19 Dec 2006
STATUS REPORT
1. Hull: We have
chosen the option to sandblast and paint the entire bottom; topsides of the
boat and spot blast the deck. This is the big-ticket project, about $15K
option and a week’s worth of manpower. With labor costs being a fraction of
USA costs, the good reputation of this boatyard and complimentary services, we
decided that s/v Encanto was going to get a long overdue quality maintenance
treatment. She will celebrate her Quincenera or 15th birthday, with a fine,
new white Christmas skirt to showoff around the South
Pacific. 
2. Galley Sump Tank: Installed, connected and working beautifully. The sure test will come after we are out at sea. Scratch this off the list.
3. Hull holes: Welded up several through-holes that were once kept plugged for the future Forward Head (toilet room), but with our decision to turn this space into a storage room, we have closed up these plumbing through-holes. Anyone need a spare toilet?
4. Hull holes: Welded up the hole (12” by 3”) beneath the sump bilge. We had a cover plate welded on to shut the hole. This was done twice, as the first attempt by a local yard staff was unsatisfactory, so we called in for a professional welder. Done in half the time and at a much better quality. Done.
5. Sweet Water Holding Tank (350 gallons): Pending sanding of the tank, painting it with protective paint and building the fiberglas baffles.
6. Dinghy Cover: Pending purchase of the replacement leather, at a shoe making shop in town.
7. Reefer: Temporary cooling system installed, used a 5- gallon bucket and it works! We got cold. (Thanks s/v IWA).
8. Reefer: Permanent solution—Pending. John will plumb the system to use fresh sweet water, instead of seawater, to cool the refrigerator. The concept is to dedicate a sweet water-cooling tank to cool the refrigerator system.
9. Floorboards: 80% completed. We have purple (like in the website background color) floorboards in the Main Salon, galley and hallways. Our interior looks fabulous with the purple floorboards and our Oaxacan hand woven orange/red/olive green throw rugs. Pending to be painted are the floorboards for the girl’s room and John’s workroom. Only that last 20% to complete. Although, we intended this to be a “girl” project or pink job, John took a leadership role and commandeered it when we ran into unforeseen challenges. We did learn how to use a hand-sander, blowtorch (to take off epoxy paint), and paint with some less than cooperative stuff. As one cruiser said, “I’m impressed the girls can use this equipment, all my 30 year old son knows how to use is his cell phone.”
10. Interior hull corrosion from contact with canned goods: Solution, wrap masking tape on the bottom of every can and then placing the cans on a plastic mesh that sits on the steel hull.
11. Topping lift: New block installed. Done.
12. Cutlass bearing: Pending need to remove the prop and lift the engine, then shift the engine and the transmission back so we can replace the cutlass bearing--a bearing that supports the prop-shaft as the prop-shaft exits the boat. Last time we did this we had the help of Leslie (s/v Carina) and Dana (s/v Paradiso), alas, we will find other strong (muy fuerte) cruisers to assist.
13. Bug screening: A design has been roughed out for the cockpit entryway. Finding the stainless steel anchor rods (or could be wooden rods) and sewing the solumbra frame to hold the netting is pending.
14. School: After twenty lessons, an exam was administered to Gaby and Sami. They did fine and are progressing well with their schoolwork in the midst of all the interruptions and boat work. “Gaaaby, Sammmi, come down here. We need you, NOW!”
15. Sami made homemade Orange Soda, which became an unexpected lab science project. We have to wait 18 days before consuming. We look forward to cracking open a bottle or two, on New Year’s Day. (Thanks, Rdreamz for this great gift). On the Internet, we have learned that using pure unrefined cane sugar from exotic Ecuador raises the soda to a class from the ordinary to the extraordinary. “Sami’s bubbly boutique orange soda”….Fanta no more.
16. John, aboard s/v Rdreamz, bottled Royce’s homemade beer. They have enjoyed several bottles and it has John hooked. He’ll be buying the supplies and making his own. Ok, there went the new storage room.
17. We burned CDs to MP3 format, over 6,500 songs including the entire s/v Rdreamz music collection and some of ours. (Thanks again to AK for our MP3 players, they are great additions to our lives.)
Future project: We would have included a project to sandblast the entire deck (it needs it), however we want to replace all the “homemade, original, funky” port-lights with proper port-lights and this replacement project would ruin any deck treatment. So, we will have to live with only a partial face-lift and put this project off for two or more years.
Progress is being made and that feels good. Not everyday is smooth, but most are tempered with something light and humorous to keep our spirits up.
Occasionally, at sunset, cruisers gather for a spontaneous happy hour, at a lone round white plastic table, two stacks of white plastic chairs beneath a metal gazebo with an invisible shade tarp and a dozen cats lingering hungrily. Do cats eat popcorn and beer?
One evening, our friends on s/v GatoGo (40’ catamaran) hosted a holiday party and Bon Voyage, for s/v Rdreamz, that was fabulous fun; including Columbian beef Wellington mini sandwiches, guacamole, vegetable platter, Flor de Cano rum, wine, Scotch, soda, ice tea and three-dozen deviled eggs. Why are they called “deviled” eggs? We had a “devilishly” good time.
On most evenings, we have been too tired and exhausted to socialize. We are grateful for hot showers, warm meals and zoning out to episodes of FRIENDS as we rest and call it a night. Life is good. Life is good.