HELLO?!?

SHIP'S LOG:

I spent the afternoon installing the Satellite Phone docking system. This is a dock into which you place the SAT phone which charges the battery and allows the use of external antenna. Without it, I would have to be outside so that the antenna on the SAT Phone can "see" a satellite so I can make a phone call. This also allows me to hook up my computer when I am out of sight of a WIFI not spot. So it is an important piece of equipment.

To install it, I had to set the antenna on the aft rail so that the antenna has a clear and unobstructed view of the sky. Once located, I had to run the antenna cables (yes two 2 cables) from the antenna to the dock's location at the navigation station in the center of the boat. It sounds simple, and in truth it was, but while the process was simple, the execution was not. It required drilling a hole into the deck and feed the cables through it , between the bottom of the deck and the ceiling and through two bulkheads. The pain-in-the-ass part was feeding the cable through the hole in the deck and then going into the aft cabin, taking down the ceiling tiles and stringing the cable to the first bulk head. Then drill a hole through the bulkhead into the cockpit locker, first crawling into the locker to make sure that I wouldn't drill into any of the electrical equipment attached to that bulkhead in the locker. Then out of the locker, down into the boat and back to the aft cabin. Feed the wire through the new hole and tie up the cables. Then reinstalling the ceiling tiles. Then it is back outside and down into the locker and running the cables across the ceiling of the cockpit locker, attaching them to other cables in the locker. Then it is up out of the locker and down into the boat and to the Nav station to position the SAT Phone dock on the bulkhead above the Nav desk. with measuring over the Nav station, it was back into the locker to apply the measurements to the opposite of the bulkhead. This was done twice(It is a boating thing) and then the pilot hole was drilled. Then I enlarged it to allow the cable to pass through. Of course, antenna cables, like all wires, come in two sizes only, too short or way too long. You always take the "way-too-long" size as you can always make it shorter . . . if necessary. The cables had to be coiled up and fixed in place with wire ties. That being done, the cables were connected to the dock and the dock screwed to the bulkhead. And it was done!!!! Well, 99% done as there is still the need to run power to the dock for it to work. Another 99% done project.

I am sure that it doesn't sound like it should have taken the entire afternoon and it probably would not have done so had there been more room in the cockpit locker. Trying to position myself in the locker; to drill the holes; to string the cable (which was stiff and inflexible, with a mind and will of its own); tie the cables off to others in the locker by imagination (having to tie them off without being able to see them while doing it); getting poked all over by various items in the locker (like the handles to the thru-hulls). It was not a great deal of fun and the contorted positions I was in did a real job on my bad hip..... and there was no rum on the boat! But, it all got done, well 99% of it anyway.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

I really felt great today after the day was done. Another major project done. A great sense of satisfaction and the feeling that the seasons is getting closer and closer. Two 43 foot sailboats that had been stored in the yard for the winter, got splashed and headed off to their summer homes, one to Guilford and one to Stonington. I wanted to do the same and will soon, but not right now. It is cold out there as indicated by the fact that the crews on the two boats we dressed like they were planning an assault on Mount Everest! Still . . . . . . . . O well, it will happen.