Thursday October 24: The Battle Lines are Drawn!

So we've been fighting the ants ever since we moved back to the boat. Seems they liked the digs when we were at Wayfarer's Cove for 4 months.

I get that - we liked it there too but enough is enough. These are very small ants and are more annoying than anything but they need to move on or die.

Three different types of traps for many different type of ants. The green tape is upside down to keep them confined within a smaller area (probably they are nesting in the lower regions of the boat somewhere.

If this doesn't work - we pull out all of the stops and just ant bomb the boat for 24 hours. They have had enough of a warning!!

Meanwhile I'm making new hatch covers that will be truly waterproof. One thing you learn quickly on a boat is that leaks - of any kind - are just no fun. The sunbrella canvas is replaced with white marine vinyl. The picture is a bit fuzzy but you get the idea.

Snaps to be added ???

Steve and Matt have been getting some golf in during the nice afternoons. They actually play 18 holes (maybe even 27) in a nine hole round. You know, if the first ball you hit isn't what you wanted, just hit another or another ..... Nice that there is no one in front of you :-)

Steve actually made the put on the left and Matt came THIS CLOSE to a hole in one!!!! In all the years that Mom played golf, that is one thing she never achieved: a hole in hole. Nice job, Matt!!

You might have noticed the true Brown's fan in him :-) If not, check out the shirt!

The windlass work continues.  Now it's time to install the bow rollers. One on each side of the new anchor platform.

Next was to join the new 20 foot length of chain to the already being used 15 foot length of chain. This gives us the minimum suggested requirement of 1 foot of chain for each foot of boat length.


Basically a chain connecting link (made of 2 halves) was pounded together.

Ended up working GREAT - the windlass project at long last is FINISHED. It's amazing how much time has been spent on completing one project that seems like it should have taken - maybe a few hours.

It's fun to just look at it!!

The anchor on the left is a CQR and the one on the right is a Bruce. Different anchors for different bottoms. Both easily deployable - which was the goal of having both on the anchor platform. Good job Steve!

Tomorrow is the blitzkrieg of packing at Matt and Wendy's! Much has already been done by Matt (Wendy is still trying to finish up some of her work) but tomorrow - it's an all out attack on closets, cupboards and everything in between :-)

How long can this take, right?