Website Update in Seattle

I have been working on my web site, trying to get all the photos to work correctly. I believe it is close now. So all the photos of 2007, from Zihuatanejo to Hawaii, should be on line now. Try http://www.tcls.com/~larryl/log_katielee/photos then click on 2007 in the Previewer window frame. They are stored by month and day, so the newer ones are toward the bottom.

Our daughter's wedding plans are progressing faster than the boat part acquisitions.

The grand kids, Izabell is really cute. Zoe and Morgan are supposed to come visit for the first time today and of course their parents (our kids) too.

Seattle Arrival

We had a nice brunch and supper with Bold Spirit and Amochi, Elvin, and dropped the rental car off at the airport at 6PM. Our flight was at 10PM, and the airport has no free WiFi, so we read books all evening.

The flight was long but not crowded, so it wasn't too bad.
Our daughter picked us up this morning in Seattle. Grandbabies sure grow fast!

Hawaiian Tourists

We put the boat in dry storage at the marina at 11AM Friday. Then in the rental car, we drove to the north end of the island to Waimea. Found a nice quiet hotel and enjoyed a nice looong bath in HOT water!

Then on around the island to Hilo, where we stayed in "Uncle Billy's Hotel". Not cheap or new, but dry and cool. We had a really nice supper of steak and crablegs. As long as we're spending so much, lets go for it!
We also toured old downtown and a waterfall or two. Near the waterfall we bought some fruit, including a poplemouse, like the French Polynesian grapefruit and rambutan, sorta like a big grape inside. Really good.

Then Today we drove south through Volcanos National Park. There were no active flows that could be walked to, so we saw the rest of the park and drove on to a friend's "Bed & Breakfast near the south end of the island. The most southern point in the United States.
We'll head back up toward Kailua-Kona, where the boat is tomorrow.
Kathi and Jeff on Bold Spirit have invited us to Christmas Brunch Christmas morning.

Oh, yes, that is us wearing long pants! Over a year, we finally get to Hawaii and it is so cold on the east side that we have to break out the long pants! We did have them ready for the trip to Seattle at least.

3 Days To go

And lots to do. We did get 2 coats of new light green bottom paint finished, the transmission on deck and dissembled, rebuild kit ordered "air next day", the screw holes in the deck all plugged with epoxy (twice, I didn't do it right the first time), the bow pulpit re-welded for cracks and all the stanchions polished, a large order from West Marine of mostly replacement parts. The deck steps for the masts look OK. There are coins placed under the mast each time it is put back up "for good luck".

We are working fast and furious 12 hours a day, but it just doesn't seem to be getting completed.

The rigger says the cables will be in Wed and the masts ready to re-step on Thurs. morning. we are scheduled for move to the storage yard on Friday morning, then our "vacation in Hawaii starts. 4 day of homeless with only a rental car and the baggage we are taking to Seattle!

Boat Work

Things are progressing. We have the masts off so the rigger can measure the cables in order to make new ones. He is replacing the lifelines too. We removed the transmission. You should have seen Trinda helping lift the 150 pound thing up the companion way steps, nearly 6 feet high! No I didn't get pictures, I was holding the other end! There is a possibility of getting a used transmission in better shape than mine. I should hear in a day or two. I took the broken parts to the welder, the genoa car,
boom yolk and the bow pulpit rail. The pulpit had several cracks in the welds where it had been repaired by some previous owner.

We are 3/4 done grinding the old non-skid off the deck under where the teak used to be. I have asked a local expert to come advise me on how to refinish the deck. He is busy and hasn't made it here yet. I think we'll just put 2 or 3 coats of fiberglass to smooth and flatten the area. Then paint it white with epoxy paint adding glass bead non-skid material to the final coat. We have yet to start removing the caulk from the teak on the top of the dog house that we intend to keep. It needs to be re-caulked.

Living aboard in the work yard is a little difficult. The shower/bathroom is 50 yards away, and of course that's from the bottom of the 16 foot extension ladder leaning against the side of the boat. Trinda still doesn't like ladders. We can't use that new "diamond studded/gold plated" head, cause it needs salt water to flush. The kitchen sink drains on the cement directly under the boat, so no grease or vegetable matter can go in it. And the boat just feels wrong, cause it never moves any. No gentle
swaying to rock us to sleep.

There is only one other liveaboard in the work yard now, another sail boater. He seems single and is on the opposite side of the yard. Mostly this yard works on commercial charter fishing boats. They are not interested in sail boats and have little support for us, ie. the ice cold shower. And they lock up the gates around 7PM til 7AM so no late night parties or dinners while we are here.

Scott on Avventura left for Maui. His folks are coming to visit for Christmas. We sure enjoyed cruising with him. He is an excellent young man. Maybe we'll see him again some time afer we get back and cruise around in the spring. Bold Spirit is in the same slip in the marina here that we were in, until next week. I think they also plan to head closer to Honolulu for the Christmas season.

On The Hard

We hauled the boat to the work yard here in Honokohau Marina. I get internet only occasionally.

We have lots of work to do on the boat. I have a rigger lined up to replace all the wires holding up the masts. The wind has been blowing too hard to pull the masts of yet, 4 days of winter storms in Hawaii. The worst they have had in years. It blew up to 46 knots the other day, sustained at 30 for several hours. The mountain top had over 80 knots, that's hurricane strength!

I got new parts for the wind vane, under warranty! Great! The Cape Horn guy is really good. I haven't got them installed yet, I don't have anything to stand on to reach it. The yard doesn't provide ANYTHING, only the space for the boat to sit! We borrowed a ladder from the marine store and saw horses from the rigger.

We have nearly all the teak off and the screw holes filled, but haven't checked for bad places under the fiberglass yet.

I got the prop and shaft out and straightened, polished and ready to put back with new seals. The transmission needs to be checked, so I need to take it out first. It got salt water in it and now the seals in it are leaking too.