Mission Complete

Keewatin is safely anchored in Abaco.  We had a few setbacks and a lot of hard work but we got underway at 3:40 p.m., 21st December.  We dropped the hook in Marsh Harbour around 11:00 a.m., 22nd December.  Keewatin averaged about 7 knots and once surfed at 14 knots!  The wind was 15-20 knots from the southeast, and seas were supposed to be 4-6 feet, but were more like 10 feet and occasionally breaking.  After dark it just got rougher and rougher until the sun started to peek over the horizon, at which time the wind and sea put on their innocent face in the daylight.  Morning arrived with the realization that the wave that came onboard in the night brought something with it - more specifically a flying fish that we ate for breakfast.  We passed a few ships in the night including two cruise ships that I came a tiny bit too close to :)  The captain was not pleased when I told him about the searchlight they shone on the deck of Keewatin to see if the crazy blonde driving her knew what she was doing :)  For the record that time I did know what I was doing.  Our water maker is still shocking anyone crazy enough to try to turn it on, so we picked up four water jugs in Marsh Harbour and realized just how spoiled we have become as we hefted 6 1/2 gallon containers aboard . . . twice!  The Christmas tree did not survive the trip unscathed, but we re-erected it and it is now as beautiful as ever.  Christmas is almost here!
 

Fully Stocked

I bought all of our stores today.  It is always exciting to load up the boat with so much food!  I filled four shopping carts at CostRite.  We now have 20 lbs. potatoes, 12 lbs. onions, 5 lbs. apples, 3 lbs. pears, 4 large butternut squash, 4 zucchini, 4 cucumbers, 12 tomatoes, 2 bags radishes, 2 heads broccoli, 2 heads cauliflower, bag carrots, bag parsnips, 2 bags brussels sprouts,  5 dozen eggs, 4 gallons milk, gallon orange juice, 2 gallons iced tea, a huge cream cheese, 20 Anchor butters, 4 chunks cheddar cheese, 40 chicken breasts, 3 chickens, 3 hams, 1 turkey, 2 corned beef briskets, 8 steaks, 40 lbs. rice, 30 lbs. flour, 6 brown sugar, 4 large coffee cans, 16 cans peas, 24 cans tuna, 6 cans cream, 300 tea bags, and we still have tons of pasta, mayonnaise, olive oil, spices, condiments, and various canned goods.  And most importantly I bought a huge bag of chocolate chips!  When I arrived with it all, our crew worked for hours unloading, repacking and stowing.

It Runs!

The engine still runs - we fixed it today :)  Loose wire ends were causing the problem.

It was a messy operation and we had to displace Marco from his cabin to do school in the salon.

We found a small problem on the generator - a cracked coolant hose that needs addressing

But the bottom line is - THE ENGINE STARTS . . . now we can really leave

Finally Fastened

Under the seats in our salon are some large open storage spaces.  These spaces formerly had drawers but the space around the drawers was so large that we removed them leaving only the drawer faces.  Still with me?  We thought of various methods to attach said faces to the holes and finally decided on some stainless  . . . for lack of a better word, doodads, from the marine store.  These sat in our "hardware store" for a very long time.  Today the Captain left me in charge of it, and I am happy to report that they all got attached!  Some better than others, lots of rude words later, but all attached.

Madison was a great help, especially with sorting through the millions of screws for those few extra tiny, philips-head screws.  She also informed me that a few of the words I used were definitely NOT the names of screws!  Bad mommy.

A few items that were NOT on the To Do List

We installed the foc's'le hatch hinges

Stained some more outlet covers

And glued the nameplate

The problem with all of these projects though, was that when I pulled out our book to cross them off the list, I discovered that they were not even on the list!  That is how it always is with boats :)

Chain Retrieval

Brock and Marco dove in the cold canal today to pick up the chain we dropped on the bottom last year when we replaced our anchor rode.  Marco tied a line to the chain and Brock slowly hauled it up.  There was about three hundred feet of chain!  Now we just need to find a container to transport it in to our new mooring site :)  We de-rusted it in batches using a low strength hydrochloric acid.

Brock and Marco also spliced two new lifelines this afternoon.  Marco liked the "heat gun" in particular :)  He caught on incredibly quickly.

Madison and I investigated the failed GPS as instructed by the Captain, removed the wrong panel, removed the right panel, then stalled until the Captain joined us.  The main GPS simply needed the battery switch turned on, after checking the voltage.  And the handheld GPS only needed new batteries!  I was able to fix that on my own :)

Next on the agenda . . . BAGGYWRINKLES!

It worked!

The solenoid worked!  We now have an operational toilet.  I purchased a sink drain and trap for the bathroom today too - luckily the saleslady knew what the strange metal and plastic thing I held up was because I sure didn't  :)  I also bought a roll of non-skid tape for the Whaler floor today because - despite the grit in the paint - it is still a little slippery.

Varnish and a little problem :)

Various parts of down below received a coat of varnish.

The little problem is that despite the fact that we have two heads - marine toilets - a grand total of  . . . ZERO!!! are currently operational.  This is in spite of the fact that we spent three hours working on them last night - messy to say the least.  The captain purchased a solenoid today - I really, really hope that does the trick for at least one of them.

Shopping

We purchased some bits and pieces for various boat projects today.  We picked up a roll of protective plastic for the painting of the salon!  Extra outlet covers for the two we forgot :)  Some painting tape - also for painting down below.  And some 220 grit sandpaper so I can put a fresh coat of varnish on the rails and hatches before we leave.

More Before and After Shots

Here is the green stripe (# 8 I think) before and after:

# 17 has also been crossed off the list! No more cold showers!

We are making serious progress lately!

The Launch

The launching of the dinghy went perfectly and the Mercury engine started up as if it had never given us a moment of trouble - it must have overheard our plot to replace it!  The boat looks amazing and nothing like it did just a short while ago.

BEFORE:          
                                                     

AFTER:

What an amazing transformation the captain effected!

#10 - complete!

The lettering on the dinghy is as good as I can make it.

To Do List

This is what needs to happen before we can set out again.

1.  Bimini cover
2.  Trailer tires repaired
3.  Sand and varnish bowsprit
4.  Reinstall bobstay
5.  Repair boarding ladder
6.  Install tar paper and reattach staysail shroud
7.  Paint white rub rail on Keewatin
8.  Paint green stripe
9.  Mast boots
10. Lettering on dinghy - T/T Keewatin
11. Sand, prime and paint salon
12. Sand, prime and paint foc's'le
13. Hook up head (marine toilet)
14. Check and repair all sails
15. Bend on sails
16. Buy new hot water heater
17. Install new hot water heater
18. Fix water maker
19. Secure storage drawer faces
20. Buy all stores - this one is fun :)
21. Replace lifeline
22. Glue clock
23. Install main engine start button and alternator
24. Deal with generator oil leak
25. Acquire backup 2KW gas generator
26. Replace VHF fuse
27. Launch Boston Whaler

We managed to cross a few items off the list today but we have a lot to do in the next couple of weeks!

Weekend Work

 Much was accomplished today.  The kids helped out by polishing the brass anchor light:

I applied the final coat of varnish to the bowsprit

Everyone tidied both Keewatin and the Boston Whaler - untangling and coiling lines, removing and folding varnish covers and awnings - and Brock put our freshly painted engine back on the dinghy.

                                    

Projects for the next couple of days include making a new boarding ladder, and applying Ospho and painting the dinghy anchor.

Slow and Steady

The Boston Whaler almost complete:

Brock made new rails for it yesterday and today we installed them.  There was much measuring, discussion, drilling, screw-finding, counter-sinking and double-checking going on :)  They are made of Ipe wood (pronounced eee-pay) and are extremely strong and striking.  A new bimini top cover is being made in Forest Green Sunbrella to match everything else - the last one was lost in a strong squall that blew in one night anchored off Egg Island, Eleuthera.  This happened within days after buying the boat, so she may not want one but we are going to try again :)

Keewatin's rub rail and green stripe were sanded today in preparation for their new coats of paint.  

It is all coming together.

Little by little

The staysail boom is back where it belongs on the foredeck and looks gorgeous.

The engine is sprayed and back together - looks like new just cross your fingers that it will actually work :)

The Boston Whaler is literally hours away from completion.  Just a few more feet of rope to coax into the rub rail - sounds easy but it is more coercion than coaxing.

The bureau is painted, varnished and back down below, and the wall behind it received a coat of paint.  Slowly we are renewing the paint down below while trying to live around the area being worked on - not the best plan but the way it is working out :)

The cushions from the salon are back in place with their new trim, and the foc's'le finally received new mattresses.

All of this while Thanksgiving prep was going on - not bad!

Dinghy Day!

The Boston Whaler is looking like new!  Today it received a green stripe and bottom paint.  The black rub rail was polished and reattached.  I bought black spray paint for the engine cowling.

We are so close now!

The little - and not so little - touches

I installed the new outlet covers that the children stained and varnished today.  They look so beautiful - the contrast between the varnish and the white walls!  Sometimes its the little things that make a big difference.

But occasionally the bigger items get the glory. Our Boston Whaler is almost done!  The Awlgrip is white and shiny and flawless!  The seats are perfect.  The stripes on the oars are the icing on the cake.  The inside still needs non-skid, and we will finish off the bottom paint and the green stripe on the side and we will be done!

Painting

The staysail boom is reassembled and has its first coat of Bristol Beige.  The outlet covers received a final coat of varnish and our dinghy oars have stylish forest green stripes on their paddles and around the grip.  They look amazing, but now we have to find a special way to store them since we can't just toss them in the bottom of the boat :)  The white on everything is Awlgrip but we find the shades of color are more to our liking in Interlux.  Still on the agenda is stripping the bureau from down below, filling, staining and vanishing, varnishing, varnishing!  The dinghy - a 13 foot Boston Whaler - needs a little more sanding before it receives it's final coat of Snow White Awlgrip and . . .  a green stripe :)