On Saturday, 2-20-10, we drove out to Rock Hall to get started on the chores that need to be completed before the boat goes back in the water. We have about 7 weeks before April 10th, our scheduled boat baptism.
Two weeks ago the East coast was pretty much shut down by two back-to-back blizzards that dropped an accumulated 30" of snow. We still have about 10" in the front yard but the temperatures this weekend went up to the mid 40's so it felt like Summertime. We had planned to go on Friday but we have so much stuff listed on Ebay and Craigslist that we had to be around to finalize some sales. We've really made a dent in our belongings this way. Downsizing is coming right along. The house isn't listed yet but we're almost ready for it and I think we're pretty close to being on schedule.
When we left for Rock Hall we decided it was time to introduce the newest member of our family, Bella Houdini, to La Vida Dulce. Bella is a Yorkipoo, or as I prefer to call her, a Yorkadoodle. She's part Yorkshire Terrier and part Poodle. Right now she weighs 2 lbs but when fully grown will be 5. She's a little monster, not afraid of anything, and will attack a 6' man and bring him down by his ankles. Her teeth are razor sharp but her best weapon is her ear piercing bark which can get up to 120dB and do more damage to your ears than an Offspring concert. I make her sound vicious but she has a sweet side too and is very smart. Cheri's been training her and already has taught her to fetch and sit. She also puts ribbons in her hair and makes her wear pink sweaters so it appears that humiliation is a great tool for training a dog.
When we got to the boat we had to forge a trail through the snow to get aboard. The guys at Gratitude had positioned a portable staircase for us at the stern which is way better than a 10' ladder, made access very nice. We fired up our new oil filled electric radiator and got to work cleaning everything from the bilges to the overhead. The folks who had done all the work on installing the A/C and refinishing the woodwork had cleaned up nicely behind themselves and that was really appreciated. Still, the boat needs a good scrubbing down to get her ready to live aboard. We focused on the Main Salon and Galley and that took us until sunset to finish up.
After the washdown we brought the cushions in from the car and got them back in place. These are the ones we restored ourselves (Saving The Old Cushions) and we've been anxious to see how they looked. With everything in place, at first glance the gap between the cushions is a little bigger than it used to be but it doesn't look bad and I think with a little use they'll relax some and fill that in. They are definitely firmer and way more comfortable than before. Overall I'd say we did a good job and we're very pleased with the outcome. Plus we saved a buncha dough!
Next weekend we're planning to go back on Friday and stay overnight to continue work on Saturday. We have so much to do and the time just keeps slipping by. Hopefully the snow will be gone by then and I can start working on sanding down the hull to prepare for anti-fouling paint. We plan to continue cleaning in the forward and aft staterooms and heads (bathrooms for you landlubbers).
It felt really good to be aboard our boat again. It had been almost 2 months since we last saw her and I think we were both going through withdrawal. The completed woodwork turned out great. The gentleman who did the work, Earl Mathiesen (http://mathiesenwoodworking.com/), is a true craftsman and did a beautiful job. He has a reputation for being the best in the business and we were very fortunate to have his services. The A/C installation is also complete and work on that was top notch. I'll add more info and pictures about these on the "Projects" page (Projects).
BTW - Bella had a great time on the boat. I think she's gonna do well but the real test will be when we finally get under way again. That should be interesting!
