Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
Calling it quits.
The two high-pressure heat exchangers for oil and transmission fluid have been replaced.
The old main engine cooler has been removed and is ready to be replaced with the new one.
Also, the essence of the cooling hoses …
Box came from UPS. We have parts.
Time to get to work.
Step 1 was to drain the block as best as possible. This is a tedious exercise because the coolant just trickles out.
We can easily drain about 3 or 4 gallons out of the six gallons that …
Waiting For Parts.
Today we tweaked the bimini cover. CA sewed leather patches on the spots where the bimini would flutter up and touch the corners of the solar panels.
And also play quietly with fabrics and book proposals.
And organize our beer cozie collection. Yes, we have …
Started: Hampton City Marina 37°01.48′N 076°20.44′W
Anchored: Hampton River 37°01.38′N 076°20.45′W
We moved about 150 yards from dock into the river.
Today's agenda:
American Diesel Parts Order.
Bank.
Maybe take a bus ride to West Marine.
I'd like …
Breakfast. Round-Table Conversations. Lunch.
Talked about tools and saw the coolest device for accurately measuring specific gravity optically. But a drop of battery acid onto the glass and look through the eyepiece and get a precise measurement of specific gravity. Very cool.
Talked about electronics and electronic charting. I …
Breakfast. Presentations. Lunch. Presentations. Dinner.
ICW Overview. Budgeting (and prioritizing). Cheap Docks. Free Anchorages. Radio and Communications. Weather.
Plus.
Conversations with other boaters about their ICW experience and their plans. Perhaps more valuable than some of the scheduled speakers.
We ran into Utopia again. We met them in St. Augustine …
Started: Poquoson River 37°09.51′N 076°24.60′W
Docked: Hampton City Marina 37°01.48′N 076°20.44′W
Distance Run: 35.5 nm. Time 6¼ hr. Engine Hours 3.
Great sail down the bay. Until 13:00 when the wind died. We were just 2 …
Guests over the weekend. Took Red Ranger out into the Bay and bashed around a bit to be sure things are working. So far, so good. Rigging all stood up. Sails worked.
Since we're leaving soon, I can't start anything big, which is a good …
Looking almost good. Almost.
✔ We're afloat. ✔ New paint. ✔ New chainplates. ✔ Fixed up woodwork. ✔ New Solar Panels. ✔ New Anchor Snubber. ✔ New bilge pump plumbing. ✔ Restitched Yankee.
And.
About that drip. And the Propane.
At some point last year, CA noticed that our bilge pump had run.
On some boats the bilge …
Monday (Year 2, Week 2: Finishing Up) I was having a sphincter-clenching moment because things were not done and time was running out. Quickly.
Then, yesterday, Wes showed up with the last of the chainplates. I still have to install them, but they're here.
Grayson showed up with the last …
We're ready to paint. That should only take about a day.
We're ready for the last six of our chainplates to be made. The mainmast is complete. All ten of those chainplates rebuilt, the rig tensioned as best I could reset it. The six mizzen chainplates are still pending.
We …
There are two schools of thought on sanding the bottom.
Do.
Don't.
We've read a bunch of material on the "do" approach. The paint itself says this.
"PREVIOUSLY PAINTED SURFACES: In Good Condition: Remove loose paint by sanding with 80 grade (grit) paper, wipe with Special Thinner 216."
We've talked …
I think we've got an acceptable coat of polish on Red Ranger's hull. It's not really great. The boatyard folks can lay on a great finish. But. It's better than the finish has been in a long time.
You might be able to see the line in this picture …
The ICW ‘stash is a common problem.
In this picture, you can see that brown wave-shaped area in the bow.
There are lots of suggested remedies for the ‘stash. Here are a few.
Oxalic Acid, also known as Wood Bleach. For example, this: http://www.acehardware …
Started our second year living about Red Ranger by hauling her out of Jackson Creek.
And washing her for the first time in—at least—two years, maybe closer to 30 months.
Of course, we had barnacles everywhere. And "soft growth" (algae) that was right thick.
So far …
Four big things yesterday.
Another issue to wrestle with: the air conditioner.
We've used the forward A/C twice in the last two years. About a month ago when it was hot. About a week ago to test it after I pulled it out to get at the chainplates.
It's been hot. Really …
The machine shop did an excellent, outstanding, amazing job of cloning the first 8 chainplates.
It took some beating to get the new ones into the boat. Mostly the beating was because the new steel was perfectly straight and the fiberglass knees are slightly irregular.
The trick appears to be …
We spent part of our summer dismantling Red Ranger to get at the chainplates. They seem like massive blocks of steel. Except. While stainless is chemically tough, it's not really all that stiff. I learned this while westling with 12′ pieces of bar stock.
Now is the time to write a pithy, clever retrospective on the first year of living aboard a sailboat and seeing the watery parts of the world.
Instead, I've posted a picture from our first sail on Red Ranger, from June 27, 2010. We hadn't rigged the ratty old dodger …