Projects, projects, projects!!!!

March 9, 2011

Definitely in project mode.  Still in La Cruz, still at the dock.  Teak is being sanded and hopefully they will be done by friday.  It is looking really good. Knock wood I think we are getting more than our money's worth out of these guys.  Dennis has done engine work and installed storm sail track on the mast.  The rigger's have been by to inspect the rigging - which passed, but we are still waiting on the return of the piece of the boom vang that needed welding.  Don't underestimate that amount of chemistry you learn on a boat.... unlike metals (e.g. aluminum and stainless steel) will corrode if they touch.  Hence the need for a weld on the stainless bracket on the boomvang.  I have been working on the shade for the back of the boat.  I figure I have one more full day left.  I am not entirely sure I will have enough supplies to do the shade for the forward section of the boat - may have to do a redesign... we will see.  In the midst of it all we chose to take on 2 crew members for the crossing.  Mark and Vickie from s/v Southern Cross.  They were planning to cross in their boat this year, but as we all know, sometimes life just happens and so they were looking to crew on a boat.  Since we know them and they seem to think they can tolerate a Morrison adventure......We are now 5.  Will make provisioning and space a little crazy, but on the up side we will have two more brains and sets of hands.  Watches are going to be much easier.
So the list is getting shorter, still have a second bilge pump to install and provisions to buy and stow.  We have all been to the dentist this week, and all have return appointments for one thing or another.  Josh gets the prize for no cavities though!!!!  We will have the boat hull and bottom cleaned before we leave, Josh is going to clean the stainless and paint the inside of the hard dinghy....I can't wait to leave the dock and all these projects behind.  We are the poster children for "Boat maintenance in Paradise".
Josh is crewing on a boat for the Banderas Bay Regatta this week.  We all did it last year, but no time for Dennis and I this year.  We heard a call on the net for teenage kids to crew on a boat, went and met the guy and his wife and the rest is history.  There are three cruising kids, and then four or so from the American school in Puerto Vallarta.  So, he will be out the next 3 days on SplishSplash.
Josh even got a birthday party this year.  The kids on Scout made him a cake, Dennis and I went in to PV and got three buckets of the Colonel's best chicken and all the kids and parents sat around the hot tub at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta and had cake and beverages.  Paradise Village is two bus rides from La Cruz, but that is where the kid boats were at that time - so that is where we went.  Not too many big kid boats this year, lots of younger kids here in La Cruz - about a dozen I think.  There are at least four "big kid" boats crossing, so Josh will have something to look forward to when we all catch up in French Polynesia.
Well, not the most creative blog post ever, but the news is here. Maybe next time I will remember to bring up the picture drive and post pictures too!