We Have moved aboard

                                                                  Captain Sharon

                                                                   Hang on Rosie

 Sharon having fun with Rosie, or is it the other way around.

 Me taking a boat load of provisions to Morgan.

Well, it's been a busy weekend. We brought "Rosie" our dinghy down to the boat along with clothes, household goods and about two to three weeks of provisions. We took two dingy loads of stuff to Morgan. She is officially down to her boot stripe now. We are officially moved aboard and ready to go. We had some fun today playing with Rosie. First we took her out together, then Sharon went out by herself. She did great. I was very proud of her. Rosie will go about 6 mph with the little 2 hp outboard. Hopefully next year we can afford to get the sail kit for her. so we can sail her as well as motor. We leave on Thursday! I can't wait. It has been two years of planning and working to get to this point. But, it is finally here. We will be posting quit often once we cast off the dock lines, so stay tuned.

The tank is in

     Well we had a good work weekend on Morgan. It took me two days to install the holding tank, Y valve, and all the hoses. The good news (to me anyway) was when we filled it up with water to test it, there were no leaks. I measured the test water I put in, it holds about nine and a half gallons. I also was able to get a few other small jobs done as well. But, I also thought of about five others. I think a boat is like paying taxes, no matter how much you do (pay) you are never done. It's never enough. Oh well, at least I like working on the boat.

     When we got Morgan two years ago we took out the head, and put in a porta-potty. Sharon could not stand the idea of emptying it, so she said if I would empty it every time, when we put a head and holding tank back in the boat that she do all the pump outs. I agreed, so here are some pics of Sharon's first pump out (the test water). I don't think she will be smiling  the next time.
     We got a few small things to do next weekend. Then the following weekend we finish packing the boat. Then we will leave on the fourth of November. We were going to leave on the third, but my sister messed that up. She is running for prosecutor, and the election is on the second. We are going to an election get together at my parents house to watch the results. That well probably go late, so we are going to wait until the fourth to go.

Till nest time,
Mike

Getting Closer

Well, it's just three weeks from tomorrow. Hard to believe. The boat is almost ready. One more weekend and I think Morgan will be officially ready. I saved the best job for last (make and install a holding tank). I saw an article in Good Old Boat magazine where a guy made one out of 6 inch sewer pipe. I thought why not, it works for a house, why not a boat. I bought most of the materials and took them down with me last weekend and got it figured out how to do it. This weekend I am going to install it. Last weekend I changed the anchor light and all the cabin lights to LED, and added a third battery.The third battery was a real blessing from an impatient friend who has a stinkpot (power boat). It is a Interstate brand group 27 deep cycle. It was in his boat, and he thought it was low, so he said let's buy a new one. I tried to get him to take it and get it tested (for free). No no let's just get a new one. I told him if he was going to do that, not to give them the old one cause I wanted it. I brought it home checked it out, it was a little low on water. I filled it up, put it on a trickle charge. It was fine. I put it in the boat and used it all weekend. You got to love impatient power boaters. I also installed the new anchor, chain, and rode. I also installed the chart plotter we bought. It's a Garmin 441. I think I am going to like it. We have paper charts all the way to the gulf, but I still wanted the chart plotter. We are starting to stock up on supplies a little each week, so that on the last week I don't have a heart attack when Sharon brings me the grocery bill. On the next post I will have some pics of the work we have been doing to the boat.

Update

Well, the time is drawing near for departure, and there are so many things to do. It is going to be an uphill battle, but we have firmly decided that nothing is going to stop us. About one month ago I found out that I had bladder cancer. They removed it two weeks ago. The doc thinks he got it all, but said there is a 70 to 80 percent chance it will return. The surgery was $7,000, which was over half of our cruising kitty. That just means I will need to look even harder for work along the way. I would rather be cruising and working than here and working. I had someone ask me if this was going to change my plans of going cruising. My answer was no, it makes me even more determined. Life is way to short. I am reminded of a Jim Croche song where the lyrics say "there's not enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them". How true. Wish I would have discovered cruising twenty years ago. On a lighter note. I got the chart plotter (Garmin 441), the stuff for the holding tank, new anchor, chain, and line. So lots of work going to happen this weekend. I only have four more weekends before we leave. Man time flies! I wonder if it will go this fast once we are out there cruising (I hope not). I met a really nice Canadian couple today at the marina. They are doing the great loop on a 25' Bayfield. Nice couple and a great boat. It doesn't look like I am going to get the deck painted before we leave. Oh well, I 'm sure I will get bored at some time in Florida, and do it there. Well I have a new toy (chart plotter) sitting here next to me begging to be played with.

Till next time.
Mike