it's not like we didn't know it would be a lot of work, but turns out: it's a lot of work! and only six weeks (now: three!) in which to do the majority of it - eek!
Aaron has been working away on technical tasks: oil changes, replacing filters, swapping out lightbulbs for LEDs and other electrical stuff. he's been removing superfluous hardware, scraping the old paint off to minimize flakeage (no time to repaint!), and working away on the motor (and our ever-troublesome alternator). our trusty skipper is also installing a compass with a custom-made grab bar, all mounted on the centre console in the cockpit.
scraping the bottom was high on the list, for to make us as slippery as possible! once we're all loaded up and towing our tender, Rafiki won't be the fastest boat on the coast, that's for sure. Aaron took Rafiki out to Read Island to scrape the bottom and replace the zincs, with the generous assistance of Uncle Steve - thanks Steve!
scraping scum, replacing zincs - all in all looking pretty good!
speaking of tenders, we just purchased a new eight-foot inflatable zodiac-style tender, and it is fantastic! our old tender was a six-foot rowboat that came dangerously close to the waterline with the four of us in it. since two of us are still growing, we figured our dinghy should definitely grow to accommodate. we also collected a 3HP two-stroke motor for said dinghy - it's a bit loud and smelly, but it fit the budget and does the trick! the four of us fit comfortably with room to spare, which will be great for shoreline exploration and shuttling to and fro.
taking the tender for a test ride
beyond technical matters, we have been working on ramping up safety on board as well. my most major project has been attaching lifeline guard netting, which is just as it sounds: netting strung along the lifeline to add an extra barrier for gear, equipment, and, of course, kids! it makes the edge seem like less of an edge, which gives me a fraction of a piece of peace of mind.
weaving, tying, hitching, melting - and trying not to drop anything!
other domestic tasks have included: sewing custom sheets for the v-berth, customising cushions for the settee to fit around the recently-added wood heater, piecing together water-friendly wardrobes for the kids, and provisioning. what with being unemployed and sky-rocketing food prices, the latter has been slightly stressful! so long as i keep reminding myself that i'm shopping for the whole summer, it feels a smidge less painful....
$300 worth of food (largely baking supplies) - can't decide if this is exciting or depressing!
still much to do, but we are having fun doing it!
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