SHIP'S LOG:
And the hits just keep on coming! I got a call from the Yard Boss today with a "good news/bad news" choice. Despite the best of efforts, he has been unable to find a fixed blade prop for ABISHAG. The good news is that there is a company that can make one but (bad news) it will take three (3) weeks to do it. It will cost $1,00 give or take with shipping, The second option is I can get(good news) a replacement Maxie Prop (a new version of what was on the boat) immediately but (bad news) it will cost about $3,000.
I called my Surveyor School instructor, Jerry Schmitt, and got him the specifics and he is going to try to find one through all his contacts. If he doesn't find one, I am going to have to choose between a three week delay and a $1,000 bill or an immediate delivery and a $3,000 bill. Some choice!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought sailing and cruising was supposed to be fun . . . at least some of the time. This journey certainly has been not what I expected. There isn't much I can do about it except to go with the flow. I am sure that God has reasons for all this but what they might be I am still not clear about. I know that it is all about me growing and I can appreciate that, but couldn't I do this say in Key west? I guess not or else I would be there and not here. I hate to say it but I am going to have to start looking around for winter quarters as I just may be wintering up here again this year. The thought of that doesn't make me happy, not at all.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Yes, I Am Still Waiting! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
The leaves are changing and the temperature is getting colder. The seagulls have been taking serious bombing practice on my immobile boat and still I am awaiting the arrival of a new prop. Truth be told, I am waiting to be told that they have, in fact, found one. Once they get it, it will be on in a flash and then we settle the bill - the insurance company less my deductible - and then I am gone. It can't happen too quickly for me . . .then again, God's time line might be completely different.
For those of you who might not yet quite grasp the expense of "yachting," SEA-TOW sent me a copy of the report of the grounding/salvage they are sending to my insurance company. It is five pages long, some nice pictures and demands a salvage award of $9,500! OUCH! ! ! !
I know that I will be underway soon . . . I just wish I hadn't given away all my winter clothing! ! ! !
The leaves are changing and the temperature is getting colder. The seagulls have been taking serious bombing practice on my immobile boat and still I am awaiting the arrival of a new prop. Truth be told, I am waiting to be told that they have, in fact, found one. Once they get it, it will be on in a flash and then we settle the bill - the insurance company less my deductible - and then I am gone. It can't happen too quickly for me . . .then again, God's time line might be completely different.
For those of you who might not yet quite grasp the expense of "yachting," SEA-TOW sent me a copy of the report of the grounding/salvage they are sending to my insurance company. It is five pages long, some nice pictures and demands a salvage award of $9,500! OUCH! ! ! !
I know that I will be underway soon . . . I just wish I hadn't given away all my winter clothing! ! ! !
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Still Waiting! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
I headed on down to Branford today to see ABISHAG and to do a few minor tasks. All the fiberglass work is done and the bottom awaits only painting. I ran into John the Yard Boss. He says that he has been unable to find a fixed two-blade prop that would fit the shaft. He has expanded his search to include three-bladed fix props and has still come up empty. O well, I am sure that something will turn up . . .hopefully soon.
The weather was wonderful down along the coast, warm, almost hot, and humid. It was something like summer and it was a real tease. Working inside the boat was a steamy event and I had to open a couple of ports to get a breeze going. Unfortunately, on the way home I realized that I left the ports open. Hope it don't rain!
One project was to extend the cables for the GPS/Chartplotter so that I can set-up the GPS/Chartplotter to work at the helm. Such units usually come with a large amount of excess cable so that the units can be placed anywhere. I had plenty of cable to work with, except for the power cable. I had to wire an extention into the power cable and the ground wire. Not a daunting task and it was easily done. It was the setting it up and finishing it off that took the time. It got done and now the GPS/CHARTPLOTTER can be used at the helm as well as inside at the Nav station. The GPS/Chartplotter provides an image of a map of the area you are sailing in and indicates where on the map the boat is located. I shan't be "missing New Haven again" anytime soon.
I re-rigged the anchor that failed me in New Haven, replacing the danforth anchor with a plow. So now there are two plow anchors, one with an all chain rode and one with the a rode with 6 feet of chain and 200feet of 5/8" line.
I have also discovered that oranges don't last as long as one might want. The ones hanging in the netting from the overhead in the salon were all moldy and got trashed. the fruit flies that were feasting on them however remain. Hopefully the lack of a food source will cause them to try their luck elsewhere.
I'll be going down again tomorrow and take care of a few more projects. I am sure that the prop will be in soon and I want to be able to "hit the road" as soon as they put on the new "wheel."
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is a drag waiting. There really is nothing I can do to hurry the process along and I just have to go with the flow.
I headed on down to Branford today to see ABISHAG and to do a few minor tasks. All the fiberglass work is done and the bottom awaits only painting. I ran into John the Yard Boss. He says that he has been unable to find a fixed two-blade prop that would fit the shaft. He has expanded his search to include three-bladed fix props and has still come up empty. O well, I am sure that something will turn up . . .hopefully soon.
The weather was wonderful down along the coast, warm, almost hot, and humid. It was something like summer and it was a real tease. Working inside the boat was a steamy event and I had to open a couple of ports to get a breeze going. Unfortunately, on the way home I realized that I left the ports open. Hope it don't rain!
One project was to extend the cables for the GPS/Chartplotter so that I can set-up the GPS/Chartplotter to work at the helm. Such units usually come with a large amount of excess cable so that the units can be placed anywhere. I had plenty of cable to work with, except for the power cable. I had to wire an extention into the power cable and the ground wire. Not a daunting task and it was easily done. It was the setting it up and finishing it off that took the time. It got done and now the GPS/CHARTPLOTTER can be used at the helm as well as inside at the Nav station. The GPS/Chartplotter provides an image of a map of the area you are sailing in and indicates where on the map the boat is located. I shan't be "missing New Haven again" anytime soon.
I re-rigged the anchor that failed me in New Haven, replacing the danforth anchor with a plow. So now there are two plow anchors, one with an all chain rode and one with the a rode with 6 feet of chain and 200feet of 5/8" line.
I have also discovered that oranges don't last as long as one might want. The ones hanging in the netting from the overhead in the salon were all moldy and got trashed. the fruit flies that were feasting on them however remain. Hopefully the lack of a food source will cause them to try their luck elsewhere.
I'll be going down again tomorrow and take care of a few more projects. I am sure that the prop will be in soon and I want to be able to "hit the road" as soon as they put on the new "wheel."
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is a drag waiting. There really is nothing I can do to hurry the process along and I just have to go with the flow.
Monday, October 13, 2008
WAITING!WAITINg!WAITIng!WAITing!WAIting!WAiting!Waiting!waiting . . . . . .
SHIP'S LOG:
As far as I know, everything in the repair department is proceeding as it should. I will check it out for sure today, but I suspect that all of the fiberglass work is done and the Yard is awaiting to new prop. Selecting a new prop is not the same as say buying a new tire for your car. It depends on the horsepower of the engine, the rotation of the shaft, the type of transmission, the degree of pitch on the prop for best and most efficient propulsion, and goodness only knows what else. They will try to get a fix prop that best approaches the criteria of the old feathering prop and it is not exactly an off-the-shelf item. It is now a question of when they get it and put it on and "drop" ABISHAG into the water. Then, it is top off the fuel, straighten out the interior (everything is on the port side of the boat after we hit on the starboard side) and then "ADIOS!"
The waiting on other people who are waiting on other people ( and who knows how many other levels that goes to) is frustrating but there really isn't much that can be done. I have been refining the routes and downloading the routes and alternates into the computer. I am getting to know the routes very well but the waiting is still frustrating. I do get to watch the RED SOX but the waiting is still frustrating. The weather is beautiful but not spending it journeying south is really frustrating. The frost is coming and I really have no desire to be stuck here when it hits full time. So I am hopeful that someday this week will see the the second departure day and that this time it will will take place without any "excitement!" Dull, boring, humdrum, day-after-day hops down the coast is what I am hoping for. Let's hear it for DULL!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am happy that I have handled this setback so well. I have even been able to see the good points of it - like getting a new prop and finding out how strong ABISHAG really is and having a "disaster" and surviving it relatively unscathed. Now that that is over and down with, I don't have to worry when it is going to happen. Anticipating when it would happen was rather burdensome and now that it has come and gone, there is far less anxiety. If something should happen again, hey, I can deal with it.
I am glad to say that any feelings and/or thoughts about bailing out of the journey disappeared rather quickly and I am eager to get started again. Actually the last two weeks (has it been that long already?) has also been an exciting part of the adventure. The growth that has taken place has been easier to see in myself and it is rather exciting to see it taking place right before my eyes. I don't quite understand it all but I know that it is happening and I am looking forward to see where it will take me in becoming me.
As far as I know, everything in the repair department is proceeding as it should. I will check it out for sure today, but I suspect that all of the fiberglass work is done and the Yard is awaiting to new prop. Selecting a new prop is not the same as say buying a new tire for your car. It depends on the horsepower of the engine, the rotation of the shaft, the type of transmission, the degree of pitch on the prop for best and most efficient propulsion, and goodness only knows what else. They will try to get a fix prop that best approaches the criteria of the old feathering prop and it is not exactly an off-the-shelf item. It is now a question of when they get it and put it on and "drop" ABISHAG into the water. Then, it is top off the fuel, straighten out the interior (everything is on the port side of the boat after we hit on the starboard side) and then "ADIOS!"
The waiting on other people who are waiting on other people ( and who knows how many other levels that goes to) is frustrating but there really isn't much that can be done. I have been refining the routes and downloading the routes and alternates into the computer. I am getting to know the routes very well but the waiting is still frustrating. I do get to watch the RED SOX but the waiting is still frustrating. The weather is beautiful but not spending it journeying south is really frustrating. The frost is coming and I really have no desire to be stuck here when it hits full time. So I am hopeful that someday this week will see the the second departure day and that this time it will will take place without any "excitement!" Dull, boring, humdrum, day-after-day hops down the coast is what I am hoping for. Let's hear it for DULL!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am happy that I have handled this setback so well. I have even been able to see the good points of it - like getting a new prop and finding out how strong ABISHAG really is and having a "disaster" and surviving it relatively unscathed. Now that that is over and down with, I don't have to worry when it is going to happen. Anticipating when it would happen was rather burdensome and now that it has come and gone, there is far less anxiety. If something should happen again, hey, I can deal with it.
I am glad to say that any feelings and/or thoughts about bailing out of the journey disappeared rather quickly and I am eager to get started again. Actually the last two weeks (has it been that long already?) has also been an exciting part of the adventure. The growth that has taken place has been easier to see in myself and it is rather exciting to see it taking place right before my eyes. I don't quite understand it all but I know that it is happening and I am looking forward to see where it will take me in becoming me.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
I Hate To Wait ! ! ! ! !!
SHIP'S LOG:
It is a drag waiting for for ABISHAG to be all better. As far as I can tell, not having been down there since Monday, everything is progressing well. there are no problems and everything should be done by next week (early I hope!). The waiting hasn't been helped by the weather this week which for the most part has been wonderful for Fall. I am sure that it will continue for a couple more weeks on into the Chesapeake. I have spent the time laying out the routes and getting very comfortable with the new Navigation Software. I dropped off my absentee ballot and set up a mail forwarding service so that my bills can follow me south. Ho-hum. I want to get going again.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is frustrating waiting for other people to do stuff, in this case the people in the yard. I am sure that they are doing the work with all alacrity but it seems S- l - O - W. Patience is a virtue and acquiring it means when has to go through lots of situations where one has to practice it. I am sure that if this had all happened last year, I would be bouncing off the walls, so it would seems that this past year has been a good learning experience for me. I have developed a lot of patience but obviously I have still more to develop. Since god is in control of it all, I will just have to follow the Divine Time Line.
It is a drag waiting for for ABISHAG to be all better. As far as I can tell, not having been down there since Monday, everything is progressing well. there are no problems and everything should be done by next week (early I hope!). The waiting hasn't been helped by the weather this week which for the most part has been wonderful for Fall. I am sure that it will continue for a couple more weeks on into the Chesapeake. I have spent the time laying out the routes and getting very comfortable with the new Navigation Software. I dropped off my absentee ballot and set up a mail forwarding service so that my bills can follow me south. Ho-hum. I want to get going again.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is frustrating waiting for other people to do stuff, in this case the people in the yard. I am sure that they are doing the work with all alacrity but it seems S- l - O - W. Patience is a virtue and acquiring it means when has to go through lots of situations where one has to practice it. I am sure that if this had all happened last year, I would be bouncing off the walls, so it would seems that this past year has been a good learning experience for me. I have developed a lot of patience but obviously I have still more to develop. Since god is in control of it all, I will just have to follow the Divine Time Line.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Getting Better!
SHIP'S LOG:
I traveled to Branford to see ABISHAG today. The work is progressing rather well. The rudder is off and way for X-raying. From my discussion with one of the yard people, they do not anticipate the need to do anything with it. It could be back and in place by tomorrow. The skeg, onto which the rudder fits, has been ground down and a couple of holes drilled into it to let out any water that may have penetrated. It will be dried-out and then filled and faired, glassed over, barrier coated and painted. The same goes for the keel and the hull. Already, all of the damaged spots have been cleaned out, ground down, filled in and faired, and have had a layer of fiberglass applied. Another layered of glass, another filling and fairing and they will all be ready to have the barrier coat put down and the paint applied. The location and purchase of the appropriately sized prop to replace the old one should done by week's end. It is looking like I could be off again by early next week! Huzzah!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
The simple truth is I am not going to push it. I should have dropped the hook no later than 5pm. I should have planned for that eventuality rather than pushing to a specific goal. The pushing didn't necessarily cause the dragging but it did make me sloppy. With more time, I could have and probably would have, taken more time to check the setting of the anchor. I probably would have noticed that it had started to drag and might have been able to start the engine and move the boat and re-set the anchor. It has become a lesson hard learned - hook down and boat secured by 5pm.
The second good point of this adventure is that I won't have to be concerned about the prop. john the Yard guy said that he doubted it would have survived the trip still attached to the shaft, that it would have come off somewhere leaving me without mechanical power. Considering that there will be considerable motoring in the weeks ahead, it is a worry and a concern I am glad i no longer have.
I traveled to Branford to see ABISHAG today. The work is progressing rather well. The rudder is off and way for X-raying. From my discussion with one of the yard people, they do not anticipate the need to do anything with it. It could be back and in place by tomorrow. The skeg, onto which the rudder fits, has been ground down and a couple of holes drilled into it to let out any water that may have penetrated. It will be dried-out and then filled and faired, glassed over, barrier coated and painted. The same goes for the keel and the hull. Already, all of the damaged spots have been cleaned out, ground down, filled in and faired, and have had a layer of fiberglass applied. Another layered of glass, another filling and fairing and they will all be ready to have the barrier coat put down and the paint applied. The location and purchase of the appropriately sized prop to replace the old one should done by week's end. It is looking like I could be off again by early next week! Huzzah!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
The simple truth is I am not going to push it. I should have dropped the hook no later than 5pm. I should have planned for that eventuality rather than pushing to a specific goal. The pushing didn't necessarily cause the dragging but it did make me sloppy. With more time, I could have and probably would have, taken more time to check the setting of the anchor. I probably would have noticed that it had started to drag and might have been able to start the engine and move the boat and re-set the anchor. It has become a lesson hard learned - hook down and boat secured by 5pm.
The second good point of this adventure is that I won't have to be concerned about the prop. john the Yard guy said that he doubted it would have survived the trip still attached to the shaft, that it would have come off somewhere leaving me without mechanical power. Considering that there will be considerable motoring in the weeks ahead, it is a worry and a concern I am glad i no longer have.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Back On The Hard
SHIP'S LOG:
ABISHAG is on the hard at the Bruce & Johnson Yard in Brandford, CT. Most of the damage was done to the keel and should be rather simple to fix. The prop is going to have to be replaced. The props was the original and because it is a feathering prop, one that adjusts the blades as it spins forward and reverse, it is worn out internally. A standard fixed, two blade prop will be acquired. The rudder will be repaired and, in the end, the insurance company will pay for it all - minus a $1,600 deductible. Once ABISHAG plops back into the water, I am planning to continue on the trip. The boat is sound and the repairs will take care of the problems caused by the dragging and grounding, and there really is no reason not to continue on. Hopefully the repairs won't take too, too long to be completed.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
After sitting on the hard for a few days, the turmoil of Monday night has passed. While I knew there would be setbacks and problems, I hadn't been expecting them to rear their heads so quickly. I have learned not to have any presuppositions and expect the unexpected. After "righting my ship" so to speak, I know that I can make this trip and am wiling to give it at least one more shot. I only have to make the journey one day at a time.
ABISHAG is on the hard at the Bruce & Johnson Yard in Brandford, CT. Most of the damage was done to the keel and should be rather simple to fix. The prop is going to have to be replaced. The props was the original and because it is a feathering prop, one that adjusts the blades as it spins forward and reverse, it is worn out internally. A standard fixed, two blade prop will be acquired. The rudder will be repaired and, in the end, the insurance company will pay for it all - minus a $1,600 deductible. Once ABISHAG plops back into the water, I am planning to continue on the trip. The boat is sound and the repairs will take care of the problems caused by the dragging and grounding, and there really is no reason not to continue on. Hopefully the repairs won't take too, too long to be completed.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
After sitting on the hard for a few days, the turmoil of Monday night has passed. While I knew there would be setbacks and problems, I hadn't been expecting them to rear their heads so quickly. I have learned not to have any presuppositions and expect the unexpected. After "righting my ship" so to speak, I know that I can make this trip and am wiling to give it at least one more shot. I only have to make the journey one day at a time.
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