Tick tock

[Hilde’s log]

I got a text from a friend the other day saying, “You haven’t posted in awhile. Where are you?”

So...time to fess up. We’re still in Kemah. Still working on the boat. Wondering when we will get away. In equal parts frantic and lethargic in the August heat.

Since my last post, David has 

1.  Made and installed an exhaust vent for the galley, a 3-day project constructed of black Starboard and computer fans that is just awesome!! It pulls the heat and smoke out from the stove – see photo.

2. Installed a solar panel arch for the panels that have just come; he is on the couch reading the installation instructions as I write this.

3. Reinstalled the cockpit table, a two-day project because he had to cut, readjust, and realign things.

4.  Repaired a tear in an awning, which entailed finding the sewing machine in storage, setting it up, doing the work, finding a place for the sewing machine on the boat, and cleaning up – two days.

5. Installed the remaining doors we had taken out to varnish

6. Installed a helm seat and a foot rest to take the place of the small plastic stool we have used all this time. That took about 5 days – see photo.

7. Reinstalled the single side band radio, a three-day effort to pull and reinsert electrics, using KISS (tuned radials - and now you know what I know) for the ground plane instead of the ineffective 2" copper strips that corrode in about 6 months. All you HAMs out there probably appreciate this more than I do.

My favorite upgrade. Sucks the heat and smoke and steam from cooking right out of the cabin.

New helm chair and folding step. Far superior to the plastic stool...

 “All” I’ve done is sand and clean the decks and paint new non-skid on the port and starboard decks. I still have to do the coach roof and the cockpit. Non-skid is paint with sand-like crystals mixed in. It gives a nubby texture to the deck to keep feet from slipping. It’s a blue-gray color that we like very much (see photo). It’s not hard to do, but very time consuming. You have to put it on when the decks are less than 90 degrees, which on the coast in August is between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. I have to tape off the areas not to be painted, and there are lots of those. The taping takes the majority of the time. Then I paint two coats, separated by 24 hours. Not hard, if the weather cooperates, which it does, intermittently. 

The old non-skid was cracked and slick. After 24 years, it just couldn't be put off any longer.

 

Rolling away on the port deck. The non-skid area is taped off to keep the gray from bleeding into the white.

We have managed to go out twice in the bay to test our instruments and confirm that Raven still floats. One day the wind was just honking, 25 knots (about 30 mph), and it was a lot of work for two rusty old sailors. We had to sit around and rest the next day! The second time, the wind was moderate (20 knots) and we had a fine time and remembered this can be fun.

We had a good head of steam up on the refit, and then came the trip to Oregon (see photo) to meet our three-month-old grandson (ridiculously cute, naturally - see photo) and a side trip to Montana to see old friends who have relocated up there. In the middle of that visit, we learned of a death in the immediate family and spent two days traveling in order to get to the funeral. After 10 days, we’re just now back, exhausted from visiting and travel and sorrow. We took the day off yesterday, and today planned to get back in the saddle. So it rained.

Am working to roll with it and to ignore the clock I have ticking in the background.

In Portland with the Most Remarkable Grandson.

Everyone in Portland went to the beach because it was "so hot." Yeah. Not. So beautiful there.