Therapy By Boat

I won't lie, many people think I'm crazy, or at least foolhardy.  As a 25 (now 27 at posting... yeah wow) year old owning a boat and working to keep ends meeting, there are many challenges to be had and I anticipate there being many more to come. Alas, this is the paradox of boat ownership, you are constantly dogged by projects, upgrades and maintenance, but the reward once you cast off and begin making way, is priceless.

Sharing this with friends is the best reward.

 Sure you could charter a boat for a few weeks, but by the time you pay the fees, it comes close to what you would pay in dockage for a year, if not more.  The argument is that you can charter a boat that is already in the exotic location you want to go and I can't debate that convenience.  My counter point however, is that we are sailors. Christopher Columbus didn't charter the Nina in the new world (much less the Pina and the Santa Maria too). Certainly as boaters we enjoy the destination, but as sailors its about the journey.

My theory is, that to truly experience the essence of a destination, you need to stretch your legs and test your will to get there.  This is what builds experience and authors sea stories. Its hard to relate the feeling one gets when separated from all humanity, save for the crew you may have on board. This detachment from what has become so common offers the most peaceful and tranquil settings for self-reflection.

Getting through the non-skid was the worst... many busted knuckles.

This isn't to mention the great feeling of self satisfaction of relying on a vessel which you know every inch of, every nook & cranny and can recognize the slightest out of place creak. The ability to feel your boat move and breathe with you the only way sailboat owner can.

Prepping for Paint NEWSFLAH:
Will be the same blue and moondust :-)

Its easy to see the romance of slicing through a blue ocean. But that's simply one of the rewards. Some of the greatest rewards come from the busted knuckles, gashed hands, scraped knees and uncountable splinters gained through maintenance and upgrades to a vessel of any kind. Its starting a job and then working through until it is complete. Its remembering that magazine worthy results take time.  To me the stepping stones leading to the final product, and the final product itself are the biggest rewards.

I may be crazy, but I'm happy. When life bogs me down or slows my mind, I retreat to Mischief. Whether it was one of her sails or now one of her many projects, she brings me back, unkinks the noodle and re-centers my spirit and I keep plugging along.

Anchors Away!!! (But Not Really)(Well Soon Though)

     Time certainly flies and and for this young guy spending time away from Mischief is like what i could only imagine sending your first child off to college. The days are ticking down until the law school here will give me the much needed reprieve to return home and plead forgiveness. Fortunately, and thanks to my good friend Neil who is lucky enough to be pointing his bow north, I've been made aware of some very valuable advice. I was advised that a lonely boat can become as vindictive as a scorned lover and the only way to get back into your vessel's good graces is to give her a generous gift. What better gift to give than something that also benefits you? I'm sure this is what my father thought the year he decided it would be a good idea to get my mother a washing machine for Christmas. Guys, don't do this. While we did indeed need a new washing machine, my two sisters and I thought we were going to need a new father for a few hours, but I've digressed.

     Mischief doesn't know it yet, but she's got a brand new shiny anchor windlass coming her way (my back feels better already). I've been keeping my eyes open for a good deal and stumbled upon a fisherman selling a brand new Lewmar V700, still in the box, for a good deal with 100' of anchor rode. Still quite the investment but I suspect it will be well worth the money in the long run. The nice thing about the V700 is its low profile since it is a vertical windlass. What was most surprising was its size. It's a small guy!

I've found that in law school you must read at every chance,
even when daydreaming about your new windlass!

     This now restructures my entire anchor setup. The V700 requires 1/4 inch chain which looks light, but when considering the high test stuff has the same strength as 5/16. So not too worried there (if I should be, please let me know why). The smaller chain also has the added benefit of less weight which means I can accommodate more of it. While I really would like a Rocna or Manson anchor being a student again has severely stumped my budget so I will be cruising Craigslist for a not so new and shiny anchor. From what I'm seeing It'll end up being a CQR or maybe a Bruce of which either have proven their merit over time.

     One week away from spring break and I can't wait! More pictures and updates forthcoming.

2013 and Underway (figuratively speaking)!

While the holiday break for this law student may not have been as restful as he (me) would've hoped, it certainly was rejuvenating! Boat maintenance and upgrades may drive some owners crazy, for me it has provided a much needed environment of tranquility and needed therapy. The process of conceptualizing, planning and carrying out your work in an orchestrated sensible way used to be somewhat challenging for me. Fortunately, one of the side-effects of law school (aside from a heaping dose of stress) is an enhanced critical thinking ability that helps make once complicated tasks more understandable. I don't think my mother was impressed by my comment that law school has so far improved my carpentry skills. Plan B? Hah! This sailor still has a lot to learn! Now on to the boat!

Since a boat is a very limited space and to maintain perspective, it's best for me to approach each project one at a time and try to finish each one as close to paint ready as possible before moving on. Since the Mischief is located at the family boatyard (i.e. our farm) 3 hours from my school in St. Petersburg, projects have subnames that consist of "Christmas Break," "Spring Break," "Summer Break," etc. 

"Christmas Break 2012" consisted started off with building a work platform and stairs from an old set of scaffolding and surplus fencing materials we had on the farm... My "head, shoulders, knees and toes" are very grateful to be rid of lugging tools and equipment up and down the ladder.

Next was lengthening the companionway entry. This was done to remove some wet rot that had developed in the area under the step and to make egress more user friendly for this old bag o'bones.

The wet rot above reared its ugly head during some freezes on the Potomac when it began oozing the dreaded brown water!

Be gone wet rot and hello circa 1960's wiring (not in use no worries!)

 After opening up the companionway (well during since it was the holiday and I had to wait for my epoxy provider to open up) I moved on to shortening the engine box. Since repowering 2 years before, my engine compartment had enough room to to park a scooter (so it seemed anyways). I was able to move the box 8 inches aft which provided a ton of room in the galley and main cabin area... seems like a new boat already.

This made another project which was having to add cabin sole to cover some of the bilge where the engine box used to live and make another access hatch to be able to easily service the bilge pumps. 

The rough fit

Lookin' good!
I could pull in the sides, but that is a lot of re-engineering in the surrounding areas, plus I like the quick accessibility.

Ready for paint!

Much sanding, cutting, fitting, sanding, adjusting, epoxying later, voila! Success! 

And only 1 casualty! The Rotozip rotozapped my thumb!

And to keep her fresh and to keep the deck from weathering any more before I can repaint...

1 40'x15' 18oz vinyl coated polyurethane tarp later and hopefully the elements will be held at bay!

A turkey leg is almost as good a reward as seeing progress made!

A Sailor's Holiday in Dry Dock

In the unlikely chance you haven't been made aware already by the numerous media reports and status updates, the world didn't end! This doomsday prophecy was much less romantic as prophecies of recent years because instead of cruising slowly in the ocean out of lands sight with the comical thought of "at least I'm out here!" I spent doomsday disecting my main companionway hatch bad that had begun showing signs of moisture and a little rot last winter.

After some very scientific exploration with a hammer and chisel which revealed a problem that would only likely grow worse, this doctor employed the assistance of his trusty power tools to remove the affected area.

You'll note the increased depth added to the companionway for ease of access (especially for when the AC unit is in). The first concern I hear is understanding (from the folks, especially of the shorter legged variety like my mother and other regular crew members) and then one of potential vessel vulnerability in the case one is pooped (I'm always pooped but that is due to poor calculations between workload an sleep!). In weighing this issue I considered the cockpit drains (which themselves drain water very rapidly) and the cockpit coamings which allow water to easily flow out after flooding the cockpit to a certain level. The current hatch boards aboard Mischief are very stout (constructed from mahogany plank) and interlock. Under circumstances of heavy weather it is boat policy to keep the hatch boards in. That being the case it seems to be a reasonable calculation to lower the hatch step an additional 6 inches for better access.

During this process I am redesigning the hatch boards rather than having to deal with 4 separate pieces that must slide into place. The idea is to take an approach similar to a closet door that folds in two. Instead of hinges attaching one end to the bulkhead I'll make use of the existing slides for the current sliding hatch boards. The overall idea is to have a hatch board that consists of two vertical pieces that are hinged in the middle and are then essentially "pushed" into the companionway. I'll try to upload some preliminary drawings in a few days. With this removable option I can still utilize the AC unit, build a screen version an only have one thing to deal with at a time rather than 4 boards.

Below are some photos of the hatch project underway! Note: the photos didn't upload in the correct order.

Adrift No More!

No worries!! I am not becalmed, stranded nor lost amongst the many mysteries of the ocean. While the siren call of the sea did tempt me, I was not lured into the abyss. After successfully arriving to Sebastian River Marina & Boatyard, right on schedule, the process to haul and store the boat began. While the earlier draft of this posting detailed the process from unstepping the mast to trailering and blocking up Mischief at home, at this point in time these details don't seem as interesting as I had once thought them to be, which is saying something about a guy who loves logistics.

The Bridge of Lions in St Augustine, a beautiful welcome back!

Four months late (for a blog post) doesn't seem that much longer in the grand scheme of things, but for me it feels like it's been an eternity. It was just five months ago that I found myself working in the big city, making ends meet and being "all grown up" and now I'm in law school preparing for my first semester exams. How quickly things change. I've come to realize that my return aboard Mischief represented more than just a neat opportunity; it ushered in a transformation to the next chapter in my life. I was lucky to be able to share this journey with some of the people who I hold dearest in my life, friends and family members that helped me prepare, crew and conclude this voyage. If not for their help and support, who knows, I may have actually gotten lost (for the record we did nearly get lost as we were diverted up the New River towards Jacksonville, NC...)! To everyone that helped and followed the journey, thank you!

Looking back, I am constantly struck by the shear power of the ocean, and more generally, mother nature. The ocean and weather seemed to challenge us at every turn and at one point offering force strong enough to rank as one of the most fearful points in my life. But, just as the sea can push us to our limits, she offers up some of the most spiritually profound and moving moments. Whether staring into the foaming face of an angry sea or watching the sky change from black to purple, then to pink and orange as the sun rises up leaves a significant impression and makes you realize, while there are things in life you can't control, your life is your own and anything less than living every day to the fullest is a waste.

This semester of school has taken me away from Mischief and taken me off the water however, I am hopeful that during winter break and into the spring we can renew that passion that only a skipper can have with his vessel.

More posts to come on planned work ideas.

Cheers!

Two Many Beauforts

We continue our push south today inquiry a goal of getting past Isle of Hope inside of the Wasaw Sound. The heat has begun to ease slightly with mid-70s forecast for the evenings over the weekend. Our passage through Georgia will likely include a lot of white knuckle sailing as the cruising guide cautioned, "The Savannah USACOE does not have the funding to maintain the depths in the areas of southerly South Carolina and through Georgia, caution should be taken at MLW." it goes on to explain some of the other issues but todays high tide will be reached at about 11:30 with low tide 6 hours later. This means we'll have to continue to be vigilant as we approach our destination today as we'll be on an outgoing, very low, tide. Oh, an if I haven't mentioned it before, the tides run 6-8 ft.

On a sad note, we had a "hat overboard" alarm yesterday and due to the current, muddy waters, and lack of depth, we were unable to maneuver quick enough for recovery.

It's 7:30, and while not humid (yesterday morning was like waking up in a wet blanket) it is starting to warm up a little bit.

Oh, and no update or the 4th of July except that a good time was had by all, services the engine and treated myself to a Dark and Stormy and a celebratory cigar given to me by a friend.

Got Charleston On My Mind

Aside from some ripping currents an resurgence in heat, our arrival into Charleston, SC was uneventful. We are docked at the City Marina, home of the MEGA Dock where we have taken on fuel and new crew. Welcome aboard to Beth and safe travels to mom (who has become quite the able bodied sailor during her time aboard)!

This afternoon has been designated as "sit still" afternoon where aside from getting new crew settled in, no boat work will take place until tomorrow. Things on my todo list:

Service engine
Run new reefing lines
Adjust stuffing box
Calculate new route in ICW

Unless there is a significant shift in the weather in the next few days, it looks like our trek will continue south in the ICW. While this will likely minimize the amount of actual sail time, this is the fact of pushing south when everyone else has already headed north and I'm fine with that. I remember a guy stating once that, "It's not a challenge, but an opportunity for success." For a long time I had only heard horror stories of the ICW. I have come to find that while the intracoastal does have some significant challenges, the communities you find and people you meet along the way make it worth while. While I would like to be underway in the Atlantic healed and surfing the waves, taking it easy down the inside has turned out to be somewhat charming.

Happy Independence Day all and have a great time!