...almost time for our big announcement regarding:
March 10, Florida
Drum roll please.......................................
Here she is. We will post new pics when she is renamed, and detailed. These are some pics taken by the original owner, Bob:
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And so, our journey unfolds as we prepare to set sail by the end of the month. I'm signing off, and rolling up my sleeves. Time to get busy.
March 17, Florida
Yacht Dealer: "So, when are you leaving on your trip?"
Me: "Hopefully, by the end of the month."
Yacht Dealer: "What month?" and he was serious.
Yeah, there is a ton of things to do, but he didn't know about our secret weapon, Mary Petrie - Fiberglass Specialist and detailer extraordinaire. Twenty years experience, and she came highly recommended. A real professional and we are very lucky to have her aboard. She's fixing the centerboards (they were delaminated), the rubrail inserts (and putting cap plates on the bows which is a nice permanent fix), doing gelcoat repairs. She's a "no-nonsense get the job done" woman who takes pride in her work like an artist. And she brought her magnificent girl team, Reni and Christine (a different one) to help detail it out. Most of the metal was rusting and the gelcoat was oxidized - not too pretty. The girls restored the metal and it shines. They were slinging buffers left and right getting the gelcoat rubbed out. Just a flurry of activity. This baby is shining! And they are going to give it two coats of wax - topsides and below, wax everywhere (except the non-skid areas on deck, of course). It's really beautiful! I've got lots of photos and video for dramatic before and after pics. (I accidentally left the camera on the boat - oops, so no pics yet).
I helped them when I could, tried to stay out of the way when I could, and worked mostly without breaks until the boatyard kicked me out at sunset (8PM). If you are late getting out of the security area, the gates lock and you are stuck until the police arrive. They are serious. I went over the boat with Bob, the previous owner - what a great guy. I also went over the boat with the dealer. I scraped and sanded the bottom of the hulls, parts of the centerboards, and rudders, in preparation for the bottom paint, emptied the lazarettes and outdoor lockers and cleaned them, took everything out of the boat, went though inspecting in more detail the entire boat making huge "to do" lists.
I took a lot of items from the boat to work on for a few days while I am back in Orlando. Yesterday, I scrubbed the dinghy thoroughly as it was coated in slime. Today, I will play with the outboard going through it and tuning it up. Then, I'll put it in the lake here and motor around the alligators. I have a good weeks worth of things here but will have them all done by the time Christine arrives on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, Christine (finally) can help me on the boat until it's finished and ready.
March 27, Florida
First, I apologize for the lack of updates. I do plan on updates a couple times a week when I can, but things have been really moving fast here and time is of the essence, as they say. (It's dawn right now and I've got a few moments before starting my projects). Second, sorry about the lack of pictures. I left my cameras in the boat again and we are back in Orlando.
We've been staying in a beach condo in Englewood while we work on the boat. It is so beautiful with a private beach. We fall asleep each day - dead tired - to the gentle waves of the gulf coast. Our days start before dawn going to McDonalds, then Wal-Mart then sometimes to Lowe's, then to the boat. We are becoming a little too well-known at the Wal-Mart, I think. I wonder what they think when we come in at dawn each day, in old clothes - Christine with knots in her hair, and me unshaven - with constant oddball questions and buying lots of random items. At first glance we probably look like a homeless couple looking for warmth inside each day. But then we buy a ton of polarized sunglasses, a 12 volt inverter, flounder spear, steam cleaner, Florida snow shovel, Scotch guard, a gallon of olive oil, bilge pump, bleach, garden hose, rust remover, and an oar. Hmmm. Then it's off to the boat and we work like crazy until dusk, and then go back to the condo. The last couple days there we left before dusk (gasp) and had a sunset picnic at the private beach - WOW. Pizza and beer never tasted so good.
Gypsy Cat, our boat, is looking really great! Since Christine got back we have scrubbed EVERY single inch of the interior surface in EVERY single nook and cranny, and bleached wherever possible. Christine is the Bleach Princess! I did the teak in the Master bedroom (forward berth) - sanded, cleaned with teak cleaner, and teak oiled. We recovered our headboard late last night. I'm rebuilding the carburetor on the dinghy.
Bob, the previous owner, came by with his girlfriend Marion, and we got to take a break and had lunch. Bob showed us more things and helped answer questions. And he brought more things! It was like Christmas. He even gave us a Bushnell night vision with infrared, in a waterproof case. So many goodies. Thanks Bob!
I've been inspecting and fixing where needed all of the boat systems - it's like a small house but with more going on. I am working on several self-made lists. The "Essential must do before launch" list, the "Medium priority can do in the water" list, and the "Low priority to do while underway" list which is cosmetics, upgrades, and finishing touches.
Tomorrow, Friday, we will be back in Port Charlotte where Gypsy Cat is, with a full trailer of provisions and supplies. We are loading up! Christine will be loading and organizing food and clothes, while I service the out-drive and sand and paint it, and tune up the motor. Both of us will do the bottom paint. Then, after I hook up the new battery bank (230 amp hours!) we will launch!!!
My plan is to take Gypsy Cat over to Punta Gorda and continue working over there. It is close by our "base" and we have many things coming in the mail like our boat lettering, teak and holly floors from France, 100' coil of rubber rubrail inserts, shower sump pump, spare parts, etc.
I'd say we will be there for a week or more finishing up the Punta Gorda list, making one last trailer run from Orlando, and closing out the house there. Then, we'll be officially underway and heading south around Florida crossing through the keys. The Gulf Stream crossing to Bimini will likely be around the 12th-15th, or at least that's the target.
Next posting will have pics - promise.