Saturday - December 11

Well the NOAA weather forecasters were wrong on Friday.  Again woke up to cold overcast weather but this time it was also raining.  Discovered a loose fitting on the starboard hatch, devised a solution to the head back flow issue.  The NOAA weather site showed the small craft advisory had been extended and with the cold and rain, we decided to pack up and head for Atlanta.  We left about noon and the drive was boring as usual but uneventful.  As the boat is ready to go, the only tasks left are either deck work or little things, we will wait for a better forecast before heading back to Savannah.

J

Friday - December 10

Woke up to a cold overcast morning.  Beth and I spent the day relaxing on the boat getting little done.  The plan was to take it out, get fuel and head up to Hilton Head.  The NOAA had a small craft advisory posted for the area so we decided against it for the better forecast weather on Saturday.  We finished the little details of getting the boat ready to go and relaxed the day away.

J

Thursday - December 9

Finally a productive day.  Things just seemed to fall into place as I finished the AIS antenna's and finally put the covers back on the mast wiring.  It was still quite cold but I managed to get the main starter battery replaced and get the genoa sheets put on.  The battery was 2004 vintage and was showing its age.  I think 6 years out of a marine battery is pretty good.  I also got the new switches for the deck lights installed as well as connecting all of the deck lights, a project left over from moving the boat.  I believe the boat is back to the condition or better than when it left Lake Lanier.  It is again ready to sail.  Beth and the dogs joined me about 8 and we went to Carey Hillards for dinner.  The food was good although the selection was a bit interesting. 
I can't think of any reason not to take her out sailing tomorrow other than the small craft advisory that is forecast.
I guess we wait and see.

J

Wednesday - December 8

A cold day at the dock.  It did warm up later in the day to a whopping 50 but still chilly with the wind.  I felt like I was taking one step forward and two back for everything I tried to get fixed.  The battery monitor did not work correctly so that got sent back to the company for a refund.  Still have to find one that works right.  My attempt at fixing the antennas was a failure.  The connectors seem to be a bad bunch as they don't work quite right so off to West Marine for some new connectors.  Went grocery shopping for necessities and spent a quiet night on the boat.  Will work on the antenna's and other projects tomorrow.  Beth will be joining me and I am looking forward to that .

J

Tuesday - December 7

The drive down to Savannah from Atlanta is a long boring drive.  Got a late start taking care of finances for the upcoming journey and with that done, we are one step closer to departure.  The temperatures in Georgia have been below freezing at night for about a week and that made for a very cold boat when I arrived.  The heat on the boat works but it took it awhile to warm up.  By the time it did, it was time for bed.  The main berth is forward and between the hulls so the bottom of the bed is just  a couple of inches away from the outside air so even with the interior temperature reasonable, the bed was quite cold. 

Tomorrow I hope to get the new battery monitoring system installed as well as replace the baby stay turnbuckle and AIS antennas.

Cheers,

J

Tuesday - November 30

Its so nice waking up on the boat, I do miss the usual company though.  Easy day today, put things away, straighten and clean up.  Then the long boring drive back to Atlanta.  Its raining and am I not looking forward to the drive.  I will be glad to be back with Beth.

Have a small laundry list of things to bring back to get the boat ready to sail which I hope happens on the next trip down.

J

Monday - November 29

Well Hurricane season ends in two days and Second Chance will be sitting at the dock.  She isn't quite ready to tackle the high seas just yet.  Progress was made today toward that goal but still, not quite ready.  The AIS is up and working but I will replace the upper antenna's when i get a chance. I am just not happy with the performance I am seeing.  The SSB installation or re-installation as it were, went very well.  The GEM antenna is up and apparently working well. I have received several weather broadcasts but have not actually talked with anyone.  I managed to get the generator mount fixed without any great drama.  I tested the generator for about 15 minutes today just to check that all was in working condition.  I also ran the main motor for about 15 min to keep it from gumming up and keep everything lubricated.

I have been putting things away, trying to find space for all the crap, and organizing all day.  I will continue "cleaning" this evening and head home in the morning.  The new tempering valve on the shower works great, the temperature stayed constant and I had a good shower this morning.  For the most part, we are about ready to take her out of the slip for a test run, maybe next weekend.

J

Sunday - November 28

A decent nights sleep on the boat and woke up to a beautiful sunrise.  It was quite cold and very windy.  The plan for the day was to get the AIS working which entailed running 2 antenna cables from the mast to the starboard aft berth.  That part went better than expected although I had to take apart 1/3 of the boat to get it done.  Once I made the connections I turned it on and of course, it didn't work.  Tracing it back, there was an issue with one of the connectors on the wire coming down the mast.  Replaced that and 5 boats popped up on the AIS and I even watch one go by.  While very cool, it didn't report to the AIS reporting station that would show our position on the web.  I played with it most of the evening but made no progress.  I looked up the issue and it may be an actual antenna issue so I ordered a tester.  Tomorrow will be further organization and clean up.


Still enjoying life on the boat but I miss Beth, if things go well tomorrow, I might head home.

J

Saturday - November 27

Ah, Life on the boat.  Its a great escape from the real world.  Managed to get the genoa back up and continued to get some things tidied up on the boat.  The baby stay needs a new turnbuckle and a new clutch is needed on the mast. I started on the mast wiring and will finish on Sunday.  Island time makes everything different.  Things that should take an hour takes two or three.  Its easy to get used to.


J

Friday - November 26

Drove down to Savannah today. Its a long drive but even more boring alone.  Beth stayed home because she wasn't feeling well and we both realize I can get more done without her and the dogs aboard.  I closed the storage account and brought everything down so I spent most of the afternoon unloading the car and now the boat is so stuffed, its hard to walk around.  I worked on the fishing gear and will mount it out of the way tomorrow as well as work on the electronics.

It is supposed to get below 40 degrees tonight so I have made sure the heat is working.  A nice dinner, some TV and off to bed.

J

Sunday - Nov 7

Nothing like a good nights sleep on the boat.  Woke up and checked the port hull for signs of the leak and very little water was there, most likely seepage from where we were not able to get it all out.  It looks like the head was the culprit and it needed rebuilding anyway.  I tackled the shower sump pump as the manual overide wasn't working.  Unfortunately its in a very difficult place to get at but the culprit was a splice in the wire that had broken.  I replaced the entire wire with a new one but the problem was getting it back up to where the switch was.  A job that should have taken 1 1/2 hours turned in to a 3 hour job but I tightened all the hose connections, cleaned the pump and all is working well.

By the time that was done it was time to pack up and head back to Atlanta.  A three day trip is right on the edge of not being worth a 9~10 hour drive. 

Upon getting back, we had a light dinner and were cleaning up when I found myself in excruciating pain.  This started about 8 pm, by 1 am we were in the ER waiting to be diagnosed with what I was quite sure was a kidney stone.  The cat scan proved me correct and I have a kidney stone that hasn't passed.  So, many drugs later we returned home.  The pain subsided now its just a matter of time waiting for it to pass.  I didn't realize the amount of pain such a little thing could cause but that was the worst pain I have ever experienced and hope, with the drugs, it passes without another episode like that.

J

Saturday - Nov 6

After a pretty good nights sleep, quite warm and toasty with outside temps in the mid 30's, we started the day with Beth preparing a nice pancake breakfast.  I started on the tool room but only got about 1/2 way done when I found the wrench I needed to fix the head.  Needless to say, refurbishing the head is a pretty shitty job.  I am pretty sure I found the leak and believe it to be fixed.  It will be tomorrow morning to see if there is additional water in the port bilge.  Beth got as much as she could out with the shop vac so we will see in the morning.

I managed to also get the arch GPS unit hooked back up and actually powered on the Raymarine C70 unit.  It took it quite a while to get a fix but once it did, the chart plotter function showed us everything around us and the Radar unit was very cool.  This was the first time it had ever been turned on and worked perfectly.  While we will both have to read the book on the fine art of reading radar, it will be a most useful tool aboard the boat.

It has remained quite chilly all day so most of the work was done inside.  Beth keeps complaining that its too cold and as night falls, it gets chilly quick.  We had a nice hotdog lunch and will have BBQ chicken for dinner then retire to a dvd movie.  The dogs seem to be enjoying the boat fine.  We take them on frequent walks, about as often as we do at the apartment, and they seem to snuggle up in their little doggy beds and not have a care in the world.

It looks like my cold symptoms have abated for the most part. I am a bit achy but enjoying the boat too much to let it get me down.  Only a few new scrapes on my hands from the days labor.

Life is good on the boat !!

J

 

Friday - November 5

Well this is our first trip back to the boat since we splashed it in salt water.  The road trip took about 4 1/2 hours with stops for the dogs, gas, and lunch.  Its also a dreadfully boring ride.


We arrived at Sail Harbor at about 3 pm and the first order of business was getting the boat ready to sleep on. That was my job to put stuff away, organize while Beth went shopping for dinner and essentials that we forgot to pick up before we left Atlanta.  The temps were set to dip into the mid 30's overnight so making sure the heat was working was essential.  No problems there but a leak in the port hull apparently still exists and will be the job on Saturday.  We did get the mast lights hooked up and tested , the radar wiring as well as the anemometer.

It looks like I am coming down with a cold so I don't know how ambitious I will be on Saturday.


J 

Sunday, 10/31/10 - Happy Halloween !!

Not really boat related but a step was taken today that gets us one step closer to our goal. My truck has been sold !!

Friday 10/22

Well the week has been spent moving from the house to the apartment in Midtown Atlanta.
Wow, I really hate moving. All the big furniture went to Brenda, Beth's Mom and the rest to the apartment. Its about a 100 mile round trip from the apartment to the house. Parts were ordered for the boat and should arrive by the middle of next week.
I don't know when the next trip to Savannah will be but I am looking forward to it.

J

Friday 10/15

Up early and working on the boat. I let Beth sleep in a bit while I got things organized. I wanted to leave by noon. I managed to get everything secured and in place when I discovered a leak in the port hull. Apparently sea water was coming back in through the head. I closed all the thru-hulls and cleaned up the water. Beth and the puppies joined me on the boat around 9am. We got things ship shape and organized and enjoyed meeting people on the dock as they came out for the weekend. The dogs loved being on the boat and relaxed on deck as Beth and I worked. We left Savannah about 4 and headed home with a list of parts to order and not looking forward to the drive nor the move that had to happen over the next week.

J

Thursday 10/14

The boat was scheduled to have the mast put back on at 11 am but they were waiting on me to finish mounting the radome and halyards. The crew at Sail Harbor worked with us to make sure everything was right. The mast stepping was no easy task with all the wires and lines but it went pretty smoothly.


Once the mast was secured, it was time to splash the boat.








Second Chance gets in the salt water.



Now it was time for me to attempt to start the motor, move away and dock the boat. Sail Harbor is mostly side ties so it would be interesting. The wind was a good 10 knots and the current was pretty strong too.



We powered off the straps and headed into the river. One of the guys from Sail Harbor was aboard to help me get it off the straps and to the dock.



Second Chance's new home.






More work to be done but Beth, myself and the babies were happy to be in the water.




We again, worked until dark getting things in order then retired to the camper.

J

Wednesday, 10/13

Up early this morning to meet Ken and finish the final leg of this trip, On to Savannah.

The trees are low in Savannah and I was glad I had spent the time to take the arch off, it would never have made it. Beth and I drove behind the trailer to keep other cars from trying to pass.





Once we get through the narrow streets and low trees downtown, we head for the coast.



Our arrival at Sail Harbor Marina was expected and Ken backed the trailer through the obstacle course to get the trailer to the boat lift. He made it look easy.



The the crew at Sail Harbor gently lifted the boat from the trailer and put it on stands, right in the middle of the driveway.



Cocoa and Katie were as excited as we were.



Then it was time to get to work. The Arch had to be reinstalled and all the accessories. Beth and I worked until dark, then ordered Pizza Hut and enjoyed it with the dogs in the camper.

J

Tuesday 10/12

Well today is the day. I met Ken Andrews with First Choice Marine Transport at 8 am sharp. He was already at the boat yard getting the trailer ready for the boat.



Stumpy showed up at 8:30, a bit early for him but I asked him for the favor. The mast and boom were loaded on the trailer, followed by the boat. Ken spent a lot of time making sure it was loaded properly and strapped down for the ride.





Once he was satisfied, it was time to leave.


The permit had not been faxed to Aqualand but Ken was good to go, so we headed toward Savannah. He said we would get the permit at a truck stop, just before the weigh station.




Hitting the interstate !! Now we are on the way !



We went I985 to I85 to I285 to I675 to I75 where we stopped at a truck stop to fuel up, have lunch and await the paperwork from the State. A phone call to the State said the permit was next in line and they would fax it there. This was about 11:30am. After several calls, the permit finally showed up about 4:15. This meant we would not make it to Savannah today and get the boat off the truck. Beth, Catie and Cocoa joined us about 4 and we all headed toward Savannah. It started getting dark and Ken informed us that an oversize load couldn't run after dark so it was time to park it for the night. He settled into another truck stop just before the weigh station near Pembroke, GA and Beth and I took the camper to a nearby campground and spent the night.

Monday 10/11/10 Final Preparations

Today is when everything has to be done, Ken Andrews with First Choice Marine Transport will be here first thing in the morning. Everything is pretty much ready to go, I just wanted to make sure everything was secured and ready.

Short boat day, have to get the camper ready to go also.

Saturday 10/9 More Preparations

Finished washing the boat and touching up the bottom paint. I have decided it is good for at least another year, maybe two. We will see what the salt atmosphere does to it and make that decision. The paint that was put on it for the last bottom job was for salt water in anticipation of moving the boat. The boat didn't get moved but the paint still looked good. All that is left to do is a final cleaning and securing on the interior and its ready for the truck. Ashley is putting a coat of wax on the hull below the rub rail tomorrow so it should look great going down the road.

Tomorrow will be a house moving day with one trip up to Ellijay and a couple to midtown to put stuff in the apartment. Still lots to get done in a short time.

J

Friday - 10/8 More Preparations

Managed to get out to the boatyard early and got the interior cleaned up and almost ready to go when Don showed up to finish the Radardome mount and mast work. We got the new cables in for the 2 new VHF antennas and the dome cable then wrapped the mast up for shipping. That was about 1 pm and I took a much deserved break. Got back to it after a light lunch and started on the cleaning of the hull. Wow, all I can say is that Poliglo really sucks. That stuff is almost impossible to remove and turns yellow/brown and is just awful. I got most of the starboard hull done and will be back on it tomorrow. Sunday is moving day but will make a visit as our good friend Ashley with Onsite Shine is doing us a huge favor and waxing the hull from the rub rail down.

The boat is scheduled to be loaded Tuesday morning and should be in Savannah by Tuesday evening.

More to come.

Thursday - 10/8

Got things tidied up a little and then Don showed up to work on the mast wiring. We got the radar mount mounted and I had to leave for my appointment in Atlanta.
Went by the new apartment and dropped off a few things. It wasn't the most productive day but little things got done.

J

Wednesday 10/7 - Mast Step

Arrived late at the boat yard to take the arch off and prepare for taking the mast down. Phone calls and emails kept me at the computer until about 11 am so I didn't make it out to the boatyard until about noon. I had to go by the office to pay for the mast step and then got started on removing the arch. The plan was simple, undo the 16 bolts that hold the arch on and place it in the cockpit and secure it for transport. I called Emilio to give me a hand as he helped me put it on over a year ago. I remember the installation being difficult but never imagined how difficult taking it off would be. I had 4 of the bolts off when Emilio arrived and he began working on the other side. The mast step was scheduled for 2 but Stumpy worked with us and was at the boat about 4, less than 5 min after Emilio and I finished getting the arch in the cockpit. The mast step went well and Don Taylor, with Somebody Else Marine, showed up as the mast was coming down to assist with running the new radar cable and VHF Antennas. By the time I left, it was after 6pm and I was exhausted.
Emilio was an immense help and I can not thank him enough as there was no way to have gotten it done, and done in time without him.
Today, Thursday will be spent further securing the arch in the cockpit, assisting Don with running the wires and cleaning the interior. It will be a short day as I have to head into Atlanta by 1 for an appointment. In the middle of all of this, We are moving out of the house and into a midtown apartment. Hectic doesn't begin to describe things.

J

Tuesday 10/5 - Preparations

Busy day at the boatyard. I started about 10 am and got all the accessories off the arch, cleaned out the lockers and the starboard side of the boat. Beth joined me around 3 and we got the anchor chain marked in 10ft increments with fluorescent paint, got the main sail and boom off as well as getting the genoa down and stowed. The mast comes down tomorrow and then the cleanup of the boat begins ( again ). If there is time, I want to get the hull really cleaned and polished as well as touching up the bottom paint. The list is almost down to stuff to do in Savannah and it will be by the time it leaves on Tuesday morning.

J

Work Day, Saturday 10/2

An early start made working on the boat nice as the temperatures were in the high 50's and only got up to the mid 70's. I got the oil changed on both the outboard and the generator as well as draining the carbs and greasing the Honda. I noticed the Honda wasn't quite plumb so after loosening everything, I managed to get it within 1/8 inch of plumb. I don't know if this will have any effect on overall performance but it looks better and couldn't hurt. I removed all the external gas tanks and the propane tanks in preparations for trucking the boat. I managed to get several things done on the list and Sunday will be an off day as we travel to Ellijay for Daniel's birthday.
There is still alot to be done but I think it could be ready to truck by next weekend.
Unfortunately a few details have popped up at the house that must be taken care of so hopefully they can be accomplished early on Monday and I can get back to the boat.

J

Boat out of the lake.

Leaving Holiday Marina for the Last Time.


Second Chance is sitting on stands in the Aqualand boatyard. The last trip across the lake was peaceful and a little sad. Second Chance has been on Lanier for over 9 years and I feel like it is ready to play in the blue water. The haul out was uneventful and Stumpy, the Aqualand Yard Master, handled her with kid gloves. The pressure wash almost wasn't needed but was nice to get the lake scum off the bottom. The bottom was in excellent shape and didn't have the array of blisters it did the last time I hauled it out. We just need to touch up a few places and it will be ready for salt water.

I managed to get temporary power on so I could run the fans and the tv ( at least until the arch gets taken down ). I got the batteries rewired and installed a new 12V bus on the starboard side for all the added equipment like the AIS, Radar, and SSB. I also go the new tempering valve installed on the shower. Thanks for the GREAT idea Stu. Finally a shower that you don't have to jump in and out of because of the temperature fluctuations. I hope to get all the little jobs that remain this week and decommission it next week, hopefully on to Savannah by the 15th.

J

Friday - Boat Leaving 6 dock

Well the day has come for Second Chance to leave 6 dock on the first step to our cruising plans. I am a bit excited and apprehensive. I will head out shortly and make the final preparations and head over to Aqualand for my 1pm appointment.
I will post later today with pictures and a report.

J

Wednesday 9/29 - Preperations

Went out to the dock today to meet with Bud of Bud's Canvas who is making my raincatcher for the boat. He needed to fit it to the boat and get a better visual on what my drawing represented. He had made an oversize version of my drawing to allow for errors but it looked really good on a test fit. He will trim it and finish it so it will be ready to travel with the boat. He is the best canvas guy I have ever known.
I took the opportunity to unpack the dock box which won't be making the trip with us. Apparently I had been using it to store a lot of crap most of which wound up in the big dumpster. With the dock box empty, it was quickly taken by one of the dock residents. I still have the battery issue to solve but steps are being made toward the goal.

J

Time to move

Decisions have been made ! Second Chance leaves 6 dock forever on October 1, 2010.
Most of the weekend will be spent removing the arch and preparing for departure.
The mast will be stepped sometime early next week and all hopes are to have it moving by 10/15. This is a huge step toward our goal. Our sail date remains at 12/1 but we still have a few hurdles to cross.

Will keep you posted.

J

Saturday 9/18

A quick trip out to the boat to get a measurement for Bud from Bud's Canvas was all I could manage this week. We have been busy packing, organizing and looking for a new place to live. We will make the final decision next week on when and where we move in the interim before we move on the boat full time in Savannah.

Projects still need to be done before it is pulled out of the lake, several projects to get it ready to be trucked to Savannah and then the reinstallation of everything once in Savannah. At the current rate, we will be lucky to make a 12/1 sail date.

But, we are working toward that.

J

Saturday, 9/11 Friends from Sweden

Another record setting day for heat in Atlanta. The high was 96 degrees but also a great day to be on the lake. My friend from Sweden, Jan Sjosten and his children came to visit this week and we all spent the day on the boat. Beth had volunteered earlier to ride along on a charity poker run so we took the boat out to meet her at the finish line. We left the dock around noon and met up with her at Sunset Cove about 2. Beached the boat and the kids had a great time swimming around. We returned around 6.
As usual, the winds were very light so we motored the entire day.

J

Saturday Sept 4 - PARTY with drag queens

What a great weekend. The weather was so nice this weekend it was amazing. I went out to the boat on Sat afternoon to get the new battery charger installed. My intentions were to get things cleaned up but that didn't happen. The new battery charger is installed and working well, just need to clean up all the wiring and start on the new 12V bus for the starboard side.


Beth was scheduled to be in the Peaches Christ show Saturday night and everyone on the dock was talking about it and excited to be going. Since Beth had to be in the show, she didn't get to ride and party with everyone and met us there. Our friends on 6 dock arranged for a limo to take us to the show and it was the best mobile party I have experienced. We left the marina about 10, with everyone already about 1/2 drunk and continued the party until we got to the theatre in downtown Atlanta. What a show, fantastic drag queens and "movie" stars. Beth was one of the twins and was such a dead ringer for the actual cast member in the movie, a lot of people thought it was actually her. We all got to meet Peaches, Mink Stole, and everyone involved with the event. After the show we piled back into the limo and hit the Waffle House back on Friendship road. We got back to the marina about 5:30 am. Long night but was such a great time with the greatest people. 6 dock rocks !

J

September 1 - House Deal !

Wow, things change quickly. While the house has been for sale for the past couple of months, there had been little activity. Last night we met with a couple that were interested and by the end of the evening, we had a deal. Mutually beneficial to all parties. We will start getting things in order and get all the t's crossed and the i's dotted but it looks like a done deal. The reality of going cruising full time just got a lot more real. Things are going to be busy for the next month as I want to get the boat hauled and moved to Savannah by the middle of Oct.

Lots of things to do, have to get a whole new list !

J

Sunday August 29

Short day on the boat but managed to get the generator pump assembly apart and it was the impeller that was the issue. I found all the pieces and cleaned it out. The replacement wasn't in stock at West Marine ( no real surprise there ) but they ordered it and it will be in on Tuesday. Ordered a spare for the trip. I serviced all the batteries with distilled water and they were thirsty. Over 1/2 gallon for 5 batteries, I guess the overly hot temps this summer took their toll. Hopefully they will charge back up and not be a problem. The battery charger for the mains seems to have just died. It has power going to it but no lights and no output so ordered a new one off of ebay. The next trip will be when all the parts are in.
None of these things were on the "list" but still have to be done.

J

Saturday August 28

Finally a great day for sailing on the lake. Wind was steady for the lake. It was about 4 to 17 knots so I left the dock around 1pm and went for a sail. It was very peaceful and the lake was filled with blow boats. Returned to the dock about 5 and Beth joined me for dinner. Dinner was great as Lucky brought a pork roast that Bill Waller was cooking all day. Beth stopped by the store on the way to the dock and brought cupcakes. After dinner, a game of pong ball got started and Beth played until about 10. It was a very good day on the dock.

A few maintenance items popped up but nothing major. The generator impeller needs servicing and I still have to work on the batteries and wiring which will be the project today.

J

Thursday August 26

Went out to the boat with the intention of setting sail today. Left the dock and everything was working perfectly. Out of the no wake zone and unfurled the genoa but kept motor-sailing as the wind was very light. A little research enlightened me to the issue with the Raymarine DSM and will probably be worked on this weekend. Overall, things went very well and the boat is ready for cruising full time.

J

Saturday - August 21

It continues to be be very hot in Atlanta. The only reprieve is the occasional rain.
Went out to the boat around noon and worked on a fix for the hole in the ceiling from the AIS installation and "gutters" for the windows. Need more material to finish the repair on the hole but got the starboard windows outfitted with my custom gutters.
They don't look bad and seem functional. I will test them for a few weeks before installing them on the port side.

The A1A concert was Saturday night at the Sunset Cove pavilion. Several of us took a car and others went by boat. It was a very good concert and I enjoyed dancing with my wife. The concert started at 8 and lasted till about 10:30 and other that it still being hot, it was a very good concert. Made it back home around midnight.

The decision to delay moving the boat to Savannah is final. I will wait until we have a contract on the house to move the boat. Unfortunately with the housing market the way it is, we could be in Atlanta for awhile.

J

Thursday - August 12 - Perseid Meteor Shower

I went out to the boat in the late afternoon to mount the new bait / fish cleaning table and get things ready to go out. The mounts stated they were the correct size for mounting to the rail but as with everything else, the mount needed to be modified.
Beth joined me about 6 pm with the dogs and subway sandwiches. After dinner we motored out to a nice cove away from the lights of the area in order what was promised to be a great sunset. The clouds rolled in and we were robbed of the sunset so we settled in to watch some TV. We suited up and took the dogs for a swim to shore which they enjoyed. On the way back to the boat, thunder could be heard in the background so we prepared for a shower. The wind picked up and the rains came but Second Chance sat securely on her anchor about 50 ft from shore in 12 ft of water. The rain stopped about 11 and the clouds began to break. By midnight the sky was pretty clear so we sat on deck watching the meteor shower. It wasn't as eventful as either of us had hoped and there was still a lot of light pollution from Gainesville. We headed back about 12:30, navigating in the dark with no problems. Back at home we once again looked skyward from the pool apron only to see a couple meteors before calling it a night.

J

Sunday - August 8 - Savannah

Went to Savannah today with Beth, Leon and Brenda. Very nice flight over but was really getting warm by the time we landed. We went out to Sail Harbor Marina to look things over and it was as it was before, pretty quiet. We went downtown to River Street and walked through the shops and looked at all the sights. It was another day over 90 degrees and by 4 pm it was getting pretty miserable to be outside. We left downtown about 6 and got back home around 9. Even with the heat, it was a very good day spent with the family.

The decision to move the boat to Savannah in mid September is being discussed as it could become quite the burden if the house doesn't sell. - - more to come.

J


Sail Harbor Marina, Savannah GA
Second Chances home in Savannah, eventually.

Saturday - August 7

Finally made it out to the boat, actually went early simply because I woke up early, about 6 am. The dock was quiet and the sky was overcast. I decided that before it got too hot I would fix the leak in the air conditioner filter. After that success, I changed a leaking hose on the starboard water tank and filled the tanks. Again success and no more leaks. I got the AIS connected and tested as well as hooking up the Raymarine C-70 to the autopilot so now everything talks to everything else. Electronically, Everything is connected. I just have to mount the two VHF antennas and the gps antenna for the AIS and it is done. That will not happen until I pull the boat out next month and can work on the arch. I also learned the correct lighting for the mast light and discovered that is was never correct. The next time I am on the boat at night, I will get the lights working correctly.
Off to Savannah tomorrow to visit Sail Harbor and enjoy the day with family as it is Leon's Birthday.

J

Weekend ! July 29~Aug 1

We went to the boat on Friday and spent the weekend on the boat with the dogs. We had a great weekend except it was soooo hot ! Friday evening we relaxed with the gang on the dock, Saturday I worked on the AIS, Saturday evening we had steaks after a leisurely swim then after cocktail hour, spent a little time playing "cornhole" with friends up on the Y. It was a late night but a very good night. Sunday I finally figured out the AIS which apparently is published in tiny print in an unrelated document from the AIS. BUT, the good news it that it has been installed and tested. Just have to run the final install wires and its all done. At least it has been tested and I know it works. We came home on Sunday and hit the pool as it was much more refreshing than the lake. After a visit from Pizza Hut, we relaxed watching a movie. The remaining projects are all little ones and I think that they may wait until its cooler or the boat is out of the water which is only 31 days away.

Each day is a day closer to departure.

j

Thursday - July 29

It is still dreadfully hot and humid in Atlanta. I went out to the boat to fix the chair that Beth broke on Sunday night and figure out the AIS mounting and wiring. I think I can mount it above the starboard aft cabin light with it facing out next to the SSB. I will finish it over the weekend but it looks like a plan. There was still a little water in the port hull but much less than before. I have figured out where it isn't coming from but have not quite nailed down where it is coming from. I have a feeling it is AC related.

Currently the plan is to head out to the dock tomorrow with the intention of spending the weekend on the boat. We will see how that works out.

J

Sunday July 25 - Full Moon

Sunday was another really hot day. Heat index around 104. I cleaned the interior of the boat and put away and organized all the tools. Beth joined me on the boat about 5pm with the fixings for hamburgers. Sunset Cove was having the Full Moon Extravaganza so we headed over there on the boat to cook out and watch the fireworks.
It wasn't too crowded and the fireworks were very good. The boat performed exactly as it was supposed to. I doubt I will make it out to the boat much this week as it is supposed to be another overbearingly hot week so will concentrate on getting the house ready.

J

Saturday July 24

Another hot day in Atlanta with no breeze. This heat makes it very hard to get much accomplished. I started early and managed to get the deck washed so the boat looks good and I worked on the mystery leak that has appeared in the port hull. I checked all the connections and cleaned the AC intake filter as well as put Vaseline on the O-rings. I used the shopvac to get all the water out and when I left, it didn't appear that more was leaking in anywhere but that is 1st on my list of things to check this morning. Beth is starting to feel better and maybe she will join me on the boat today. Its supposed to be another hot day so any work that gets done will be inside.

Saturday 7/17

Beth is still not feeling well. She made the trip to the Chiropractor this morning and will be seeing them again on Monday. Not sure what the issue is but she is in alot of pain.

Spent most of the day at home working on a theater. I went out to the boat about 10pm to work on the mast lights and found a crossed wire. Now the masthead and running lights work but the deck light doesn't. I believe its a burned out bulb. If its calm today, I may climb the mast to check it out. I am really down to the little things on the list now.

J

Friday 7/16

Went out to the boat to just check on things and sat through a bad thunderstorm. I checked for leaks and figured out the mast light issue. Apparently there are 3 hot circuits and 1 ground. I will get all the lights working the next time its dark. I did install a new red led light for the breaker panel so we can see them at night.
The new AIS arrived and I will start installing tomorrow. I know it needs a new antenna which will not be put on until its on the hard. So once Second Chance splashes in Savannah, you can check this website to locate us. http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/
Second Chance's MMSI # is 367440330

J

Thursday - July 15

Not much of a boat day as Beth got sick last night and we visited the Northside Hospital. They suspected a kidney infection but after examination they decided it was a muscular pain. They loaded her up on muscle relaxers and pain killers which did nothing until they topped it off with Dilaudid. That took the edge off and they released her. We got home about 2 am and Beth slept until about 1 pm.

I ran errands and finished the master berth tv installation and then came back to fix dinner for Beth. She is feeling better but not great. I will give her some more drugs shortly and she will be out for the night.

J

June 12 -Monday

Monday was a rainy day and we needed the rain. No boat work today but we rode out after dinner to check the windows to make sure we didn't have any unexpected leaks. The windows showed no leaks which was very good.

Now the major attention will turn to getting the house ready to sell.

J

Weekend - July 10~11

Saturday was forecast to be cooler and overcast so I decided it was the day to get one of the last major jobs done, one I have been dreading and putting off for months. The job, cleaning the main windows and putting in new screws. I started early and it was cooler and overcast. The job was going well and the windows were coming up great. Then the clouds parted, the sun came out and it turned into another hot day. The job had been started and I was determined to finish. I called Beth and asked her to bring lunch after stopping by Ace Hardware to get me some additional screws for the windows. While I was waiting for her, I helped Lyle fix the head on his boat and helped Lucky with his bilge pump. Beth arrived and we finished the window job. After which, we took the boat out for a spin and the day turned out great, especially knowing that the window job was done. The list is getting shorter.

Sunday was a lazier day. I installed the 150' of High Tensile chain for the anchor, followed by 200' of nylon. The windlass worked perfectly and that another item off the list. I also managed to get the new piranha prop installed as well as cleaning up the basement. It was another 90+ degree day so Beth stayed home organizing things to move to Ellijay and declutter the house in case anyone wants to come see it. I took the boat out and the new prop gave me a 4000 top rpm and still 7 knots. Cruising speed of 6 knots at 3200 RPM and considering how dirty the bottom is, that pretty good. I believe that 3000 RPM will give me 6 knots in smooth seas with a clean bottom.


J

July 8, 2010

Today had to be the hottest day so far this year. While the news and weather reports are saying 98, I am pretty sure it passed 100. Its really hard to do anything when its this hot. We have both been avoiding the boat this week with the high temps but today Beth ventured out early to get things cleaned up and hopefully some of her list items taken care of. She has been busy making the boat into a home with nice touches and I like what she has done so far. My only rule is that things are functional. She has also been reading a lot lately about cruising, dogs on a boat, and other helpful topics. She is really starting to get excited about our trip.

While today was really hot, I finished the anti-siphon device for the head. This hasn't been an issue on the lake but in my reading, it was a necessity for being in the ocean. One more thing I got to cross off my list. It was a short work day as I took lunch to Beth on the boat and had other things I had to attend to.

The working definition of an "adventure" is a journey or an undertaking with an uncertain ending.

I came across this today and thought of the past adventures Beth and I have been on. The trip, which will be an adventure, will be our biggest and most exciting.

July 6, 2010

The 5th on the boat was a good day. Got the water system hooked up to the 12v system and it is operating perfectly. Beth straightened up and cleaned so the dogs could start coming out with us.
They need to get acclimated to the boat as much as we do. I got the anti siphon valve installed in the head but didn't put all the panels back yet as I want to give it a few days to make sure there are no leaks but initial tests showed everything working well.

It was kind of a lazy day and the heat is back upon us. The weather forecast calls for the next 5 days to be over 90 degrees. I might not make it out at all today as it is time to cut the grass and get things tidied up around the house so it might sell.

J&B

July 5, 2010

Wow, The 4th on the boat was a great day. I managed to get the new water filter/sterilizer installed but not hooked up to the 12v system. The good thing is the install fit perfectly and no leaks. Managed to get the boat cleaned up and Beth came out and joined me in the afternoon.
We partied with our dock mates and Lucky took us over to Sunset Cove to Party on John & Barb's boat. We left about 6:30 to come back to the dock to share a great feast. About 8 we all piled into Rainey's boat Hellacious which in a floating motor. It is painted with flames and screams across the lake. We went back to John & Barb's boat to watch the fireworks and we had the greatest front row seats. Lake Lanier really put on a great show. I got to drive Hellacious back at about 11 pm and while the lake was dark, it was a great ride at about 40 mph.

Today should be a pretty lazy day with no major projects, just tidying up a few loose ends and putting all the tools back where they go.

Each day we get closer to being ready to go.

J

July 4, 2010

Happy 4th of July !!

Yesterday was a pretty good day. Managed to finish the Radar wiring and the new electrical connections in the mast. Something else crossed off the list. I started on the installation of the water purification but some dock mates needed a sober driver for a boat ride.
We left the dock about 3:30 and went to Sunset Cove on Jerry's houseboat. Great trip and people.
We hit a huge wake and took out a railing on the front of the boat but still a great trip.

Today is going to be a clean up and relax day. Beth has been sick all weekend so I will let her sleep most of the day.

J

July 3, 2010

Worked in the office most of the day today so didn't get much done on the boat.
I made it out about 4 pm and managed to get the older Garmin GPS working again.
the ground on the battery backup was loose so it couldn't retain any data. Fixed the
ground and put a new battery in. That should last a few years.

Finally, the Bimini project is done. The horn has been reinstalled and works.

Today I hope to finalize a few other list items which brings it closer to being ready
to go to Savannah.

J&B

July 1, 2010

Today was forecast to be overcast all day. Sounded like a perfect day to finish the bimini. I got to the boat about 8 am and got all the windows sealed and the hardware reattached. I could finally take off that ugly gray tarp that has been on the boat since I had the bright idea to get the headliner redone and replace the windows about 3 months ago. I still have to reattach the horn but other than that, that project is done.

The new water purifier arrived yesterday. I looked over the installation instructions and decided where it would mount to be most effective plus being out of the way but able to get to so the filter can be changed. This is a great unit with micron filtering and UV sterilization. It was made by the SafH2O company and I got one of the first 12V units. They can be found here. http://www.safh2ouv.com/

I planned on taking pictures of the new bimini and bulkhead reinforcements but the camera battery had different ideas. I have a new battery on my list and will post those pictures soon.



John

June 30, 2010

Yesterday wasn't a work on the boat day. Although a couple of items got ordered for the boat, neither of us went out to the boat. Yesterday was a day to note as the house officially went on the market for sale. Selling the house will be a key step in getting to out goal. The rest of this week will be spent cleaning and prepping the house.

First Entry

Ok, as our departure draws near many people have asked us how they could keep up with our journey so we plan on posting pictures and will do our best to maintain this blog.

Today, June 28th, 2010 is our 1st wedding anniversary and we are spending it away from the boat as soon, we will be on the boat full time. We have numerous issues to address before we move the boat to Savannah in September. Fortunately, we have been working on the boat quite a bit lately and things are shaping up very well. It is almost down to a short list.

Will keep you posted.

J&B