Lottery results and projects
No, I didn't hit last night's MegaMillions drawing. But we did get a buoy on Lake Calhoun at the Parks Department lottery! Lake Harriet was our first choice, but it filled up before they drew our card. Calhoun's not a bad runner-up, though. Nearly the same size, with plenty of other "big" boats, and it turns out that the Lake Calhoun Yacht Club started a keelboat racing program last year. Prolly goes without saying that Fish and I will be giving them a call to discuss details. I'm sure our friends on Harriet will be disappointed, but they can come visit -- it's right next door.
The buoy man estimates that they should have the mooring fields set by the first of May. Now that we have a place and a date, Fish and I are feeling a new sense of motivation toward getting our list of boat projects done. Top priority is getting the hull in shape. We need to remove and re-lay the amateur patch on the starboard bow. As long as the fiberglass kit is out, we'll take care of the rudder fitting in the cockpit, and a couple of minor repairs in the cabin. Then comes the final fairing and cleaning of the hull. Then we need to seal the hull below the waterline with an epoxy barrier coat, and after that's had time to cure, we can paint the hull with antifouling paint. (As luck would have it, White Bear Boat Works called yesterday to let us know that the paints we ordered are in.) We'll need to do another inspection of the through-hull valves to make sure they function properly (and pick up some soft plugs in case they leak!). And I need to get new tires for the trailer, since one of them is ready to fall apart, and some asshole stuck a knife in the other. Oh, and I should probably start kissing up to Rebecca, so that she'll let us borrow her truck.
If weather, Fish's schedule, and real-life obligations cooperate, I'm hoping to get the patch re-laid this weekend, along with the other fiberglass repairs and the final fairing of the hull. We can install the lock and hardware on the hatch while we're at it. I'd love to tackle more, but Sunday is my wedding anniversary, and I doubt that Lemur wants to celebrate by putting really smelly epoxy on the boat. So, the 24th will be two coats of epoxy, and the 25th will be the last coat of epoxy and then a couple coats of paint. Timing is important on this stuff, because you want to add each layer when the previous layer is tacky, but not yet dry, and you want to avoid rain and wind. With luck, we'll be ready by the end of the month. And even if we get delayed by a week or two, I'll still consider it a victory. This is Minnesota, after all -- any sailing done prior to Memorial Day is a bonus!
We also need to finish fabricating and installing the new wiring cabinet (pictures forthcoming) and fabricate some hand rails for the coach roof. We need to check that the wiring to the lights and instruments works, and maybe install a small solar panel so that the bilge pump doesn't drain the battery. We need to measure and order a new toerail for the starboard side. We should probably clean and refinish the bearing post under the mast, and put some steps under the companionway so that we can get in and out of the cabin without killing ourselves. I want to make new covers for the bilge, the icebox, and the forward locker. Some good cushions for the cockpit and the cabin would be nice, too. Fortunately, all this stuff can be done later in the season, while the boat's on the water.
It's a fairly daunting list, but with Fish and I both working on it, I don't think it'll kill me. Lemur, on the other hand, may kill me if I don't spare some time and energy for the house and the yard, both of which need plenty of attention in their own right. The house paint is shot, the front yard is a disaster, the stump of our former boulevard tree needs to be dealt with, the flower beds need a new layer of mulch, and the garage seems to be listing to starboard. I'm starting to think that I may have to take a couple of days off so as to have some long weekends to work with.
Better yet, maybe I'll win the lottery...
The buoy man estimates that they should have the mooring fields set by the first of May. Now that we have a place and a date, Fish and I are feeling a new sense of motivation toward getting our list of boat projects done. Top priority is getting the hull in shape. We need to remove and re-lay the amateur patch on the starboard bow. As long as the fiberglass kit is out, we'll take care of the rudder fitting in the cockpit, and a couple of minor repairs in the cabin. Then comes the final fairing and cleaning of the hull. Then we need to seal the hull below the waterline with an epoxy barrier coat, and after that's had time to cure, we can paint the hull with antifouling paint. (As luck would have it, White Bear Boat Works called yesterday to let us know that the paints we ordered are in.) We'll need to do another inspection of the through-hull valves to make sure they function properly (and pick up some soft plugs in case they leak!). And I need to get new tires for the trailer, since one of them is ready to fall apart, and some asshole stuck a knife in the other. Oh, and I should probably start kissing up to Rebecca, so that she'll let us borrow her truck.
If weather, Fish's schedule, and real-life obligations cooperate, I'm hoping to get the patch re-laid this weekend, along with the other fiberglass repairs and the final fairing of the hull. We can install the lock and hardware on the hatch while we're at it. I'd love to tackle more, but Sunday is my wedding anniversary, and I doubt that Lemur wants to celebrate by putting really smelly epoxy on the boat. So, the 24th will be two coats of epoxy, and the 25th will be the last coat of epoxy and then a couple coats of paint. Timing is important on this stuff, because you want to add each layer when the previous layer is tacky, but not yet dry, and you want to avoid rain and wind. With luck, we'll be ready by the end of the month. And even if we get delayed by a week or two, I'll still consider it a victory. This is Minnesota, after all -- any sailing done prior to Memorial Day is a bonus!
We also need to finish fabricating and installing the new wiring cabinet (pictures forthcoming) and fabricate some hand rails for the coach roof. We need to check that the wiring to the lights and instruments works, and maybe install a small solar panel so that the bilge pump doesn't drain the battery. We need to measure and order a new toerail for the starboard side. We should probably clean and refinish the bearing post under the mast, and put some steps under the companionway so that we can get in and out of the cabin without killing ourselves. I want to make new covers for the bilge, the icebox, and the forward locker. Some good cushions for the cockpit and the cabin would be nice, too. Fortunately, all this stuff can be done later in the season, while the boat's on the water.
It's a fairly daunting list, but with Fish and I both working on it, I don't think it'll kill me. Lemur, on the other hand, may kill me if I don't spare some time and energy for the house and the yard, both of which need plenty of attention in their own right. The house paint is shot, the front yard is a disaster, the stump of our former boulevard tree needs to be dealt with, the flower beds need a new layer of mulch, and the garage seems to be listing to starboard. I'm starting to think that I may have to take a couple of days off so as to have some long weekends to work with.
Better yet, maybe I'll win the lottery...