The Lift is Coming. It is very large and can make your own boat look pretty small.
Heading to the Work Yard, Finally! Now the fun begins! This is now Monday morning and our plan is to be in the water by Friday. First thing is to give the well deserved bath.....No Keys has been out in the Florida jungle since March. She is green and black and really needs a good wax job. The other major task is sanding the entire bottom, removing all the screening and tape from all the through halls and getting ready to sand down the bottom to prep for 2 new coats of anti fouling paint.
The days were comfortable to work but the evenings the temps dropped down to the freezing point. We have the option to sleep aboard but as the sun set, time to head to Nettles. We are pretty organized and have a recommission list, so that we do not forget anything in getting our boat ship shape.
After a good scrubbing and a rinse, we actually had ice on deck the next morning.
Chris and I are pretty good about splitting up the chores....mine get her clean and shiny, Chris get the bottom done! It takes a whole day to sand the bottom and to take any other little creatures that have decided to make the bottom their home. Then you tape your water line the entire way around.
We will have 3 coats of Anti Fouling, the base is blue and 2 of black. The reason....as you sail through water, a little wears off at a time. We also put on the snorkel gear and go and check to see how many animals have decided that our bottom is best. You should always remove as barnacles are bad for your gel coat if they are allowed to stay. Mother Nature also helps here, when you are at anchorage somewhere, a sucker sharks may decide to make your bottom a home and clean the bottom for you. Don't worry they don't bite, just look ugly.
After 2 days standing on a scaffold and doing the wipe on, wipe off like the "karate kid" the hull is shiny and clean. No Keys had not had wax for a couple of years but she is now ready for the salt water. With a few more mechanical checks....No Keys is ready for the water! The lift came and took No Keys to the Marina around 1:30 pm Friday .....right on time!!!
Finally in the Water. It was beautiful and calm. We put up the genoa and wrapped it up on the furling (thanks to no wind). Check the motor, works well. We continued to check all the systems. All OK.
We spent the night aboard and enjoyed our surroundings. This is a nice marina ... Indiantown, Florida.
Here it is Saturday January 7, 2012. We are up early and ready to head down the St. Lucie River towards the Atlantic Ocean. Chris, his Uncle and friends of ours are going to make the journey down the river and meet me and his Aunt in Stuart at the Sunset Bay Marina for a late Lunch. This is where Chris and I usually attach to a mooring ball and provision the boat, but this year we are bringing the boat to Nettles Island to finish up the recommissioning, provision and make the improvements we had planned. After lunch, Chris and I took the boat up the North Fork of the St. Lucie River to enjoy our first night out on the water plus to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary. What a wonderful present!
My Music Man
The End of a Wonderful Day...What a Sunset!
January 8, 2012
We were up just before dawn. Freshly perked coffee in hand ready to go! We have one fixed bridge to go through and we want to make the tides. The sunrise was just as beautiful and the sunset and the water conditions, calm and smooth. The fishing boats are also racing to make the inlet and get out into the gulf stream to do some fishing. The ocean has been rough for a couple of weeks and this was the first opportunity for them.
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