I can see (more) clearly now...

Or, "out with the old, in with the new."
I had the good fortune to buy new portholes at a bargain price. The fellow down the dock ordered extra portholes for his boat and had two left over. He sold them to me for the volume discount price that he received.
He's now on this year's Christmas card list.
After talking it over with him and a few other people, I undertook the task of installing them.
It's not as difficult as it would seem to be.
Prying out the old porthole took a bit of doing as they were caulked shut for ten years and the mounting screws had been in place for 40 years.

40 year-old porthole

To get a proper seal, the mounting surfaces must be clean, clean, clean as a friend of mine would say. That requires mineral spirits, towels, and a way to remove the old sealant. Just because the sealant is old doesn't mean it's gonna be easy to take off. I used my Dremel tool set to a medium speed and a wire wheel to remove the old stuff. Be careful to keep moving and don't bear down more than necessary to do the job.

Removing the old sealant

Take your time and be thorough. New sealant won't stick to old sealant so get it all off. Wipe the area with mineral spirits and let dry.
In my case, the new porthole matched almost perfectly with the old. The one adjustment to be made was where the drains fit. Again, out came the Dremel tool. Using a routing bit, I was able to clear out the needed space. Wear safety glasses, and don't breathe the dust. Wipe the whole thing with mineral spirits.

Adjusting for the new drains

I kept test fitting until I had it right. Once the new porthole popped in without resistance, I was ready to drill the new mounting holes.
Using the porthole as the template, I drilled the holes using the appropriate (1/4") drill bit. Use a sharp bit and don't force it. Let the bit do the work. Clean the area using mineral spirits and remove all of the dust.
Drill the trim ring to match the porthole holes. The twist was that the trim ring holes had to be one bit larger (5/8") to accommodate the barrel bolts I was using to sandwich the assembly together. I used the porthole as a template and drilled the holes to the 1/4" size and then separately re-drilled the trim ring to the 5/8" size.
Once done, test fit everything BEFORE opening up the tube of sealant. This way you will escape the trap of getting sealant all over the place and then finding out that one or more of the holes don't line up. Don't ask how I know this. Just trust me.
Now you're ready to get really messy.
For this step I suggest not working in direct sunlight or in the heat of the day. The sealant will skin over quickly, reducing your working time.
Apply a wide bead of sealant to the area around the porthole. Be generous. You want the stuff to squeeze out around the trim ring to indicate full coverage.
Make the assembly and install all of the bolts. Tighten them as needed.
Use a tool to remove the excess sealant from around the trim ring and use mineral spirits to clean the rest of the sealant from the area. The use of mineral spirits will keep the sealant from drying too quickly and when finished, will give a professional finish to the job.

The finished product

My 2000 Watt Insurance Policy

In my quest to have more options on the boat, I added a generator. My concern was that I would be "out there" and run out of power and be unable to start the diesel or recharge batteries or not be able to recharge battery powered tools and the like.
I am no fan of gasoline on a boat but I took the leap and got a 2000 watt generator that is gas powered. At the moment I keep a one gallon gas can on the rail next to the diesel jugs. In the event there is a spill, the fumes and gasoline (or diesel) will go over the side harmlessly.
I use the same plan for the propane canisters on board. They are stored in a 4" PVC tube strapped to one of the stanchions and hanging over the side. Since propane fumes are heavier than air, they will drop over the side and not settle in the cabin or the bilge.
Back to the generator.

My 2000 Watt Insurance Policy

2000 watts is enough to recharge the batteries and power the boat lighting, radios and bilge pump. I put together a cord that plugs into the generator and the shore power input on the boat. Once the generator is running, the boat operates as if on shore power. The power goes through the battery charger and the interior 120V plugs.
So I have three options for recharging batteries: the diesel engine's 35 amp generator, the 2000 watt gas generator and the 100 watts of solar on the top of the bimini.
One thing I would still like to add to the mix is the ability to pull start the diesel like a lawnmower. It would require an additional pulley on the main crank shaft and a few feet of rope. By opening the compression levers and giving the cord a yank, I could start the diesel if all else fails.
Having options while "out there" is a good thing and to me, the more the merrier!

Louisiana and Its Charms

The trip from Kemah, Texas was an advanced course in boating. Thankfully I had the help of Scott, a former US Coast Guardsman and well versed in the waters around New Orleans.
The trip took a week or so longer than planned because of weather stops and taking a week off in New Orleans for me to visit my brother and he his daughter.
All in all, it was a good experience. I will tell the tale in pieces instead of trying to spit it out in order with a lot of detail. Parts of the trip were crushingly boring, like driving through the salt grass of Louisiana, and others were heart-stopping moments.
There is a beauty to all of the areas we passed through. Well, maybe not the Harvey Canal. That is as industrial as it gets. Driving a little plastic sailboat past all of those hulking, steel barges, ships and structures just waiting to crush you to bits is humbling.
The anchorages, like the Mermentau river or Shell Island for example, were beautiful. I'd stay there again if given the chance.

Anchored in the Mermentau River

Since there were no cities around, the night sky was on full display. I hadn't seen that many stars since back in the 90's when camping in the Chisos Basin in Big Bend National Park in Texas.
In March the temperatures were comfortable and the nights cool. The one word of warning though, and you'll see this coming - is put the screens up before sunset because the mosquitoes arrive in clouds! The buzzing might just keep you awake.
Watching birds is something I really enjoy and along the Intra Coastal Water Way (ICW) there are plenty of opportunities. We identified Bald Eagles, Osprey, Ibis, plenty of sea gulls. There were several other varieties I don't know.

There were trees full of these guys for maybe a mile or so

If you have the opportunity, take a trip on the ICW. The scenery and people along the way make the trip worthwhile.

Rain, Lighting, Work and Long Hauls

It rains a lot here. A LOT!
It's not so much the rain as there is also a regular light show, seemingly every night. I'm told that Florida is the lighting capitol of the world. I thought it was local boasting: you know, like the biggest mosquitoes or highest winds. Nope. It's not boasting if it's true.
This time of year you can count on a bit of rain most every afternoon. You can't set your watch by it but it is regular. When the forecast says "isolated" showers take them at their word. Walk a few feet and you're out of the rain.
Big deal. I live on a boat.
I'm now working at a West Marine store near the boat. It's a two-mile commute so there's no crying about that. They're a nice bunch of people and of course, they all have boating in common. It beats the office.
Retail is new to me. I've always been on the other side of the counter. It's a new perspective. I don't have any horror stories yet but give me time. I'm sure there'll be some.
Getting settled in takes time but I'm managing. It's not a sprint. I'm in for the long haul.

At the tiller on the trip from Kemah, Texas

Change is good. Right?

After several years of planning and many, many stops and starts, I have moved the whole shebang to Florida.
Originally, I was to take a year off and go sailing and then return to Texas and reinsert myself into the office work life.
So much for that!
Three years later, having made the promise to move to Florida if my parents did the same, I have finally cut the lines and now find myself in the Tampa area.
It's an open-ended plan and going about as well as can be expected. Leaving behind all of the music contacts, boating contacts and office contacts has me a bit out of sorts. When I think about it, dragging me up out of my rut will be a good thing.
Mind you, I liked my rut. It was comfortable. I had squelched myself down in the mud and knew where everything was. All of my favorite restaurants and guitar stores and hideouts were right where I knew and all was good.
Now I'm trying to work my way into a new music scene, learn where all of the shoals are in the waterways and find some work that will keep food in the fridge.
There is much to be gained. I am closer to some really good cruising grounds and the water here is amazing! The trip over was an advanced boating course in itself and I had many firsts - often several in a day.
So. A new chapter opens and as intimidating as it is, here I go.
Jeff

A New Year and a New Commitment to Keeping Up With this Thing

So, okay.  I've been derelict in my blogging duties.  Oops!
Frankly, I've become lax in realizing just how many people enjoy reading about the foibles of living on and working on boats.  I've been at it long enough that it's old hat to me.
I'll do better.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns from his poem, “To a Mouse” and the source to John Steinbeck’s title, “Of Mice and Men.”

Or

“All dressed up and nowhere to go.”

Insert your favorite platitude here.

I’m still at the dock after all these months. The plan was to leave in January after quitting the day job in December. Lucky thing I didn’t leave. The transmission conked out and required several boat bucks (a measurement of money in thousand-dollar increments) to repair. It’s just as well. I would have ended up in a foreign boat yard trying to negotiate a deal.  As it is I worked with the local guys that I already have a working relationship with. While a good thing, I’m still out many boat bucks and the cruising kitty is reduced.

Next on the horizon is hurricane season. It’s a little lottery we on the gulf coast look forward to every year hoping we don’t win. Maybe ‘looking forward to’ isn’t exactly accurate and in my particular case I’m enduring it. It will set my evil scheme back another six months.

So here I sit at the dock working on various boat projects and trying not to fry in the Texas gulf coast sun (106°F heat index today).  Fortunately I’ve picked up with the band again and found work on a work boat during the week. “What about the office?” you say. Not a chance. While my wallet would thank me my nerves just wouldn’t. I’ve become accustomed to not commuting and the negative atmosphere would do me in.

Why would I want to do that? I’m driving a paid-off pickup truck that suits my needs and living on a boat that I’ve rebuilt, made more close friends than I’ve ever had and hanging out with a bunch of quirky retirees that entertain me daily. I’ve seen my first alligator in the wild and more fish than I can count.

We all cuss the ducks and their duck byproducts they leave on the docks and argue when the next high tide will be. My favorite is the “who’s laundry day is it?” conversation. You’d never guess the level of interest in laundry machine availability. Go to the office and miss this?

I wake up with the sun and often go to bed by it too. I’m more relaxed and my blood pressure has dropped. I’m eating a little better and the neighbor that drives the big rig occasionally brings fruits and veggies from his trips to the valley. We share here and look out for each other.

So I don't grouse about not getting away just yet. I already have. 

This is Where Boating Gets Expensive

I had the mast surveyed and there were several serious issues. What do you want? It’s a 35 year-old boat with mostly original parts!

I’m always amazed when I see someone go up a mast with such nonchalance. Kevin of Stix ‘n Riggin’ buckled into his harness and zipped up there so easily I was envious. I’ll have to learn to do that soon. He looked things over and called down what was needed to Brian, who stood on the deck making notes and keeping track of the halyard holding Kevin up.

All of the plastic parts were shot. The swage fittings were cracked. The lights that were still good couldn’t be seen through the sun-damaged lenses. The list grew. There was much to be done.

After Kevin finished his high wire act, he zoomed off to some other task and left Brian to describe the job to me. The original bid listed 26 line items. When completed, I’ll have a nicely refurbished mast that will last another 35 years.

The Pros Doing Their Bit

One of the line items was painting the mast. The price was high enough that I decided to consult “the committee” to see what they thought. The committee consists of neighbors that have been involved with boats either by cruising, repairing or being around them for many years. The consensus was to skip painting the mast. The reasoning goes like this: the mast is aluminum and naturally oxidizes thereby protecting itself from surface damage. Painting the mast would require acid etching to remove the oxidation so the paint would adhere. If the paint were damaged moisture would wick under the paint and create bubbles in the paint. Then the cycle of sand-and-paint would begin. Better to leave it unpainted and let the aluminum protect itself.

So I passed on the painting and added lazy jacks and an LED spreader light to the bid.

The original masthead had a wind point and anemometer that was wired to gauges in the cockpit. I don’t need no stinkin’ wind pointer to tell me where the wind is coming from! I’ll just use my face. It’s easy; just look into the wind until you feel it evenly on your face. Job done! That’s one more gauge and the wires and electricity needed to operate it out of the system.  I even passed on the Windex. I have the sails to tell me if I’m not pointing correctly and tell tales on the jib and main to indicate airflow. Low tech – that’s the object here.

The anemometer is fun for referencing wind strength but I’ll do without the electric draw for that too.

Now there are folks that told me that I could do this stuff myself. Sure. That’s true. It would take me a dozen trips up the mast…in the 95 degree heat…and maybe three months of my time. This way it’s done in TWO WEEKS and done correctly. I have a friend rebuilding his mast himself and it’s been a year. Nope. Right now I’ve got the resources (a paying job) so I’ll have a pro do it.

Without the mast the boat looks wrong. I’ll be happy when the mast is back up where it belongs.

Looks a Little Sad, Don't It?

Twenty Months and Counting

I may just beat the May ’14 deadline for having the boat ready. Actually, I believe I’ll have the boat ready by December of 2013. That will give me an even 12 months to practice boat skills and prepare the rest of my business to leave in December ’14.

That’s the plan now – leave on December 1, 2014. The Gulf hurricane season closes the last day of November and doesn’t reopen until June 1. That gives me six months of sailing and fooling around without worrying about big storms. By then I’ll have decided if I like the lifestyle. Then it’s a matter of running south to get below the hurricane belt or north back home.

I have the good fortune of a mentor arriving at just the right time. There's the usual "committee" that I consult on various projects - paint the mast or not, what stove works best, anchor sizes for my particular boat - that sort of thing. This fellow is a captain with many years of experience operating crew boats and delivering private yachts in the Gulf and the Bahamas. He's willing to teach me the nuts and bolts of navigating, charting, trip planning and other necessities of getting around safely. He's also volunteered to go sailing with me and show me how this sailing thing is actually done. That will be a real time saver.

After class is over, we'll celebrate with Mexican food!

Two Birds, One Stone

While I was helping a fellow liveaboard install his wind vane steering assembly, I mentioned I was selling my Miata. I figured I could take the cash from the sale and get, what else, boat stuff. We fiddled with the assembly for a while longer and went our separate ways.

Later in the week he proposed that I trade him the car and maybe a little cash for the vane steering gear. He needs a car and I have one; I need a vane steering system and he has one. Since I’ll be ready to leave before him, he can replace the steering gear later.

So now I have a Cape Horn windvane steering system in my garage where the little red car was. We celebrated over Mexican food.

Be Ready To Pay The Crew

After tightening this and topping off that, I finally took the boat away from the dock yesterday. Two of my neighbors agreed to go along for the ride. There was much conversation about how cheap I was (hey! I never said we’d go TO the restaurant, just by it).

I offered lunch from the refrigerator but when they found it was full of veggies and humus, they turned up their noses and demanded I take them somewhere with proper food next time. Lesson learned: either plan lunch ahead or don’t invite the neighbors.

Hmm. Maybe a burger stop isn’t such a bad idea after all.

That’s okay. Leaving the dock wasn’t so bad. It was the getting back that was tough. The wind blows from the east. I have a boat on my downwind side. That makes returning kinda tough. Having the extra deck hands helped.

So the boat ran well and the company kept the trip from getting too quiet. Maybe I’ll do it again today when I get home from work.
Yep. Just might do that.

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.

It's Only Money. Right?

Well the perfect storm has happened to me. Sorta. The Volvo Penta MD7A has a shiny new feed pump and injector pump to go along with the new fuel tank and lines. What it doesn't have is compression. One of the cylinders (of two) has been diagnosed as severely deficient in this regard and the way to correct this is an engine rebuild.

YIKES!

I had a clue when the air intake was filled with oil. Holding my hand over the intake, I could feel as much air puffing out as was being pulled in. Well it IS 35 YEARS OLD! I’m concerned about the water jacket too.

The engine went out of production in 1985 or so. So I turned to the mechanic I’ve been using and said, “what do I do now?” In his best “don’t panic and come down off of that ledge” voice he said he’d take a look around. I held no hope. I saw only a huge bill and a new diesel engine.

He called a couple of days later and told me he’d found a source for the parts and they were sending him a price list shortly. So the gloom went away but I still see a huge bill. Volvo is really proud of their stuff and apparently they don’t like to let go of it so they hang a HUGE price tag on it. The trap is set. Yes, it will be sprung. If it comes in under the price of a newly rebuilt engine they’ll get their money. The little buggar will be pulled out of the boat so they can work in air conditioned comfort and I’ll take that opportunity to clean and repaint the engine compartment.

The new jib will be delivered soon too. The original is a thirty-five year old 140% that is now soft as a bed sheet. Engines I've worked on. Sails are new to me. After doing some research online about these things I decided to go to the sail maker down the street and get their input. They were gentle with me. We agreed that the 140% was too big and settled on a 120% instead. It will roll on the furling better, hold a better shape when furled and be more effective when fully deployed. One of the concerns was that the 140% would overpower the boat and create too much steering effort. I asked about colors and was told I could have any color “as long as it’s white.” Echoes of Henry Ford. I had visions of paisley, maybe plaid, or even tie dye. Oh well. The price of conformity.

I’ll order the new main sail and cover later in the season.

So here I sit at the dock just waiting on contractors to descend and make things good again. My checkbook is at the ready.  Because once I get this baby away from the dock I’m gonna be gone sailing. The fun starts with playing in the bay, anchoring out and getting sunburned messing with the dinghy, learning to live away from 120 volts and not being able to walk to the parking lot for just any little thing.

Yep. My evil scheme is coming together nicely. I shall conquer the bay, then the Gulf of Mexico and then….THE WORLD!!! Muhahahah!

Getting Closer to the Finish Line

On the drive in to work this morning I was thinking about getting this project completed by the end of this year. Rush hour traffic tends to get me thinking along those lines. I’ve said it before; there is nothing I will miss about the commute to work. When start thinking about balmy breezes, clear water and sand my mind seems to wander a bit.

I’ve got a dinghy now. I’d been watching it in the local used boat stuff store and finally decided to go ahead and get it. For the price I believe I did okay. I’ll need to buy the oars and oar locks and get a cover made. I have the rig I need to haul it aboard the sailboat. At just over 100 pounds, I’ll be able to handle it by myself.

I’ve decided against an outboard for it. I don’t want to carry gasoline onboard and the darn things are pretty fussy. I’ll stick to rowing for now. There is a hole in the forward seat for a mast. I have visions of a beach umbrella casting shade over the boat in place of the mast. I’ll get back to you on that.

I’m at my wit’s end waiting for the mechanic to re-install the diesel rebuilt injector pump and injectors. It’s been 60 days and I’m getting mixed signals from him. I’ll just have to keep calling, I guess. I may have to find another supplier.

The jib was torn up a bit when we had winds gusting to 50 mph in the marina. My neighbors did a hell of a job getting it under control but the damage is done. I’m in the market for new sails. They’re available online, made to the original specifications. I’m gonna save up and get them in a couple of months. I’ll need a new/used whisker pole too.

There’s much to be done: Fiberglass work, stepping the mast and rewiring it; a couple of plumbing changes finishing the engine work with filters and such; cushions and curtains; standing rigging. Odds and ends like that.

I believe I can have it done by December and get in plenty of sailing time too before my deadline of my birthday 2014.

Here’s hoping I don’t go completely nuts before then. I know that once the boat is done I’ll have a tough time waiting for the right time to leave.

I’ve lived aboard going on five years now and I’ve learned quite a bit. Things like;

• Don’t hold anything in your hands while getting onto and off of the boat. You need to hang on to something and you don’t want to drop anything in the water.
• Look before you step. Make sure the steps are where you plan to put your foot. The boat has a funny way of moving just enough that you may end up stepping off into the lake.
• Boats move. Sometimes a lot. Depending on how much traffic there is the boat may lurch at just the wrong moment because of the waves. Try to be ready.
• Don’t take the boat out on the weekends or during holidays. It’s a bit like going to the mall on a ‘no tax’ weekend. There are boats zooming along from every direction and speed.
• When you do go out, make sure everything is either tied down or secured so it doesn’t fall when some fool passes you while throwing off a huge wake.
• Learn the rules of the road and then be prepared to improvise. You may know them but he may not.  
• Boats leak. Not always from below but from above. Keep pans handy. Then remember where the water came in and seal the leaks up.

These and many other things I’ve learned. They become second nature after a while; like not using the word ‘walk’ in hearing range of the family dog.

I’ve found that life aboard a boat is very relaxing. Too much so sometimes. With all of the best intentions, I plan to work on a project but somehow can’t seem to get going. Be it the calming waves, gentle breeze, the camaraderie of the other liveaboards or as is often in my case, inherent laziness I just don’t make the progress I intended. I plan to do a study on this topic.

Soon.

Yeah.

Real soon.

Planning as I am to go to the islands in a couple of years, there is much to be done and to learn.