Thursday, September 30, 2010

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:27.46235
Longitude:-82.69196
GPS location Date/Time:09/30/2010 14:13:48 EDT

Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/3aY2z/27.46235/\-82.69196

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.46235,-82.69196&ll=27.46235,-82.69196&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Mike's Spot

You have received this message because Mike's Spot has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:27.73474
Longitude:-82.70267
GPS location Date/Time:09/28/2010 15:45:42 EDT

Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/3Zqzw/27.73474/\-82.70267

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.73474,-82.70267&ll=27.73474,-82.70267&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Mike's Spot

You have received this message because Mike's Spot has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Monday, September 27, 2010

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:28.1771
Longitude:-82.78912
GPS location Date/Time:09/27/2010 13:05:16 EDT

Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/3ZQTM/28.1771/\-82.78912

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.1771,-82.78912&ll=28.1771,-82.78912&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Mike's Spot

You have received this message because Mike's Spot has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Repair progress

Repairs are going well. As of today, we're ready to launch, but the yard won't operate the lift on weekends. This means we will be launching on Monday morning. This give us the weekend to stock up on groceries, etc.
Watch for SPOT updates starting Monday.

Here are a couple of shots of the repairs. These shots show the patches in place, sanded out and primed. Yesterday we put the bottom paint on but didn't take any pictures.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Repairs under way...


Starboard Hole
Walkure is on the hard in Tarpon Springs. We started chopping out parts of the hull looking for the pesky leaks. It's a case of good news, bad news.
First the good news. There was no rot; we caught the problem in time. The plywood of the hull was wet, but not rotted. The frames underneath the skin were sound, again no rot.
The bad news is the wet wood on the starboard side turned out to cover a much larger area than anticipated, requiring a rather large hole to be cut in the side. A bigger hole means a bigger patch. (See pictures.) The hole needed on the starboard side was 14 inches long, top to bottom. Ouch!
Along the canal at NPR
"Love is All" at home.
Port side Hole
The plywood patches are now fitted and the first layer of glass is on. Tomorrow, a little sanding and then the second layer of glass, some more epoxy, some fairing compound, sanding and painting.
If we don't get the painting done by Friday (unlikely) we will have to wait until Monday to launch. At least that give us time to do some grocery shopping, organize the boat, etc.
Watch for SPOT updates starting next Monday.
I've included a picture of "Love is All" taken from the canal side, and a pic of our trip down the canal in New Port Richey, on our way to Tarpon Springs on Monday.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Uh, Oh!

So we're here in New Port Richey getting ready to head south. While I was finishing up with Tim & Julie's boat, Bev has been busy cleaning and painting the interior on Walkure. The interior hasn't been painted since the launching 5 years ago, so it was needed.
In the process we've been moving things, uncovering things that haven't been seen in years. Yesterday as I was helping Bev move things in the bedroom I noticed a tiny spot of water. (Oops!) Upon further investigation I discovered a tiny leak. Yep, a leak. We've never had a leak below the waterline before, so this is troubling. With a "WEST" system boat, the wood is protected by epoxy which keeps the wood dry and prevents rot. A leak means the epoxy has failed and the wood is getting wet and thus can start to rot. So...
Next week, instead of heading south to Marathon, we will be stopping at Tarpon Springs for a haulout. We will have to track down the leak, carve it out, dry the wood, patch the epoxy, glass and paint the whole thing. I am hoping this will be a very localized repair, but I won't know till I get the boat out of the water to do a proper inspection.
The trouble seems to be in one of the seams around the port side bilge-board trunk. I knew these trunks were trouble when I first saw the design, but I thought I had compensated by soaking lots and lots of extra epoxy into these seams. If the problem is isolated to this one seam, we should be able to complete the repair in about 5 days and then be on our way.
Once again, the old adage about a boat being "a hole in the water into which you pour money" is proved true. I've also heard that BOAT is really an acronym for "Break Out Another Thousand." I guess that's true too.
As for "Love is All" we didn't get finished all we set out to do, but the boat is now functional. The sleeping area is done, the head works, the clothing lockers are done, etc, so Tim and Julie can at least take weekend cruises. Here's a picture Tim took last week.

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Getting ready...

Well, Bev is back from MA and is busy cleaning and painting Walkure's interior. I'll be busy for a while longer on "Love is All," Tim and Julie's old Morgan. The liquor locker is almost done and Tim and I are now working on the galley. I'll post some pictures in a day or so.
On September 11, Tim and Julie are leaving vacation and Bev and I will finish getting Walkure ready for the return trip to Marathon. When they get back, we'll check the weather and if there are no hurricanes lurking about, we'll head out for the Keys. Watch for our SPOT updates.
Our trip up here was made in record (for us) time and we're hoping to make similar time going back. Queequeg is waiting for us and we're really getting excited about having so much room and such a fast boat.
On another note (so to speak) Bev is now the proud owner of a new bass guitar and a Mel Bay instruction book. She's started doing the finger exercises to get some strength in her hands for playing. Once she can run a few scales I'll start teaching her some of the songs I do at the "open mike" nights and we'll be able to jam.