April 19 ~22 Almost final preparations

We spent the weekend moving and in Ellijay.  I drove down to Savannah Tuesday afternoon after running a few errands.  The drive was uneventful but long and boring.  I arrived in Savannah in time to get a few errands run but little accomplished on the boat other than unloading the car full of stuff Beth sent went me.  Beth stayed in Ellijay to spend the week with her family and get ready for the big party on Saturday ( 4/23 ).

Wednesday was productive getting the new wind generator installed, the dinghy secured, the grill mounted and the customs and border protection paperwork.  The afternoon was spent organizing and little projects.

Thursday I managed to get the forward boards attached ( These are what the spare water and fuel cans attach to ) and organized the remainder of the crap I brought down from Atlanta.  I really don't know how it is all going to fit on the boat and still be able to float or move around in the cabin.  I think when Beth joins me next week, there will be more stuff sent back to Ellijay with Brenda.

Friday was a drive day.  I secured the boat, propane, etc and headed back to Ellijay.  What a long boring drive.

April 16 ~ 17 Initial moving days

Saturday morning bright and almost early we started packing the apartment into the truck to take things to
Ellijay for storage.  Apparently we have not gotten rid of most things because its going to take two trips and two days.  It is just amazing how much clutter can be gathered in a short time.  Beth did really good on limiting her clothes and shoes going to the boat and I am quite sure we can take everything going to the boat in one trip.

I will head to Savannah on Monday whilst Beth spends the week in Ellijay with her parents.  I have a few last minute "must get done before we leave" projects to complete before I will be happy leaving the dock.  Currently, the plan is to head south on April 29th or 30th if the weather cooperates.

Final Arrangements being made - April 13 2011

All the arrangements we were working on have been completed and out last major tie to land has been cut.
Over the next two weeks we will be moving out of the apartment and onto the boat full time with the full intention of starting our trek down the east coast by the end of the month.
Now its just the little details to get completed but Beth has everything scheduled so we should be ready ahead of time.

Finally the dream is actually becoming reality.

Soon the posts will actually get interesting !!

March 31 - April 7 - Preperations

We came down yesterday ( March 31 ) already a day later than planned.  We got aboard about 4:30 but I immediately got the wind generator down and called the repair depot for a RMA.  They (e-marine out of Ft. Lauderdale ) seem great and hope to have it shipping back by the end of next week.  I fixed the diesel fuel issue with the main generator and started working on the head.  I got very close but was missing a 1" hose to finish the job so with that waiting till Morning, We feasted on fantastic Pizza Hut delivery while watching TV.

Friday -  Up early to get things organized to ship the wind generator back and pick up the hose for the head.
Back on the boat by 10 am, time to walk the dogs and start working. The job to fix the head went as expected, PITA.  A few new nicks on the hands but it is working exactly as supposed to.  I got the shelf retainer for the head and deck boards stained.  I got the head shelf retainer installed and it is perfect.  It really opens up some storage room that was previously unusable.

  Whilst in the head, I discovered the shower sump filter was full so took the opportunity to fix that as well.  We did manage to get part of the starboard aft cabin cleaned out. The dinghy is now in the cockpit, not inflated, but at least out of the interior or the boat.  A project for tomorrow maybe.  We also took down the port cockpit glass and will work on cutting a new one tomorrow and get it installed.

All the little jobs on the list have now been prioritized to what need to be done before we leave and what can be done enroute.  I think we will be 99% complete with the major tasks before we leave from this trip.

Daniel called about 4 pm and we gave him a great story about being woken up at 2am with water rushing in the boat and were in danger of sinking.  We must have gone on for over 5 minutes before letting him know it was APRIL FOOLS.  We all had a good laugh and relayed the story to a few more people.

Saturday morning I got the dinghy inflated, floating and powered.  I celebrated by taking it for a spin around the  marina.  Later Beth, I and the dogs repeated the tour.  Everything went perfectly and by lunch time the dinghy was hung on the arch and it fit perfectly.  Considering I designed the arch but had never test fit the dinghy to it, I was very pleased.  It looks like it will hold well.  Later Beth worked on the lifeline netting and helped me install the new cockpit glass.  I think she has finished the starboard side and has plans of tackling the bow tomorrow. I still have to come up with a plan for the stern.   Dinner was perfectly grilled steaks after watching a great sunset.

Monday.  The weather was great but a bit windy to work on the shrouds so I decided to work on the fridge while Beth worked on the bow netting.  Let me say that whoever installed the fridge had tiny arms.  The project was to get the propane side of the fridge working. I called several service companies in the area and no one would come out.  One guy gave me great advice on things to check, how to check them and apologized that they didn't have a mobile service.  Taking his advise, I decided to undertake the job.
The hardest part was getting the thing out of the cabinet.  Once that was done I checked the voltages, cleaned the burner and generally cleaned up around, behind and under.  This worked out really well as now I understand how it works, where all the connections are.  The entire job took about 5 hours but I am VERY happy to say it is re-installed and works on propane, 120V and 12V.  The propane operation is necessary since it draws a lot of power on 12V and when cruising, you don't want to squander power.
Beth made good progress on the bow netting getting all of the top rail done as well as a decent sunburn on her back.

Severe storms are forecast for later tonight and after watching the news while dining on chinese take out, the storms really tore up Gilmer county with several tornadoes touching down.  The forecast for Tuesday is rain and wind so it will be an inside the boat day cleaning up and organizing.

Tuesday was pretty much as forecast.  Bad storm around 5 am, nasty until about 1 pm and then lots of wind.
Usually wind on a sailboat is a good thing but considering we are attempting to get some work done on the deck, it makes it much harder.  We opted for an indoor day.  I worked on straightening things up and finishing a few indoor chores while Beth took care of essentials like washing and cooking.  All in all it was a rather relaxing day.  Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive.

Wednesday.  I picked up all the tools and equipment I had scattered all around the boat and put things in their place as well as removing a few items that hopefully we won't be needing.  Beth continued working on the bow netting but didn't get to finish as the biting gnats swarmed and chased her off.  All the buoyancy tanks have been checked, water filters cleaned or changed and I added reflective tape to the arch and mast.  The list is getting smaller as the date grows nearer.  Dinner was a fantastic roast and the sunset was beautiful.

Planning on heading back to Atlanta tomorrow, Ellijay this weekend.  Maybe before we leave I can get the SSB radio auxiliary antennas hooked up and tested.

Thursday.  Got up early enough before the wind started up and got the shrouds sealed which is an annual chore.  It went well but the gnats were out but not as bad as in the evening.  I double checked all the rings and marked that item off the list.  Beth worked diligently on the bow netting with the help of Catie and Cocoa.
By mid afternoon it was time to head to Atlanta with a few projects to be completed but several major jobs got accomplished and the rest of the list are pretty small items.

J

Another major step accomplished

Beth had to say goodbye to her car today. With about a month before departure, we are in the final stages of what can go with us and what can't. Unfortunately, Beth's modified Suzuki Vitara won't fit on the boat. A guy in Tennessee met us today and gave it a happy home.

Route Planning

I guess it isn't like the old days when you just set sail and hoped you would find land again. With all the technology ( winds, currents, weather and forecasts ) you have to plan everything. Right now, since we are planning a spring departure, we have to decide if we want to head south to the Caribbean or hang out around the east coast until after hurricane season. If we head south we would just make Mexico's Yucatan peninsula before hurricane season officially starts. Most insurance companies will not cover the boat if you are in the "box" between July 1 and November 1. So, if were actually depart on 4/30 that gives us two months to make Mexico. Actually and logistically that is quite doable but may lessen our time to see things on the way down. Still pondering the possibilities and the decision may not get made until we are in South Florida.

J

March 16 - 20 ~ St. Patricks Day

Thursday Savannah has a HUGE Parade for St. Patrick's Day so we had to come see it. Leon, Brenda and Lorette joined us and we got really lucky to get "seats" in such a great area. This is truly a huge parade and lasted about 4 hours. Everyone we met on the street was super friendly with a few of them being pretty drunk. We all went for a walk down River St to take part in all the festivities. With almost 500,000 people being in the area for the parade, it was a sea of green with all the St. Patrick's colors being worn. We headed over to Hillards on Skidaway for dinner to end the night.

Friday We did some early morning shopping for supplies and then took the boat out for some local fishing. Leon picked up some shrimp and Beth took us out. We motored about 1/2 way to the ocean and anchored. I don't believe anyone got a bite but it was a great day just relaxing. Dinner was a generous supply of KFC provided by Leon and turning in for an early night.
There were a few issues that came up such as the head decided it didn't need to flush anymore but I got it working and will change the output design soon. The bad news is that the wind generator is only putting out 10V and that won't charge the batteries. After looking into the issue, its pretty dead as in the internal components need to be replaced. I will be researching that. Also developed a nasty diesel fuel leak on the generator fuel supply. I stopped the leak and doused everything with Dawn. Just another issue that takes time. I can't imagine ever being bored on the boat, there is always something to issue.

Saturday Woke up early feeling absolutely miserable. Pain and what appears to be a cold and a serious sore throat. I chilled in the cabin with the TV and AC while Beth worked on the starboard lifeline net. After having done the port side, it seems like she has the hang of it and only took here 1/2 the time. The most I did was prep the new shelf retainer for the head. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow and can work on some things before we leave.

Sunday Woke up not feeling much better. Beth worked on the lifeline netting while I fiddled with the diesel tank. After further investigation, the "leak" was
where the connector hooked to the tank. It appears to be a bad "O-ring" so at least this will be a quick fix. Since I wasn't feeling much better, we left Savannah shortly after lunch. As the date of departure draws nearer there are numerous things that must be done.

J

Feb 24 ~ 27 - Working on the boat

After our trip to Cancun, MX, we were energized to get things going so we could go back on Second Chance. Beth wanted to get the lifeline netting up and I had a few projects I needed to work on.
We got to Savannah around mid-day and got right into it.
I worked on installing the new pantry shelf which fit perfectly and matched the interior to seem if it had always been there, and belonged there. This takes advantage of previously unused space and gives us room for about 60 cans.

I got the clutches installed on the Genoa halyard and the Mainsheet halyard which frees up the winches for the spinnaker or other halyard. The install went much better that I had imagined and they look great!

The Wind Generator issue turned into a non issue as it was never re-connected after the arch was reinstalled. A simple hook up of two wires to the regulator and that adds 400 watts of power to the battery bank !
Beth got the port lifeline netting up and secured. She took the time to burn the ends so there wouldn't be any unraveling and she intertwined it with the lifelines so it isn't going anywhere.
I installed an additional line between the bottom of the stanchions to attach the bottom of the netting to. It looks very good and is quite solid.
Sunday we both spent cleaning out the various storage areas to remove duplicates, take inventory and get crap off the boat. No sense hauling what isn't needed.
I would guess we removed over 150 lbs of "stuff" and that was just the aft port berth. We will work on the dinghy and aft starboard cabin on our next trip.
We have a few errands to run in Atlanta and Ellijay as well as attend our Spanish Classes.

Getting excited as we are now projecting departure on April 20th, 2011.

John

Cancun Vacation - by air 2/12 ~ 2/19

For Beth's Birthday and Valentines day I decided a trip to Cancun Mexico would be a great thing.  We had not taken a vacation since the honeymoon and a great deal came along.  We stayed at the Royal Islander which was a perfect resort, highly recommended.

Over the week we ate some of the best food Mexico has to offer and did a few tours of the local attractions.  This is NOT a destination for cruisers. Cancun is the most expensive place in all of Mexico.

We did the Chichen Itza tour and learned about the Mayans. Very interesting but alot of it appears to be theory because the records were lost.  It will still be interesting to see what happens on 12/21/12.  The Xplor tour is a nice "waterpark" in caves but I didn't feel it was worth the cost.  We took a 15' Hobie cat out on the lagoon for about 2 hours and Beth really enjoyed sailing as she had control the entire time.  We took a 75' catamaran over to Isla Majures to snorkel and explore the island.  It was a commercial trip but the Captain allowed me to steer while motoring and it was a nice trip.  The reef was kinda disappointing but a great boat trip.  I think this was the first time I was on someone elses boat and didn't find something I needed to put on Second Chance.

The trip did re-emphasize the need to get Second Chance moving.  We are headed to Savannah next week as Beth wants to get the lifeline net up for the dogs and I need to work on the wind generator and mount our new pantry shelf.  If the forecast holds, I am sure we will take a day sail.

J

Sunday - January 30

The boat is back at Sail Harbor and will be staying there.  The new marina was further up river and required the use of a power converter that I didn't have.  They were quite happy to sell me one for $165 which was
a ripoff since I could get one on the internet for $50.  The nicer docks would have been nice but where we are is fine for now.
We spent the day cleaning and organizing. I worked on the antenna connections for the GPS splitter which seems to be working fine.  I have to check on the wind generator connections as when I engaged it on our sail on Saturday, I didn't see the incoming charge.  I am sure it is a loose wire from the re-installation of the arch and generator.  One thing I am sure of is that water and power are precious and the idea of pulling into a marina every night will get really expensive.

The great news is that we put 25 gallons of actual regular gas on the boat, NO ETHANOL !!  It was $4.48 per gallon but I felt the engine running better and producing more power.
We headed back to Atlanta by 5 and its still a long boring ride ( Beth drove ).

J

Saturday - January 29 - OCEAN

The weather forecast has held true and we decided to make our first trek to the ocean.  We departed at 1:15pm motoring the entire way, through the channel, by all the no wake zones, finally into Wassau Sound at 2:45 and entered the ocean at 3:20.  There was a bit of chop where the Wilmington River met the ocean but after that it was quite smooth with a nice easterly 15 knot wind.  We put the genoa up and sailed for an hour while beginning out turn back. While sailing, Beth whipped up a nice hot dog lunch complete with fries. We didn't want to have to dock after dark so we headed back.  The wind was with us and so was the current so the trip back didn't take as long.  All the instruments worked flawlessly and the chart plotter ( Raymarine C70 ) was an invaluable tool to stay in the channel.
We went to Tubby's Tank House to celebrate our first foray into the ocean and then back to the boat for a quiet evening.

J

Friday January 28

The forecast weather for the weekend is for calm seas and highs in the high 60's so we headed for the boat just after noon.  Long boring drive!  Upon arrival, I checked the starboard bilge and it was as dry as a bone, it looks like I have finally solved that issue.  I worked on the bypass propane valve and after a bit of elbow grease, it now works without leaks.  Dinner grilled on the boat and relaxation.



J

Saturday January 14 - Atlanta Boat Show

One of the reasons for coming back was to attend the Atlanta Boat Show.  We already had tickets and headed over there about noon.  Traffic was light but parking was absurd as the Falcons were playing in the dome next door.  We finally managed to park and enjoyed walking around the boat show.  Didn't really see anything that was a need, and only a few wants crossed my mind.  It was an enjoyable afternoon followed by a late lunch at the Varsity.

J

Atlanta Snow January 8 - 14

It was forecast to snow pretty heavy in Atlanta so we decided to head to the boat.  We arrived Saturday afternoon and did the usual grocery shopping and settling in.  The major projects were to replace the "questionable" gas line going to the water heater and install the new valve on the head.  The gas line should have been a really easy job but required a trip to ACE hardware for an additional fitting.  The tools Leon lent me worked like a charm and by Saturday night, the new gas line was in place.

Sunday I installed a new joker valve and an electric valve on the output of the head.  Worked perfectly the first time and no more backflow into the toilet.  Whilst working on the head, I discovered a leak in the output line of the air conditioner water pump.  This is very important as the AC is also a heat pump and it was supposed to be really cold.  I made repairs and it appeared to be working and not leaking.

Monday Morning I checked the fixed leak and there was still water in the bilge so I tightened the fitting more and started working on installing the new toys I got for Christmas.  The LinkLite battery monitor would take some time but I got the face plate installed on the panel and installed the panel backlights while I had everything apart.

After working with that for awhile, I rechecked the "leak" issue and found that it was a lot worse.  The heat was turned off, the thru-hull closed and off we went to find the necessary parts.  Home Depot, Lowes, and West Marine were all necessary, not to mention that this trip took about 3 hours.  Upon returning to the boat, it was quite cool, about 60 degrees inside.  I started working on the new adapter configuration and maybe an hour later, it was back together and running with no visible signs of leaks.  I used the shop vac to get all the excess water out of the bilge and kept checking for leaks.


Tuesday, the bilge was dry, the toilet did not have excess water in it, the battery monitor was working perfectly but needed to be synchronized.  This meant that the 500AH main battery bank had to be fully charged so we left all the 12V stuff off and let it charge.  The battery monitor is a must have and I don't know
how I did without it before.  I finished neating up all the wiring to the batteries and accessories and started
closing up panels.

Wednesday and Thursday were kind of lazy days, a little shopping, cleaning around the boat. 
Returned to Atlanta on Friday and its still a long boring drive although the snow did make it more interesting.
We started seeing snow on the ground before we go to Macon and it got heavier the closer we got to Atlanta.
Traffic was bad so we avoided the bad roads and headed to the apartment.

It was a great week spent on the boat and I am looking forward to heading back soon.

J

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