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Published: December 2nd 2012
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We are finally close to leaving Deltaville after about two months of non stop work on Caribee.
The waste tank has been installed, we will test it tomorrow. Just that job alone took about two weeks, what a crazy exhausting project that was... mostly done by Marty. Trying to find place for the tube, cutting through bulkheads, fishing all the wiring for the tank monitor and the electric head, planning and building the platform for the tank in a geometrically challenging back locker, plumbing, connecting electricity..... the list goes on. It is amazing the work Marty has done for this waste system. I think that was the biggest project on Caribee, even bigger than stripping the bottom because there were so many different things to coordinate together. We hope all goes well on the test so we can put that behind us.
We also have all the through hulls replaced, and any new ones are fitted. We just have to install the triducer and all holes are filled! We found out our traveler was broken, so a new and stronger one was ordered and put in today. We have also added Caribee's name to both sides of the boat.
Luckily the previous owner had extra decals made, so I was able to put the name and harbour back on the stairs again.
Another big project is sorting through all we have on the boat and deciding what stays on the boat and what gets stored in the car. Things like tools have to be downsized. I have to find place for my kitchen items I thought I would need and if I can't then they do make the trip either. Everything has to have a logical place, on a boat there is no space for "maybe" items. We might change where we store things a few times as we find smarter places for them, but the point is all these items have to fit properly SOMEwhere in our storage areas or we have to consider not taking them.
One last job that I thought would not be too challenging ended up being a lot bigger than we thought. While trying to remove the prop in order to replace the annode, it became evident that the previous owner had not taken off the prop in a long time... it took an impact drill to get the screw to
move. The prop itself was not in fantastic shape, so another has been ordered and will arrive next week. The sail drive will be properly serviced by those who know what they are doing here in the yard for the first time, and we will watch and relate what they are doing to our manual so we will be comfortable doing it ourselves next time.
If the propellor arrives early in the week , we should be in the water by Wednesday. Then we can service our motor and retest all the water systems. It will be so exciting to finally take Caribee out for a sail!
We are tired and sore, and often frustrated. We are also proud of what we have done, and we are excited about what's to come. I guess when the end of the work projects (on land anyway!) is so close patience runs thin when issues that could possibly create another delay come up. We are in what could have been a fantastic weather window right now to go around Hatteras calmly and safely..... it is sad that we are only about a week behind schedule because we should have been sailing
this week. But, we will hopefully be ready to go when the next window arrives. We figure we should be sailing south by December 10th give or take a few days.
We are also so thankful for the wonderful generous friends we have met here in Deltaville. Everyone has been so helpful and encouraging. We are grateful for the beautiful home we have been staying at since the nights turned cold, offered by Sarah and Roger. As a result we have been able to sleep through the night comfortably, eat a wider variety of food since we have still not got our stove working on the boat, and just relax a bit more in general and recharge ourselves. It is a stunning, relaxing, very special spot that I will remember my whole life.
My parents came for a visit, and we had a great time. It was so nice to spend time with them, and to show them all we have been doing here. Dad helped with the boat projects, and after the first day at the boat we all agreed that mom should stay at the cottage and enjoy the loons, ducks, herons, cardinals and beach. Unfortunately
they did not get to see the boat launch, but what can you do!
I will leave you with a few pictures of the last week or so. Fingers crossed our prop comes in tomorrow!
Lori
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