Day 113 Answers so comments

We got several "comments" about yesterdays post.  The first was "Has this worked out the way you planned.  From a money, time, and equipment perspective".   Heck no it hasn't.  We had expected to be in Port Townsend back in June and out by early July so we could enjoy the islands and get some valuable sailing experience in before we truly set out.   Instead, we got side tracked by weather--big winds from the North--the way we needed to go.  Assorted breakdowns in equipment--expected in a 26 year old boat.  Delays by our rigger getting called out of town for 5 weeks.  All these things set us back time wise.  Money wise, the normal formula after you buy an older boat is to expect to spend 50% of what you bought it for to get her into the condition you want her to be.  By the time we leave here, we will be at that or over that figure.  Do I regret having to spend that kind of money, sure who wouldn't but I have very valuable cargo on board and the prudent person does what they can to make sure that while they are out there--there is no AAA that you can call--that they start out as safely as possible with good quality equipment.  

Did we enter into this with our eyes open--YES!!  We knew that there were things that would need replacing and tweaking.  There is on any boat.  The standing rigging--holds the mast up--was original.  After 26 years out in the elements, it had to be changed no matter what any rigger said and the "rigger" that inspected it in Newport said it was fine.  You try standing out in the wind, rain, sun, etc for 26 years and see how you feel.  The electrical system was a bit of a surprise but when ever you add more things onto a boat, circuits and systems need changing and updating.  As to the transmission going, yes, that was a bit of a surprise but if it had to go, where better than here where I can get help and lots of it.  Sure beats having it die at some backwater island in the South Pacific where there is no one to help and parts are few and far between.

Yes, we have spent and will be spending a lot more money on Zephyr, but a lot of it is money for new equipment not repairs--safety stuff--EPIRB--so they can find us if something goes wrong, top of the line life raft,  VHF radios,  SSB radio for long distance communications, wind electric generator just to name a few of what we have added. All necessary things in our opinion.   The rest we consider an investment in our future as safe cruisers.  The last thing we want to happen is the mast to come crashing down in the midst of a big gale or the engine to give up the ghost.   

Lots of people think the "cruising" life style is all fun and games--bring on the "Pina Coladas" and "hey, how's the tan coming".  It's not that.  IT'S WORK!!!  A boat is a living thing.  It moves unlike a house that just sits.  Every time she moves, there is stress on systems and circuits.  Before any trip, the entire boat has to be gone thru and checked, from the top of the mast to the through hulls.  Every wire, every hose, everything has to be checked.  We have a check list of what need to be attended to before we ever leave the dock and fully expect it to get much longer as time goes by.  We are following a family of four across the Pacific.  On their last run from Tahiti to American Samoa, their refrigeration system died and all their food that they had planned for the trip either had to be eaten or thrown overboard.  Their engine kept overheating and couldn't be run for any kind of time.  These are all things that can happen as miles pass under you hull.  Each unexpected but expected--just not if but when.   

A time will come when we can look back on this refit and be glad we did it.  We would prefer to be out sailing but our time will come.  OK, that ramble is over.  Boy, I sure can get wordy can't I? 

The second comment was about things to do in Newport, Oregon.  We appreciate the input as we had spent May, June and most of July in Newport, but now we are in Port Townsend, WA.  With luck, we will get back to Newport by late September.  We've been to the Aquarium and loved it.

Yesterday was overcast with lots of intermittent rain.  We spent the morning at Safeway doing the blog and checking emails.  Then shopping for food and back to Zephyr with arms loaded.  We had a nice lunch of the marinated chicken I had barbecued the previous day.  Tasted great.  Off to the showers to get cleaned up and then watch the riggers install the new mast head on the mast.   A great big piece of metal that will hold our sails aloft.  A true work of art.

It rained through the evening and through the night.  We had put the cockpit canvas enclosure back up to protect us from the elements.  The kids can stay out there all they want since we got it fixed.  No more broken zippers.  Makes a nice sun room when the weather is nice and a great "porch" when its not.

The electricians are encouraging us to change out the VHF radio antenna as they don't feel it is "off shore" quality.  Now I have more research to do.