Well, That's Done!

SHIP'S LOG:

     I am still amazed about how much gear, alright "crap," I have taken out of ABISHAG during the stripping out process.  I "knew" that I had it all, it is just that I didn't quite remember I had it all. Truth be told, there were few items that were not "necessary."  There was the Domino set -  never got to play anyone; there were the novels - read'em all and even traded most for "new" ones; there were hammocks and netting and redundant items of all sorts. And now they are all gone, well, at least out of the boat. It is so empty inside that you can almost hear your thoughts bouncing around and off the bulkheads. The only items that remain are the boat's electrical cords, the rudder and vane for the wind steering system, lubricants and oils, fenders and lines, the life raft and the PFDs. Sometime in the next week to 10 days, I will get up there to tied some tarps over the hatches and cockpit to keep the snow out and the long winter sleep will begin. well, at least for ABISHAG.

     There wasn't a great deal or attentive organization applied when I was emptying the boat. Basically, aside from a couple of lift out locker linings, everything went into heavy duty plastic trash bags. The days ahead -  post New Years - will be filled with getting everything out and organized. Stuff that is basically used-up, no longer functioning, passed its  expiration date and/or whose identity and purpose is just unknown will need to be tossed out. Redundant tools and spares will need to separated from those going back aboard. I won't toss them out, but merely set them aside and store them in case they should be needed. I have found that most tools don't float and spares are needed for things that wear out, but it is no longer necessary to be always prepared for every possible contingency all the time. Those items going back aboard need to be identified, cleaned and lubed and whatever to maintain them, put in proper containers which identify what they are and set aside. The rest needs only to be identified, maintained and stored.

     What may take a little time will be tool maintenance. Every socket, every pair of pliers, every wrench, every metal tool need to be cleaned and hit with a rust inhibitor. The salt air on a boat does a real nasty job on metal tools, indeed on everything metal. The salt retains moisture and it only goes away when you clean it and inhibit it. And salt air gets in everywhere. All the electronics are affected as well. cleaning and maintaining is rather limited as most are sealed but the connectors for power and antennas do have to be taken care of properly. (That also goes for those affixed to the boat as well.) So it appears that I will wile away the winter days in Russ' basement doing all that needs doing.

     Sometime before the coming of the spring weather, perhaps before I "tarp-up" the boat, I will removed all of the overhead panels. I've taken down those over the aft cabin and the aft head, as well as those in the lockers over the galley and the port settee.That still leaves most in place. I want to be careful with this next step for three reasons: 1.) I need to carefully mark the panels and where they go and how they fit before I take them down. This will set up where the extra stringers go in and how and where they get affixed. No need to make extra work for myself. 2.) I will have to measure and cut the panels while they are in-place. I didn't do that with the panels in the aft cabin and I can see that that was a mistake, but one that is correctable. Doing the cutting "in situ" allows me to be able to work alone which is often the case anyhow.  And 3.) I am pretty well certain that there will be black mold behind some of the panels and that is nasty stuff. When the panels come down, I want to be armed with serious respiratory protection and nuclear black mold killer. Anticipating this "certainty" was another reason to empty the whole boat.  Basically, I want to be able to "sterilize" the inside. It is also a reason for making the ceiling panels easily removable. I will paint the underside of the deck with white marine enamel which will show up the mold should it reoccur.

     So far as gaining access to the fasteners for the deck hardware, as far as I can tell, the only ones that I will have to cut access holes for are main back stays chain-plates and the fasteners for the stern pulpits. It is a lot less cutting than I imagined there would be and for that I am thankful. Speaking of "thankful," I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.