to do well.  

So with full immunization, documentation of that, and passports in hand, we hope to head south in early to mid August with the assistance of Jamie and Behan Gifford from Totem being our offshore coaches and weather routers.  

 

NEW CANVAS DODGER, BIMINI, AND ENCLOSURE

Master Craft Boat Coverings of Richmond BC have been building us a new dodger, Bimini, and enclosure for our offshore adventure.  Here are the pieces laid out on Master Craft's shop floor.  We changed the colour from the one that originally came with the boat from a tan to a deep gray.  






The order also includes insect screens for those evenings in an anchorage where the bugs are making you miserable.

HAUL OUT AND REFIT II

 WE redid the bottom paint and polished the hull as usual.  We also added a feathering propeller that reduces the drag of the boat under sail.  



Taped and Painted



Fixed Three-Blade Prop Taken Off



New Max-Prop Feathering Prop




The Blades in Feathered Position




Polished Rub Rail Stainless



About to Put the Stainless Rub Rail
Back On




Back In The Straps.  Note The Tarp - Waiting for
The New Canvas


Moving the Boat



Back Into The Water

 

HAUL OUT AND REFIT I

 Late last year we redid both the standing and running rigging.  This year, we hauled out as we usually do after two years in the water, but we completed the refit.  Here are photos of the process thus far:

Travel Lift



Terratima in the Holding Slip



Moving the Boat into Position



Hoist Out



On The Hard


COMPLETE THE STORY

 Hello all.  I must admit to being a bit reticente in completing the story of our trip to Mexico.  It is marred by an incident of mental hea...