The water is within site!

Putting on the hard antifouling

Lots of progress and it finally looks like we are going to get this boat floating again! The inside is still a huge mess but it is getting better. The outside is really coming along.The barrier coat is finished and the hard anti-foul is on, next is the ablative. The boots are being resealed and the engines are almost ready to fire up. I finished an extension for the bimini that will shade the helm. The new holding tank is installed. I have almost cleaned all the bright work ( that really made me feel better! at least something is clean.) Looks like we should get splashed sometime this week! We will need to test out all the repairs and then its a weather window and head south!

Drying between coats. the plastic is to protect it from the painting on the boat next to us.
We raised the water line about 3 inches. The ablative antifouling will be blue.



There are over 30 boats in the harbor for the annual Thanksgiving feast. Since we have family here and always have a big get together, we have never attended but plan to go to the cruisers exchange being held tomorrow morning. We have the vhs antenna that we took off the boat when we put up the new SSB antenna that we will take and see if anyone is interested in it.

OK, So we are still on land and the boat looks like it's been through a tornado. We are making progress but are finding out first hand the truth in the saying that "everything takes longer and cost more on a boat!" We kept finding damage as we sanded the hull to prep the bottom for painting. Thankfully hulls are finally repaired and ready for paint.

We put new leather on the spreaders to help with chafe.

While the mast was on the ground we took the opportunity to recover the old brittle leather on the spreaders  with new ( well sort of new. We got a leather coat from Goodwill when we couldn't find any leather at a reasonable price.) We did get the mast back on and started putting on the stack pack and lazy jacks on but it started pouring so we went back inside to work on the holding tank. If we can catch a break on the weather they will do a barrier coat and then paint the bottom. Pictures and updates soon since I finally got the bugs worked out of my blog.

Well I know everyone will be happy when there is something else on this blog other than repair and refit but I can't help but get excited when I see my SSB and AIS installed, Stray cat is still a mess but I can see progress. I am set to take my Ham operator test in 3 weeks and then hopefully we will be back in the water and waiting for appropriate weather to head south. Getting really excited!

Icom SSB

Pactor 4 Modem

Base repaired and almost ready for new Mast Step

The clock is ticking!

Time seems to be moving at warp speed but the boat is still a mess. I keep having to remind myself that we are actually making progress. The SSB, modem, tuner and AIS are being installed. Our FCC License has been granted and we now have a call sign and a MMSI Number. We needed the MMSI Number for the AIS before it could be shipped. Our friend who is doing the installation recommended that since Freddie usually takes the lead at the helm that I should take the lead at communications. All of this was new to me but I have found that if I just slow down and take it one step at a time it is really not so complicated. Studying for the Ham Radio license is a little more involved (including learning how to utilize a scientific calculator) but it is beginning to make sense. We also got our emergency beacon's battery changed and registered to us.  It will make sure that if needed our specific information will be sent to the coast guard along with our exact location. Our 2013 cruising decal has arrived. Freddie has been busy re-making the interior doors damaged by Beryl and overseeing the new holding tanks, and engine repairs. It seems incredible that we are looking at just weeks before we will be back in the water and Bahamas bound! Here are a couple of pics of the fiberglass repair.

Looks much better than this before picture.

We are making progress

The new antenna for the SSB arrived. Hopefully the SSB and pactor modem will arrive any day and the AIS soon after that. Yep definitely feeling the pain in the pocketbook but we had planned these purchases. Meanwhile the work to repair the damage from Beryl continues and we can actually see progress. I am studying the Ham Technician License course material.  This is a chore for me since I am radio and electronically challenged. Oh well, I wanted to stretch myself, and get outside of my comfort zone. Right?
More pics of the improvements soon.

Work goes on

Went out to the boat after the afternoon thunder shower. The fiberglass work is coming along but there is still a lot to be done for us to be sea worthy (actually Stray Cat to be seaworthy) Freddie and I have a long way to go but that won't happen on shore. I am still working on how to fully utilize the feature of this blog, so bare with our amateur efforts.

Some Pics of the Damage from Beryl

Well work has been steady since we got Stray Cat to the boat yard. We have pulled the mast and we are having a new mast step made. The fiberglass repairs have been on going after we got all the mud cleaned out from inside the boat. The engines have been taken apart and are being repaired from all the water and mud from Beryl. We are going ahead and doing some outfitting that we had planned for later. The cruising kitty has been taking a major hit! We just ordered a SSB and AIS. We are also installing holding tanks to make sure the potty police are happy when we head south in a couple of months.

In the Yard with the Mast down

Mud everywhere

Yep more mud! and marsh mud stinks!

Damage in the front

Much more in the back

Ouch that hurts

Lots to be fixed from Beryl