OK so you may have been wondering what has happened to me. Sadly with the Wisconsin winter weather rolling there hasn't been too much nautical going on in my life. It has finally snowed, and we're due for another blizzard tonight. I love the snow! I got a tarp put up over the cockpit on my boat just in time so it doesn't fill up with snow and ice over the winter. I helped cover up one of the Sea Scout boats, a Merit 25, in the middle of the first snow storm. It just makes me wonder what it would be like to be sailing on the southern ocean. I'm sure it wouldn't be the tropical dream that everyone thinks of when they picture sailing off somewhere, but for me any aspect of sailing is amazing.
On a more financial note, my paychecks won't be going towards my vessel for a little while since I have to get my wisdom teeth ripped out. They've been bugging me for quite some time, so I finally decided to get it done. The good part is that my jaw will stop swelling up, and my teeth won't hurt; the bad is that it costs $2300! I'm not looking forward to that, but I'm sure it'll all work out.
In more news in relation to my planned voyage to Europe. I have officially decided to postpone it a year. On the one hand I'm a bit worried that if I put it off life will get in the way and it may never happen; but it's just too much stress I've piled on myself telling everyone that I'm going on a jaunt across the Atlantic next summer in a boat I've never sailed. I need not only more time to prepare the boat, and practice my skills on it, but I need to save up money to get the proper gear to make it a safe trip. And although I'm sure I'll be demonstrating thrifty living for a while, I would like to have a little bit of spending money while I'm over there. I can think of a couple individuals who would not be pleased if I were to come back from Europe again without any souvenirs for them.
So with this new plan I am still confident that it'll happen, but this way I know I'll be more prepared and I'll be able to spend the summer with my friends testing which configurations work well for me on the boat, and which ones don't. One example of this is the presence of lifelines. I've already spent time and money fixing the stanchions, but at the end of the day I'm kind of liking the extra deck space in not having the stanchions there. I've heard just as many stories saying lifelines are a necessity as there are that say they are dangerous. Pros: they can catch you if you lose your footing, slip, or are about to roll overboard for any other reason. They are convenient places to tie things. Cons: Anything you tie to them adds windage and drag up top, they cannot be relied upon to keep you in the boat, if you fall on them you could damage the hull if they try to rip out, they take up valuable space on the side and fore decks, the head sail can chafe up against them, they get in the way when trying to get on a dock of another vessel. OK I'm beginning to thin that I sound biased. They do add a sense of security, but it may be a false sense if you don't hold onto the boat because you trust the lifelines to catch you. The only benefit I can see now is if I had small children on board. In that case I would string netting between to stanchions to catch kids. I'm kinda wishing I hadn't put so much adhesive on the stanchion bases, I might not be able to get them off now.
Like I said, I'll try all sorts of different configurations with people on board, and test to find out what work best.
Anyone that would like to learn more about my boat, or my planned trips feel free to comment below. As well anyone that wants to donate to my boat fund, or my Wisdom Teeth fund can let me know as well.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Erased Entry
OK so I just wrote a big huge blog entry, and right as I was coming t the end of it I must have typed to fast, because it erased everything!
"Let me explain.....No there is too much. Let me sum up."
Day off: spent some money. I went to Sears to buy tools, and then to Home Depot to get some adhesives. My project for the day was reseating the stanchion bases. Stanchions hold the lifelines up, which in turn hold me on the boat if I lose my footing.
I wanted to reinforce them, so I took them off, used some Loctite Joining compound to seal it back down. I went to a hardware store to buy bigger washers, and longer bolts to use. I'm hoping now that the lifelines will be much safer, although I must admit I enjoy the wider decks without them there.
I finished reading my two cruising books. The authors seemed to contradict each other. Some say that the smaller boat is safer. Others say that a 55 foot boat is small.
As for me, I like my choice. It will allow me the most freedom. That's the great thing about sailing, it can free you from all the problems of the modern world. You only bring with you what you want to. You must learn patience because once you're out there, no amount of whining and crying will make the wind blow any harder. There is the escape from social obligations, from employment, and many others. Sails are quiet, and the wind is free. The sea does not discriminate. The nice thing is that most of the earth is water. On every other vehicle or mode of transportation you must either be strapped into a seat, or confined to roads, rails, or predetermined routes. I love the idea of the freedom out there; the opportunity to see who you really are when everything else is stripped away. But then again I'm speaking as if I had already been out there. These are just ramblings in anticipation.
I did find out that someone does own the land that my boat is one. I hope I don't have to move it. I guess we'll just wait and see. I've also gotten a few price quotes. Kelly-Hansen sails seem to be the most affordable right now. We'll see what JSI can offer me. I'd love to go with North Sails, but they are just too dang pricey.
As well a trailer custom built for my Bristol 24 would only run about $5,000. But when you consider I only spent $2,000 for the boat, it seems a bit out of whack. It all depends on money at this point. I can always make due with bare bones, but there are some things that can't be skimped on. Like safety.
Well thanks for reading, and clicking around.
"Let me explain.....No there is too much. Let me sum up."
Day off: spent some money. I went to Sears to buy tools, and then to Home Depot to get some adhesives. My project for the day was reseating the stanchion bases. Stanchions hold the lifelines up, which in turn hold me on the boat if I lose my footing.
I wanted to reinforce them, so I took them off, used some Loctite Joining compound to seal it back down. I went to a hardware store to buy bigger washers, and longer bolts to use. I'm hoping now that the lifelines will be much safer, although I must admit I enjoy the wider decks without them there.
I finished reading my two cruising books. The authors seemed to contradict each other. Some say that the smaller boat is safer. Others say that a 55 foot boat is small.
As for me, I like my choice. It will allow me the most freedom. That's the great thing about sailing, it can free you from all the problems of the modern world. You only bring with you what you want to. You must learn patience because once you're out there, no amount of whining and crying will make the wind blow any harder. There is the escape from social obligations, from employment, and many others. Sails are quiet, and the wind is free. The sea does not discriminate. The nice thing is that most of the earth is water. On every other vehicle or mode of transportation you must either be strapped into a seat, or confined to roads, rails, or predetermined routes. I love the idea of the freedom out there; the opportunity to see who you really are when everything else is stripped away. But then again I'm speaking as if I had already been out there. These are just ramblings in anticipation.
I did find out that someone does own the land that my boat is one. I hope I don't have to move it. I guess we'll just wait and see. I've also gotten a few price quotes. Kelly-Hansen sails seem to be the most affordable right now. We'll see what JSI can offer me. I'd love to go with North Sails, but they are just too dang pricey.
As well a trailer custom built for my Bristol 24 would only run about $5,000. But when you consider I only spent $2,000 for the boat, it seems a bit out of whack. It all depends on money at this point. I can always make due with bare bones, but there are some things that can't be skimped on. Like safety.
Well thanks for reading, and clicking around.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Worth it
So today's weather was amazing, and so of course I was down at the boat. A lot of sawing and gutting. I had intended to wait until I had power tools to finish removing the cabin sole, but I couldn't take having half of it missing so I went to work with a hand saw. It was back breaking work, but I loved every minute of it. Every man needs a project I think.
So I was down in the bilge trying to figure out a way to rip out the plywood more efficiently. There is a long metal rod left over from something. Not sure what it is, but it worked very well as a crow bar.
I still have some cleaning up to do, but now at least it's all dry and ready to be rebuilt. I was thinking about putting in a wooden floor, but those tend to soak up so much moisture that years from now it'd all have to be redone. Also I want to make sure it's level. So what I think I am going to do is pour a whole lot of epoxy resin down there to make a level, solid, dry floor, and then maybe carpet over it. We'll see.
I had fun clamboring all over sanding down the wood work. I oiled the bow pulpit today, and introduced the boat to my younger brother and sister for the first time. I can't wait to get her in the water. But there's another $100 worth of cosmetics that need to go into it, then about $1800 for the right sails. We'll see how far I get before summer.
So I was down in the bilge trying to figure out a way to rip out the plywood more efficiently. There is a long metal rod left over from something. Not sure what it is, but it worked very well as a crow bar.
I still have some cleaning up to do, but now at least it's all dry and ready to be rebuilt. I was thinking about putting in a wooden floor, but those tend to soak up so much moisture that years from now it'd all have to be redone. Also I want to make sure it's level. So what I think I am going to do is pour a whole lot of epoxy resin down there to make a level, solid, dry floor, and then maybe carpet over it. We'll see.
I had fun clamboring all over sanding down the wood work. I oiled the bow pulpit today, and introduced the boat to my younger brother and sister for the first time. I can't wait to get her in the water. But there's another $100 worth of cosmetics that need to go into it, then about $1800 for the right sails. We'll see how far I get before summer.
 |
| Cutting out small portions of flooring |
 |
| My "crow bar" |
 |
| The nasty stuff under the floor |
 |
| Just about gone |
 |
| all the wood I removed |
 |
| Now I just have to put a floor in there |
Sunday, November 7, 2010
About the pictures
Alright below are some quick pictures of my Bristol 24. I know she looks rough in some bits, but that's why I'm working hard to restore her to her original glory.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Chores yet to do.
I was able to get over to the boat before all the dew had been dried up by the sun. I used an old towel to wipe the moisture away so I could begin work. A little bit more sanding, and another two coats of paint finished off the transom. It is now gleaming in "china white", and ready to have a name painted on it. I have decided on the name, but I'll explain that later.
I still need power tools to get the rest of the flooring up in the cabin. I can't wait to get down there and level it all out so I can rebuild the floor. I am looking forward to having another 2" of headroom, and a solid surface to walk on. I am also hoping that the musty smell will go away after I get everything vacuumed up and repainted in the engine compartment. While I was waiting for coats of paint to dry I curled up in the foreward berth for a few minutes. It was surprisingly comfortable. I let my mind wander a bit; I love thinking of when she'll actually be in the water heading off to distant horizons. I can just imagine diving off of the bow pulpit to help set a heavy anchor in the sand near a tropical reef. I'd love to bring a surfboard along wherever I go because you never know when you'll find that perfect wave.
The Sheboygan Sea Scout skipper, Tom, just happened to be driving by. I showed him my new boat for the first time. He was kind enough to give me a few names of people who might be able to help me inspect the diesel engine and make sure it's ready to go. I've always wanted to have an inboard so I can charge up my batteries with the alternator, and so I don't have to strap an ugly outboard onto my freshly painted transom. There are pros and cons of every set up on a boat, but I think I've found the perfect compromise with everything my boat has.
I'm hoping to be able to borrow some tools from my grandma (cause we all know she's never gonna use a circular saw) to speed up the work. The chores I have yet to do are as follows (in no particular order): install dorade vents, buff out the plexiglass windows so their transparent again, oil all the woodwork and rub rails, remove the rest of the cabin sole, drain and dry the foam insulation, level the cabin floor support, rebuild the cabin sole, re-seat all the stanchions, repair and re-seat the veneer on my deck hatch box, caulk seams on some of the woodwork, clean and paint the engine compartment, repack the rudder bearings, inspect and install the engine (and all parts), clean the head [toilet], inspect the septic tank, mount bow stanchions and hand rail, mount the mast step, paint the bottom with anti-fouling paint, and then buff and wax the whole hull. It should be fun. I really am looking forward to it. A lot of it is just cosmetic, some of it is just preventative maintenance, and some (like the cabin sole) needs to be done.
Of course I also have to paint the name on her transom. I'll let y'all know my decision in a later post. I hope to get some before and after pictures up pretty soon as well. Thanks for reading!
I still need power tools to get the rest of the flooring up in the cabin. I can't wait to get down there and level it all out so I can rebuild the floor. I am looking forward to having another 2" of headroom, and a solid surface to walk on. I am also hoping that the musty smell will go away after I get everything vacuumed up and repainted in the engine compartment. While I was waiting for coats of paint to dry I curled up in the foreward berth for a few minutes. It was surprisingly comfortable. I let my mind wander a bit; I love thinking of when she'll actually be in the water heading off to distant horizons. I can just imagine diving off of the bow pulpit to help set a heavy anchor in the sand near a tropical reef. I'd love to bring a surfboard along wherever I go because you never know when you'll find that perfect wave.
The Sheboygan Sea Scout skipper, Tom, just happened to be driving by. I showed him my new boat for the first time. He was kind enough to give me a few names of people who might be able to help me inspect the diesel engine and make sure it's ready to go. I've always wanted to have an inboard so I can charge up my batteries with the alternator, and so I don't have to strap an ugly outboard onto my freshly painted transom. There are pros and cons of every set up on a boat, but I think I've found the perfect compromise with everything my boat has.
I'm hoping to be able to borrow some tools from my grandma (cause we all know she's never gonna use a circular saw) to speed up the work. The chores I have yet to do are as follows (in no particular order): install dorade vents, buff out the plexiglass windows so their transparent again, oil all the woodwork and rub rails, remove the rest of the cabin sole, drain and dry the foam insulation, level the cabin floor support, rebuild the cabin sole, re-seat all the stanchions, repair and re-seat the veneer on my deck hatch box, caulk seams on some of the woodwork, clean and paint the engine compartment, repack the rudder bearings, inspect and install the engine (and all parts), clean the head [toilet], inspect the septic tank, mount bow stanchions and hand rail, mount the mast step, paint the bottom with anti-fouling paint, and then buff and wax the whole hull. It should be fun. I really am looking forward to it. A lot of it is just cosmetic, some of it is just preventative maintenance, and some (like the cabin sole) needs to be done.
Of course I also have to paint the name on her transom. I'll let y'all know my decision in a later post. I hope to get some before and after pictures up pretty soon as well. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A good day's work.
Today was my day off of work at the dealership, so I slept in a little bit. I had a few delays in the morning (being called in to sell a car when they didn't end up buying it, voting, eating etc.) After I was finally all squared away and ready to work I stopped by Home Depot to see what kind of painting supplies they had. I could see all sorts of tools I'd like to have, and that I would put to good use but I had to limit the amount of money I spent today. They didn't have the right kind of paint, so I went to a local boat repair shop to get some. The stuff I was looking for was $41.00 per quart! I can't wait till I have to buy the anti-fouling paint for the hull. I was able to find some green paint that I thought would match the hull pretty well for $31.00/quart. I bought that and headed over to the boat. After a quick sample on the transom I decided that it didn't match properly, and that I wanted to have a white transom after all to contrast the dark green hull. After returning the paint to the marine shop I headed to the north side of town to Menards to see what they had there. I found the people in the paint department very helpful. Obviously they didn't carry marine grade stuff either, but I was able to find a hardcore primer that bonds well to fiberglass, and some hard wearing paint to put over that. I know it might now be the kosher way to do it, but for right now I just want to get the old patched up stern looking good again.
A quick pit stop at Subway, and a few minutes later and i was back on my boat. I sanded, taped, primed, waited, sanded, primed, waited some more, and then got one coat of paint on the transom today. Tomorrow morning I want to go clean up the lines a bit, and put on two more coats of paint. Instead of being bored sitting around I decided to go to work ripping out the cabin sole. I did as much as I could with the hand saw that I bought, and a piece of bar stock steel as a makeshift crow-bar. Now the starboard half of the floor in the cabin is out; which is good cause it was squishy plywood not strong enough to support me. The fiberglass underneath is solid. I need a circular saw to get the port side floor out so I can level the fiberglass, and build a new sole. One nice thing about this project is that I can make the floor a couple of inches lower so I have better headroom inside.
On board someone had left some WestMarine Teak Oil. I went to work oiling up some of the woodwork. I was planning on varnishing all the wood, but in Blue Water the author says he oiled all of his wood cause it's less maintenance, and repels water just as good. The pieces I did are a bit darker than I would like, but it's ways easier to just dump some oil on wood and wait for it to soak in, than it is to varnish, sand, varnish, sand, varnish, and then know that I'll have to do it all again next season.
All in all I'd say it was a pretty good day. Things are coming together on the restoration part of the boat, soon it will be the outfitting of it all.
Thanks for reading, feel free to explore the rest of my blog, and leave comments.
A quick pit stop at Subway, and a few minutes later and i was back on my boat. I sanded, taped, primed, waited, sanded, primed, waited some more, and then got one coat of paint on the transom today. Tomorrow morning I want to go clean up the lines a bit, and put on two more coats of paint. Instead of being bored sitting around I decided to go to work ripping out the cabin sole. I did as much as I could with the hand saw that I bought, and a piece of bar stock steel as a makeshift crow-bar. Now the starboard half of the floor in the cabin is out; which is good cause it was squishy plywood not strong enough to support me. The fiberglass underneath is solid. I need a circular saw to get the port side floor out so I can level the fiberglass, and build a new sole. One nice thing about this project is that I can make the floor a couple of inches lower so I have better headroom inside.
On board someone had left some WestMarine Teak Oil. I went to work oiling up some of the woodwork. I was planning on varnishing all the wood, but in Blue Water the author says he oiled all of his wood cause it's less maintenance, and repels water just as good. The pieces I did are a bit darker than I would like, but it's ways easier to just dump some oil on wood and wait for it to soak in, than it is to varnish, sand, varnish, sand, varnish, and then know that I'll have to do it all again next season.
All in all I'd say it was a pretty good day. Things are coming together on the restoration part of the boat, soon it will be the outfitting of it all.
Thanks for reading, feel free to explore the rest of my blog, and leave comments.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Whew!
Yeah the newspaper didn't work at all. But after a few days of bailing I decided to go check the drain holes that had been cut in the keel by the boat yard. After clearing the gunk out of one of them water began to trickle out. The next day when I stopped by there was no water in the bilge! So there's still water in the boat, and I should proabably clear out the old foam insulation, I'm just glad to know that it's not going to pop over the cold winter. I still don't have any power tools to use, so I'm removing the cabin sole by hand. The work is going slow since I onlty really have one day a week that I can work on the boat, and since that's my only day off work, it's the only day that I can do a lot of other things. Hey I'd reather be busy than bored any day.
I do like just sitting on the deck of the boat, or lying out in the cockpit to just relax. I can't wait till I'm actually out there living the dream. I can just imagine myself struggling through the rain and swells in the cold rough times, but also snorkeling in transparent waters, and tanning in the good times. There are just so many possibilities that having this boat opens up for me. Maybe someday I'll get my coast guard captain's license so I can be the skipper on a charter vessel. That would be a fun way to make a buck in the bahamas someday. For right now it's all just a dream, but they're not going to stay that way for long. The dreams that are so forceful that they get into your waking thought can't be left alone until they are realized and turned into memories of things you've actually done.
Still looking for the perfect name. Maybe Aequitas. I like it. Let me know what you think, and feel free to explore around the rest of my blog. I'll try to put more detail in here as I write from time to time.
I do like just sitting on the deck of the boat, or lying out in the cockpit to just relax. I can't wait till I'm actually out there living the dream. I can just imagine myself struggling through the rain and swells in the cold rough times, but also snorkeling in transparent waters, and tanning in the good times. There are just so many possibilities that having this boat opens up for me. Maybe someday I'll get my coast guard captain's license so I can be the skipper on a charter vessel. That would be a fun way to make a buck in the bahamas someday. For right now it's all just a dream, but they're not going to stay that way for long. The dreams that are so forceful that they get into your waking thought can't be left alone until they are realized and turned into memories of things you've actually done.
Still looking for the perfect name. Maybe Aequitas. I like it. Let me know what you think, and feel free to explore around the rest of my blog. I'll try to put more detail in here as I write from time to time.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Well that's not good......
Alright so while I was looking at the boat before I even bought it I noticed that there was standing water in the bilge (the lowest part of the boat....designed for collecting water really) and the engine compartment. I figured it was just excess that has trickled in through the main hatch in the time it had been up on land. The cabin sole (floor) was a bit unsteady, but I had planned on replacing that anyway so it would be solid and level. After I took delivery I bailed out the areas with water and made sure that all of the drain holes were clear. All seemed to be going well, and the engine compartment is drying out nicely. The problem I have run into is that water is collecting in the bilge again. It hasn't rained, and there isn't water stored anywhere else on board that I can see. Great, the boat isn't even in the sea and it's already taking on water! So I bailed it out again, and watched. There is a small, almost imperceptible, trickle of water that issues from the port side of the bilge wall (looks like foam covered in fiberglass). So as far as I can tell, water was sitting down there for so long that it soaked into the fiberglass, or the foam behind it, and is now draining. The scary thing is that it is now a race against time. Temperatures in Wisconsin drop rapidly, and if I can't get the thing bone dry before winter hits then the moisture will freeze, expand, and break something. I've been checking it every day, and it seems to be about a pint of water every 24 hours. I've opened up some vents, and left the bilge hatch open to allow better ventilation. Tonight I'm going to leave some newspaper sticking up out of the bilge to hopefully wick the moisture up and away so there will be no water sitting in there.
Online some say it could be the end of the world, and others say that their bilge is always wet and causes no problems. On the one hand, it's been like this for a while, and any damage should already been done. ON the other hand... I hope it's not bad. Any ideas or suggestions would be great.
Online some say it could be the end of the world, and others say that their bilge is always wet and causes no problems. On the one hand, it's been like this for a while, and any damage should already been done. ON the other hand... I hope it's not bad. Any ideas or suggestions would be great.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Delivery
So this morning I was so worried that I wasn't going to get my boat this month at all since we had intense weather. The whole mouth of the harbor was engulfed in a single wave. One of the two piers here in sheboygan was under water! The weather report said that the wind was gusting up to 50 MPH. I had already prepared myself for the let down when I called Jim to see bout getting my boat delivered. As it turns out he was more than ready to move the boat even in the horrible weather. I'm sure someday I'll be out on the water in bad weather like this, but as long as I'm not near any rocks I'm sure my new boat will be able to take the beating. As I've been reading Blue Water, and Sensible Cruising: A Thoreau Approach I've realized just how well suited the Britol 24 really is to heavy weather sailing.
I wrangled up a couple of my brothers and headed down to the street by the boat yard where it was going to go, and waited. The wind was pretty strong, and many of the boats were swaying back and forth (even the ones on trailers). The drop off went without a hitch. I was so happy to finally see my very own boat here in town where I can work on it at my convenience. I feel like I'm not putting into words all of my emotions, it wasn't quite like christmas, I'm sure I would have been bouncing off the walls if someone had bought the boat for me; but since I've done this on my own I feel some self satisfaction, but I also understand that I have a lot of work ahead of me. My brother, Mitch, helped me carry the diesel engine off of the truck and set it down on a nearby trailer to wait while the rest of the equipment was being offloaded. After the stands were secured in place and I waved goodbye to Jim, I took my brother and his wife up on board to show them around. Maybe I hadn't explained that it was a fixer upper; but I can see the potential she has. After the brief tour they left, and I got down to work. It was a couple minutes after everyone left that I realized that I still had to transfer the diesel into my car. I'm not sure how much it weighed, but it definitely strained my back, and bogged down the rear end of my Honda Civic as I crammed it into the trunk. It seems to be solidly built. If only I knew why it was removed in the first place.
I spent the rest of the daylight hours opening up and examining every single compartment on the vessel. It was modified in all sorts of ways to make it more suited to cruising life. Right now I can't even think of what to type, I smell like 40 year old fiberglass and musty settee cushions, but it's all a labor of love.
I now know a lot more of what my boat has, and what it doesn't have. I'll soon have a list of to-dos that I can post for y'all to see. BUt for right now it's going to be a lot of cosmetic work. Cleaning, scrubbing, bleaching, varnishing, painting. Soon I'll start checking the wiring and ordering equipment that I might need. I'm just glad that I have a project and that I am one step closer to realizing my dreams.
Don't just think about it, go out and do it. No one is stopping you.
Thanks for reading I'd appreciate any comments or questions. Also I'm still in search of the perfect name. One recent suggestion is: Aida Let me know what you think.
I wrangled up a couple of my brothers and headed down to the street by the boat yard where it was going to go, and waited. The wind was pretty strong, and many of the boats were swaying back and forth (even the ones on trailers). The drop off went without a hitch. I was so happy to finally see my very own boat here in town where I can work on it at my convenience. I feel like I'm not putting into words all of my emotions, it wasn't quite like christmas, I'm sure I would have been bouncing off the walls if someone had bought the boat for me; but since I've done this on my own I feel some self satisfaction, but I also understand that I have a lot of work ahead of me. My brother, Mitch, helped me carry the diesel engine off of the truck and set it down on a nearby trailer to wait while the rest of the equipment was being offloaded. After the stands were secured in place and I waved goodbye to Jim, I took my brother and his wife up on board to show them around. Maybe I hadn't explained that it was a fixer upper; but I can see the potential she has. After the brief tour they left, and I got down to work. It was a couple minutes after everyone left that I realized that I still had to transfer the diesel into my car. I'm not sure how much it weighed, but it definitely strained my back, and bogged down the rear end of my Honda Civic as I crammed it into the trunk. It seems to be solidly built. If only I knew why it was removed in the first place.
I spent the rest of the daylight hours opening up and examining every single compartment on the vessel. It was modified in all sorts of ways to make it more suited to cruising life. Right now I can't even think of what to type, I smell like 40 year old fiberglass and musty settee cushions, but it's all a labor of love.
I now know a lot more of what my boat has, and what it doesn't have. I'll soon have a list of to-dos that I can post for y'all to see. BUt for right now it's going to be a lot of cosmetic work. Cleaning, scrubbing, bleaching, varnishing, painting. Soon I'll start checking the wiring and ordering equipment that I might need. I'm just glad that I have a project and that I am one step closer to realizing my dreams.
Don't just think about it, go out and do it. No one is stopping you.
Thanks for reading I'd appreciate any comments or questions. Also I'm still in search of the perfect name. One recent suggestion is: Aida Let me know what you think.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Change of Plans
So, I called Jim to see about getting my boat shipped. Originally I was hoping to be done with it all by the 19th, but because he had to be in Florida, Chicago, and New York it wasn't really a possibility. We rearranged to have it delivered on Tuesday (my day off) at 1:00PM. I am so excited to actually have this all coming together. The problem was when he said that there was no way he was going to get his semi-truck and hydraulic trailer (65' total length) down the small alley behind my mom's house and into her back yard. I told him I'd get it sorted and then began brainstorming other options.
There is a storage facility 10 minutes north of my house where we stored our furniture and stuff till we found a house when we moved back to Sheboygan. The problem was that they charge $30/mo. That's no problem, but free is always better to me. And since they needed a security deposit I knew that was out of the question. (I am now down to $1 in my checking account).
There is another boat storage facility 5 minutes away that we keep our sea scout boat at during the winter; it even has a heavy duty davit for putting boats in the water. We had a Catalina 22 stored outside the fence till it sold. This area is just an abandoned public road that no one uses except for parking boats that are being bought or sold. I called up our Sea Scout Skipper, Tom, to ask about this area. He said it was fair game, but that I need to understand the risk of vandalism. He said we haven't had any problems yet, but that I should definitely lock up at night.
So tomorrow afternoon I'll have the boat dropped off there. How I'll get it the 75' to the water will be an entirely different ordeal. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
For now a big decision is in the naming of my vessel. I have all sorts of nice names in mind, but I fear that it may end up just being called Duck, or Potato. We'll see.
Please leave comments, and any ideas for names... thanks!
There is a storage facility 10 minutes north of my house where we stored our furniture and stuff till we found a house when we moved back to Sheboygan. The problem was that they charge $30/mo. That's no problem, but free is always better to me. And since they needed a security deposit I knew that was out of the question. (I am now down to $1 in my checking account).
There is another boat storage facility 5 minutes away that we keep our sea scout boat at during the winter; it even has a heavy duty davit for putting boats in the water. We had a Catalina 22 stored outside the fence till it sold. This area is just an abandoned public road that no one uses except for parking boats that are being bought or sold. I called up our Sea Scout Skipper, Tom, to ask about this area. He said it was fair game, but that I need to understand the risk of vandalism. He said we haven't had any problems yet, but that I should definitely lock up at night.
So tomorrow afternoon I'll have the boat dropped off there. How I'll get it the 75' to the water will be an entirely different ordeal. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
For now a big decision is in the naming of my vessel. I have all sorts of nice names in mind, but I fear that it may end up just being called Duck, or Potato. We'll see.
Please leave comments, and any ideas for names... thanks!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Getting closer to delivery
Well it's official, I have paid off the rest of my boat. I went down to the yard the other day and paid the nice woman behind the desk the last bit and tried to set up for when it can be delivered. I told her it would be sitting in my mom's back yard while i work on the boat over the winter. She said that I should check with the city alderman to make sure that the neighbors can't complain about it being an eyesore. We'll see how that goes. I'm not moving her twice. I have some friends and family who seem enthusiastic and supportive of my trip. Others seem to think that I won;t be ready in time for next season. We'll see on that one too.
While I was out at the boat yard I got to clamber all over this completely derelict Chris Craft motor yacht and scavenge what I could. I ripped off the stainless steel bow rail. I had toyed with taking some of the cowls since I need new dorade vents, but the heavy metal ones wouldn't fit. I hope the soft ones don't get too expensive.
I love being flat broke. I went from the boat yard to my girlfriend, Jenna's house, but had to turn around and head home after only 15 minutes there to be at a meeting that I thought was going on. I got a speeding ticket on the way home, (No fun) but the police officer was nice about not ticketing me for having no insurance, or for going 72 in a 55 zone. He wrote it up like I was only going 70... so thanks for that. Anyway, now I have emptied the piggy bank...(well actually it's one of a classic mini that a friend from England gave me) and my checking account has a grand total of $4.78 in it, but hey that's what adventure is all about. Sacrifice, and not knowing what's over the horizon. I checked out a couple nice books from the library. I'm sure I'll reference them later on. Well, it's closing time, so I get to go home. I just hope that everything comes together soon.
While I was out at the boat yard I got to clamber all over this completely derelict Chris Craft motor yacht and scavenge what I could. I ripped off the stainless steel bow rail. I had toyed with taking some of the cowls since I need new dorade vents, but the heavy metal ones wouldn't fit. I hope the soft ones don't get too expensive.
I love being flat broke. I went from the boat yard to my girlfriend, Jenna's house, but had to turn around and head home after only 15 minutes there to be at a meeting that I thought was going on. I got a speeding ticket on the way home, (No fun) but the police officer was nice about not ticketing me for having no insurance, or for going 72 in a 55 zone. He wrote it up like I was only going 70... so thanks for that. Anyway, now I have emptied the piggy bank...(well actually it's one of a classic mini that a friend from England gave me) and my checking account has a grand total of $4.78 in it, but hey that's what adventure is all about. Sacrifice, and not knowing what's over the horizon. I checked out a couple nice books from the library. I'm sure I'll reference them later on. Well, it's closing time, so I get to go home. I just hope that everything comes together soon.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
My First Post
Alright, so this is my first post of my new blog. I'll try to keep it current and be accurate with everything. This is going to be one way that I keep track of where I travel to, how I get there, and what happens along the way. I have big plans for the future, and like many people I'm starting off small and cheap. I've always loved boats, and after reading a few National Geographic magazines when I was younger I decided that I wanted to travel to the Galapagos Archipelago. This must have been when I was 12. I later became interested in Sailboats. In the town of Sheboygan, WI there is a pretty good maritime community. I used to spend hours sitting on the pier watching the boats go by. I wished that I could be out there. I was under the impression that I needed to get a 40 foot boat at the bare minimum or I'd be going nowhere. I had no money, and no clue how I was going to get into sailing. But I read all that I could on the subject.
In my junior year of High School I was introduced to Sea Scouts. This is a great organization and an amazing way to use other peoples boats to gain experience. I was hooked for life. I spent as much time as I could spare sailing and working on the boats. Anyway, to cut to the chase... I moved around a lot. I've always had a love of travel. Growing up I rarely stayed in the same house (or city for that matter) longer than 3 years. And after moving back to Sheboygan I decided to take my desires for adventure and travel up a notch and actually buy a boat. After lots of research I determined what type of boat would suit my needs for blue water cruising best, and then examined my budget and found something that fit both criteria.
I inspected a couple of boats and decided on a 1970 Bristol 24 that I found on Craigslist.com and Boats.com I'll explain more of the pros and cons of her in a later entry.
My plan is to fix her up over the winter, and be ready for a trip next summer. I'd like to be in the water by May 24th. (My 23rd Birthday). And then I plan to sail out the Great Lakes Chain, across to Ireland (the land of my heritage), then over to Wales and England (where I served as an LDS missionary for 2 years), then over to France and Spain. I intend to hit the Azores on the way home, and then work on completing bigger trips. Anyone that wants to sponsor my endeavors, or would like to know more, feel free.
Thanks!
In my junior year of High School I was introduced to Sea Scouts. This is a great organization and an amazing way to use other peoples boats to gain experience. I was hooked for life. I spent as much time as I could spare sailing and working on the boats. Anyway, to cut to the chase... I moved around a lot. I've always had a love of travel. Growing up I rarely stayed in the same house (or city for that matter) longer than 3 years. And after moving back to Sheboygan I decided to take my desires for adventure and travel up a notch and actually buy a boat. After lots of research I determined what type of boat would suit my needs for blue water cruising best, and then examined my budget and found something that fit both criteria.
I inspected a couple of boats and decided on a 1970 Bristol 24 that I found on Craigslist.com and Boats.com I'll explain more of the pros and cons of her in a later entry.
My plan is to fix her up over the winter, and be ready for a trip next summer. I'd like to be in the water by May 24th. (My 23rd Birthday). And then I plan to sail out the Great Lakes Chain, across to Ireland (the land of my heritage), then over to Wales and England (where I served as an LDS missionary for 2 years), then over to France and Spain. I intend to hit the Azores on the way home, and then work on completing bigger trips. Anyone that wants to sponsor my endeavors, or would like to know more, feel free.
Thanks!
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