Counting the Hours, Then the Minutes

I sit here at my desk in a good position with the industry’s largest company and think of where I’d really like to be. I have to remind myself that it’s easy to criticize when your tummy is full and you have a warm, dry place to sleep. Do I really want to quit this and give up the insurance and steady paycheck that is funding all of the work on the boat?

You bet I do.

I can tell because most of my time at my desk is spent thinking of what I’d rather be doing. Clearly, this isn’t it. You know the question, “what would you do if money weren’t an issue?” My answer has always been to play music, take pictures and now, sail to different places and experience what those places have to offer. I’ve been playing music for forty-one years and taking pictures thirty-seven years. Sitting here at a desk is a relative newcomer at twenty-one years!

I’m reminded over and over what it’s like to be over sixty, unemployed and broke. Many of my neighbors are in that position and I’m able to get some insight from talking to them. I want to make this jump carefully.

I also see how a person’s health goes downhill about that time too. Prior injuries from a misspent youth or traffic accidents come back to haunt.

So here I sit reflecting on how the years are short and the good years are even shorter. I can figure on ten years before things start to quit working or begin to break off all together. If I keep the day job I sincerely believe the process will be accelerated. All this smog, dirty water and tension from traffic will take their toll. I also believe, just as strongly, that getting out there in the salt air and sunshine will extend my days on the planet.

UPDATE!

The new engine is in!

After a year of farting around trying to fix the stalling problem on the old Volvo MD7A the decision was made to replace the engine with a new (to me) Yanmar 2GM20.

There's enough room to work on this one!

The Yanmar 2GM20 is 100 pounds lighter and has 5 horsepower more than the Volvo it replaces.That means I can carry 100 lbs of stuff I couldn’t before. 

In looking through some photos I realized that I’ve been trapped at the dock for one year. No wonder I've been so hard to live with.

UPDATE UPDATE!

The new jib is on!
The new 120% jib is on and ready to go. The new main will follow later in the summer. The finish line is that much closer.

Ahh. So Shiny. So new.