When the plastic bobbin rolls into the bilge  way down, way down

There’ll be no more sewing ‘til we find a new one or two in town.

What now, what now? Can’t paint the mast today.

Why not, why not? Sanding dust all blows our way!

Cheer up, cheer up! Guess we’ll just have to play.

Live, love, laugh and be happy.

     The second week was mostly consumed with taking things apart.  Strip the mast and boom. Remove the rudder and the cutlass bearing, etal.  Things come apart fairly well.  Now it is time to do the repairs and maintenance. Reggie orders the things needed for the cutlass bearing replacements. He also starts grinding away at the rudder (yikes). I start painting the mast and boom. We should be in the water on schedule, even after adding jobs the first week that were not on the schedule.

     Maybe not.      I’m not sure how many times the wrong things arrived for the cutlass bearing project.

     It looks to me like Reggie is making a new rudder. I’m sure it will be fine:/ There have been some delays, as he needs warmer weather for the expanding foam portion and it has been cold here. Well not Montana cold, but not Florida warm either. 

     It turns out that painting the mast and boom is not like painting a wall at home. After pretty much botching the job, some fellow cruisers here have offered suggestions. The ‘professor’ has helped me with my technique and now they are almost not embarrassing. Today the neighbors across the way offered to show me how to do it by rolling and tipping with a brush. I declined her valiant offer, as it would have required tons of sanding what I had already done and at this point we are behind schedule. Anyway, I’m not one to put earrings on a pig, even if I think my pig is wonderful. The boat right next door is having the bottom sanded, so I have to wait until he is done for the day, then clean up all the fine, back dust before I can apply another coat. I should be getting good at cleaning up that stuff!

     Oh, yes, the bobbin saga continues after losing the only one we had. We wrote down the model number and went to JoAnne’s. the clerk started to look it up and then decided she knew which one we needed.  We came home with a package of bobbins. Things just didn’t look right, so I checked on the internet.  Still not sure how this one works. Try several times and finally give up in frustration.  Reggie looks researches only to discover we have the wrong ones. Maybe another time. I can live with a less than perfect paint job on the mast and boom, but I really want some new curtains and cushions!!

Reggie appends:

     It hasn’t been all toil.  We had a great dinner out at Maggiano’s with new friends Michael and Diane.  Also, we took a break during a shopping excursion for dinner at Moe’s Southwestern Grill.  And our refrigerator keeps the beer cold!

     Other boats are finishing their projects and launching to head out for the Bahamas or the Florida keys or wherever.  A couple have launched even though all the projects weren’t done.  I’m beginning to wonder if we will get to go.  Wait!  No negativity!

    

Our projects?

     For the mast, a new LED anchor light, a new steaming and deck light, sanding and paint to eliminate corrosion spots, a new halyard, repair/upgrade parts for the old roller furler, and new standing rigging to keep the mast from falling down once we get it back up.  Chain-plates, stem fitting and mast shoe have been re-bedded.

     The rudder had bulges and some water in it.  I had to grind away about 20% of the rudder to get rid of bad stuff.  Today began the reconstruction with pourable 2 part urethane foam.  Then, I get to learn how to apply fiberglass and epoxy!

     The propeller shaft needed a new cutlass bearing.  The third one which arrived was the correct one.  And, while in the area, the shaft log hose and clamps were replaced, and the packing gland was repacked with new super-duper packing.

     Barbara has a better light over the galley.  Tomorrow she will connect the new-to-us-last-spring bow running light and then the anchor chain and line and anchor can go back where they belong.

Seeing things go back together is giving us hope!