THREE OUT OF FIVE AIN'T BAD! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

SHIP'S LOG:

Three outa five ain't bad! Leaks that is. All of the hatches that I weather sealed were dry except for the main hatch which, naturally, was the one that leaked the most. The good thing is that it became clear where the leak was. Evidently the gasket sealing the Plexiglas to the hatch frame has, after 30 plus years, has finally given up the ghost. The problems should be simple to fix though I am going to have to remove the previous leak fix attempts before I do the job right. I am going to have to remove all of the caulking and silicon that was used, inside and outside, in previous attempts to stem the leak. Again, not a complex fix but one that should be a bit time consuming as all the old caulk/silicon must be removed first before the new stuff is applied. Any of the old stuff will keep the next stuff from adhering and sealing. Then again, as someone said somewhere, "If it takes an hour to do it, then an hour it deserves."

The second leak actually is from a hatch. It appears in the aft cabin and seems to be coming from the Mizzen chainplate or perhaps that grabrail on the aft cabin top. To find out for sure will require removing the aft cabin ceiling panels and possibly cutting an access port in the cover of the bulkhead to find the actual source of the leak. It is not a particularly difficult thing to do, but taking down the ceiling panel means that I will have to disconnect three(3) lighting fixtures and then, having found the leak(and even if the leak isn't found underneath), it all has to be reinstalled. Cutting an access panel to expose the chainplates( if I do one I might as well do both sides) actually is a good idea. Not being able to check the chainplates out from time to time is to run an unnecessary risk. It will allow me to head off problems before they really get out of hand. The "down-side" is that I am going "to have to" do something similar for the chainplates for the main mast as well. Another project for "the To-Do List."

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

The Mooring Committee at TYC has assigned me a new mooring site. Now all that I need to do is contact the Geer Bros and have them set the mooring, then I will have a place to go when they "throw me out" of the Mystic Shipyard. . . . . which should be soon. I can't wait, though it is still cold down along the coast as the breeze is still off the water.

It looks as though God really does know what he is doing. The weather this winter down south was really crappy and now, as the snow birds and Caribbean Sailors are heading north to beat the hurricane season, the weather along the SE Atlantic Coast is rotten. Even those who are doing the Tortola-to-Bermuda Rally are getting pounded. I guess it was a good thing that I wasn't able to go South this year. God took care of me! and I have no doubt that the season up here in New England will be great this year and I am looking forward to enjoying every minute of it.