Tuesday Jan 16: More Cool Weather and More Work

Last visit to the physical therapist: the thumb is doing great - the scar is hardly visible already and the bones continue to grow together.

One last visit to the surgeons office in February and all is done - just over a year since the first set of knuckle replacements. An amazing difference from how this hand was in April before the knuckles were replaced with only one finger and the thumb working.

Having two good hands, I'm finally able to do some of the sewing. The cover on the fly bridge furniture and two window covers were lost to Irma so those will be replaced first.

Also on the list is a cover for the dinghy gas can. It sits on the aft deck and the sun is really hard on the rubber hose that goes to the little engine. A cover for it will help immensely.

Third project is to repair the canvas cover for the upper helm - also damaged by Irma.


Steve continues to work on painting the sides of the hull - again damaged by Irma. This is getting to sound like a broken record!!

He's doing great work and now has both coats of finish paint on the starboard side and the first coat on the port side.

This of course after sanding and priming both sides.

Being able to use the hard top dinghy of a friend has made this SO much easier than painting it from our dinghy. This little flat top is incredibly stable and by moving our boat around he can actually reach all sides of our boat without taking it even out of the slip.

The dinghy is actually another project that Steve has in the works. Although it remained tied to the back of the boat during Irma, several areas of the hypalon outer skin were worn through partway by it being rubbed on the swim platform. Two of the three inflatable tubes were leaking air. Not a lot but what good is a dinghy that leaks air, right?


Of course there was much consultation with others (fellow boaters with leaky dinghy issues also) until a plan was made.

First find the leak(s) by spraying a soapy water solution and look for bubbles to appear! Two areas were found - on to step 2.

Let some of the air out and pour sealing liquid into the two tubes that had holes. Fill both tubes with air and then roll the dinghy around to spread the liquid throughout the tubes. (Ideally this is accomplished with a couple of guys helping!)


Let it dry. Repeat on day two if needed (which it was).

Next to last step: clean the outside well with a cleaner and water.

Last step: finish with a coat of liquid rubber paint. The paint just arrived today so perhaps later this week for the final step.

When it was too cool and windy to work on the painting the other day, it was time to see if the starter we ordered actually fit. It's only 3 bolts but like everything on a boat, it's in a difficult place to reach.

Best way was for Steve to lay on his side to get the starter lined up and get the bolts in.

Yea!! It fit! It wasn't an exact replacement but was designed to replace the original and thankfully did just that. Figure out how the wires hooked up and done. It was my job to figure out the wires - based on pictures Steve thoughtfully took before removing the old starter. Not sure we would have been able to figure it out very easily without those pictures. Anyway, turn the key, engine starts and we're back in business!!

Now if it ever gets warm enough and the wind quits blowing enough that we could go out for an overnight ......

And yes it has been cold. And yes I realize that is relative to where one lives but down here mid-50's at night and low 60's daytime is cold! Fortunately we have a small space heater that I can direct right at my feet!

Plus Cindy (Love You More) kindly crocheted the softest throw blanket while she was stuck in truly cold weather in Ontario over the holidays.

Perfect :-)








There is still the occasional evening when it's warm enough that docktail gatherings happen. Life is good.