I woke up this morning to Tracy calling me to the forward compartment. She had awaken to a crazy cat(Blue)growling madly. She was attacking anything that moved and growling like she was insane. I'm sure some of you back in Denver remember the last time Blue did this was about two years ago when she smelled some shampoo we had washed Snowshoe in. Lasted about two weeks. After getting back from brushing our teeth last night, I had forgotten to close the companionway hatch. The kids were free to roam all night!! Heaven only knows where they went or what they encountered but Blue has gone looney tunes all over again. I found Snowshoe sitting outside as I left to come here. I'm sure the daring duo was up to no good all night. For the two of them, this was a dream come true. At least, where ever they went, they came home. Knowing Blue as we do, she either ate some bug or some grass and got really scared and reverted back to her roots as a ferrule cat. With the Coasties coming today, this will be interesting.
The mast went up flawlessly yesterday. the riggers were there nice and early getting more hardware installed. Lots of blocks and line were added so it will be much easier to get finished later this week. The crane showed up about 11am and up she went. She was hooked down to the deck by 4 shrouds(BIG wires) and lines lead forward and secured. The crane was removed and there she was. Four shrouds--wires that lead from the mast to the deck--were secured to turnbuckles. Two on a side and we all went to lunch. After lunch, two more were attached and that was it for the day. As the mast was raised, each shroud had to be measured for length from a point on the mast to the fitting on deck, cut to length. The fitting that attaches it to the deck was then fitted and attached to the deck and on to the next. I showed pictures of the fitting several weeks ago. They are really high tech fittings that can be used over and over again. Far from cheap, but really cool. Gordon and Nathan will be back today to finish what they can. the boom is still waiting for more fittings.
The vinyl ester putty was re-injected into the holes in the bow for the stem fitting and can be drilled today for the bolts to hold the fitting to the deck. The previous batch had just gone wrong. To old I was told. After they install the aft stay--wire at the back of the boat that holds the mast up, I can install the radar and GPS dome and we will be in great shape.
The Coasties will be at Zephyr today for "class". We talked to Brion yesterday before and after the mast raising about what he wanted from us. He asked us to put together a list of things we would expect from the surveyors as they inspect the boat. Now please keep in mind that when you buy any boat, a survey needs to be done just as you have a home inspected before you sign on the dotted line. It is there to protect you from buying a lemon. If you ever plan on getting any kind of insurance on you boat, a survey will be required by the company or they won't insure you. It's not like a home. You can't sink a home!!! Our insurance company wasn't impressed with our survey and we only got insurance on Zephyr since she had already been insured by them. What they found fault with in the survey is exactly what we have been having fixed and didn't know was wrong.
Tracy and I brainstormed--or at least slightly squalled--last night and made a three page list(took two + hours) of what we feel a surveyor needs to look for when checking any boat. After what we have done on Zephyr, we feel we are fairly knowledgeable as to what needs to be checked if possible. It doesn't matter if you are a power boater(yuck:-)) or a sailor, the systems are for the most part the same. There are just more systems to check on a sailboat. We covered everything from checking the engine to the electric lights and the heads. If any boat was checked this way, I'm not sure any boat would ever get sold or bought. In any boat, especially a used one--or "previously owned", there will be problems. You can't avoid them. It is just what you are willing to accept. We were "green" when we bought Zephyr but now understand that she is just going through a mid-life refit. Sure there was more wrong than we bargained for, but Zephyr was and still is a great boat and there is no regret about buying her. Boats like her are hard to come by and we just got lucky.
Well, I have to get back and see the crazy cat and take another shower. Yeah, that's right, another shower in only two days. Ah, we are living the dream as our friends say;-).
No comments:
Post a Comment