Well, then.

I like birds as much as the next guy but this is ridiculous.
The last few weeks have been a bit like a Hitchcock movie. You might say, "Jeff, you weenie, seagulls are a part of the deal," and you would be right. Like other marinas, there is also the local Osprey and some Pelicans.
Where this place departs from normal is the hundreds of blackbirds. They roost on the roof of the nearby restaurant and many of the boats, mine included.

The little buggers are just like seagulls. They steal scraps from the tables of the restaurant and, since they cannot be housebroken, drop said scraps and their leavings on the decks of the boats. Again, mine included.
It is a normal morning to pick up two or three bones from the deck.
What a pain.
Add to that the hundreds of seagulls doing the same thing and I begin to wonder the wisdom of moving here. Also, are the restaurant customers actually getting to eat before the birds make off with the food?
Add to that the pigeons shamelessly making little pigeons right there on the dock. Sheesh!
Spring time in Florida.

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!

How Cold Was It?

It has been a ridiculously cold winter here in Houston. Unnecessarily cold. “Dammit!” quality cold. Today was the first day in weeks that didn’t require a jacket of some kind.

When it’s this cold I lose the will to work on the boat. Most boat tasks require taking large quantities of stuff out of the boat and placing them on the dock or in the cockpit. The hatches are open and the companionway is open and it’s just too cold for that. So I sit inside and eat. And nap. It’s rough. Don’t try this at home kids. Leave it to the professionals.

Right now the air temperature is in the 60s and I have the boat opened up to air it out. What a relief. Even the cat is acting a little less crazy.

Now that I have quit the day job I have the time for the next part of my nefarious scheme. I’ll begin anchoring out for a night or two at a time to make sure I have things sorted out. I need more time sailing and getting offshore is a requirement. I have got to get my sea legs under me. I can’t just “read” that part away. Getting used to the motion of the boat is something that can’t be done at the dock.

So it’s off to various anchorages around the area. I’ll mix in forays off into the Gulf and back to get more comfortable with being in bigger water. Nothing serious – I’ll leave the anchorage in the morning, sail out a few miles and come back in for the night. After a few trips, I’ll return to the home port and think about what happened. Easy. Right?

Easy or not, it's got to be done. Until I have the sea legs under me, there's really no trip. And no trip is not an option.

Traditions!

In keeping with tradition, I placed a coin at the base of the mast for good luck. I put a 1979 quarter because that’s the model year of the boat (and I didn’t have a 1978 for when the keel was laid).

While I’m not terribly superstitious, I don’t want to miss my ride across the river Styx because I didn’t have the toll. The legend is that Charon, the ferryman, requires a toll to take souls across the river. If you arrive and have no way to pay, some say your soul must wander the shores for one hundred years. I’m guessing a quarter is a worthwhile investment.  

Hope I Don't Need it to Make a Phone Call!

Another tradition I’ve considered is painting eyes on the bow of the boat. This is a very old tradition dating back to the Egyptians. The belief is that eyes help to guide the ship safely to its destination.  I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Everything from the chain plates to the masthead has either been replaced with new or reconditioned. While luck has its attractions I’m going to go with new parts.

In the interest of making repairs far afield I skipped the swage fittings and chose mechanical fittings. They’re reusable and I can make adjustments to them with a couple of wrenches.

The 35 year-old wiring was replaced with new and attached inside the mast to quiet that clacking noise every time I stepped onto or off of the boat. I had an LED deck light added for those times when you just gotta see what’s on the deck and of course all of the masthead parts were replaced. The original tricolor was sun rotted and cracked when I gave it a twist to look at the bezel.  

Did They Get the Colors On the Correct Side?

The fellows that were going to reinstall the mast weren’t really sure what to say when I suggested I go get an antenna ball from Jack In The Box to put on the new VHF antenna. This comes from the guy that wanted to go with plaid sails!

I was gently dissuaded from the plaid sails. I may add the antenna ball later when I get the nerve to climb the mast. Stay tuned.