ABISHAG IS READY FOR THE WATER! ! ! ! !

SHIP'S LOG:

     The last of the odious tasks is done (bottom paint) and ABISHAG is ready for the water.  True, there are a whole host of endless little tasks that can be done, will be done (eventually) and are being done, but for all intensive purposes, she is ready to go . . . .  So, why haven't we gone?

      The major hold-up is the fact that the wind generator is not back from its repair trip to Florida.  I can't launch without the wind generator  as it needs to be re-installed and tested before I depart for TYC.

     Another "minor issue" is that the Lyme Railroad Bridge (draw) is broken again. Last fall, for the 10 day period before Columbus Day weekend, when a number of boats form the club trek north for the winter, there were issues with the same bridge. It spans the Connecticut River between Lyme and Old Saybrook and, with only 19 feet clearance in the down position, if it is not functioning, it can raise havoc with travel plans. Evidently last year's repair was a temporary fix. Being a rather old structure one can't by the necessary parts off the shelf to make a more substantial, permanent fix. I would presume that whoever owns the bridge felt that the trains using it had priority over the boats sailing under it. It makes sense, but now that their search for replacement part(s)  has come up empty, new "custom" parts need to be fabricated and that takes time and money. They don't wish to operate the bridge too often less it get stuck in the raised position, shutting down the rail traffic between Boston and New York. I am not completely sure of the times but rather than opening on the half hour, trains permitting, it will open for an hour only two or three times a day. This will make the journey I would not tray to make the river passage at night so that means a daytime run. The bridge will be open from 6-6:30pm but it will me a transit to New London in twilight and eventual darkness. You also have to deal with the tides as you approach the Sound make trip just a little bit more of a challenge.  One of the Club Members is making the trip sometime this weekend and I'll check with him to see how he handled it.

     Until the wind generator gets back and installed, I will have to content myself with whittling away the "projects" list. Yesterday was spend ripping the caulking out of the seam of the hatch in the cockpit floor through which on can remove the engine. With dental pick and utility knife, I removed the caulking and then taped the edges of the seam and then put in new caulking. As always seems the case, no matter how careful I am, a get some caulking somewhere on my hands or arms or feet - somewhere -  and leave little dabs of it everywhere until I see and clean it off. Then I have to go around and remove the trail of spots. Ah, such fun. I also washed the waterline. It had a two year build up of brown scum that resisted every single cleaning preparation. I came up with a new one, sand from the boatyard. I wet the waterline stripe down, picked up some sand, pit it on a sponge, rubbed it a p\bit and washed it off. And it worked. Go figure.

      Fred came by and discussed re-doing the stuffing box pack and dismantling the flange that connects the shaft to the transmission and lubing it. Both have potential to grow into more projects than I would care to handle or would be competent to handle, and I already have a list. Oh, it is never ending. Perhaps we can tackle it before the wind generator gets back. Perhaps I'll win the Lottery. Who knows?