Day 547 The installation continues.

The installation of the SSB (single sideband radio) continued with me being down inside the bilges and storage compartments in Zephyrs stern.  Everything had to come out so I could run the wires in a relatively direct manner as far as I could get them.  We also had to install the copper "tape" that acts as a ground and enhances the signal the radio puts out.  As I said before, I have no idea how it works, I just know(because I read it in a book so it must be true;-))that I have to put down as much of the stuff as possible and hook the end of the "tape"to the side of the antenna tuner.  The other end of the "tape" was attached to the grounding connection that attaches to the propeller shaft as the main ground for the boat.  I guess we will find out if we did it right once we get to turn on the radio.  The more copper you have, the farther the signal will reach(it's that book stuff again).  Dragging all that stuff out really trashed the inside of the boat so we had to get as much done in the stern compartment so we could get it put away before the end of the day.  Poor Zephyr looked like a bomb had gone off.   We found lots of stuff and reorganized much of what we found.  Many items headed for the trash.  

Our nice down filled comforter that we had washed while in Port Townsend and stowed in one of those vacuum seal bags is now covered in light green mold.  The vacuum is still good, but the green has taken over.  It's not like we will be using it South of the border any way but we had hoped it would still be in good condition.  Oh well.  

I managed to run the wires as far as the work bench area before the Sun went down and we got most of the mess put away.  Some things that had been stowed in cardboard boxes(oil filters mainly)had to be unboxed and stowed in plastic bags.  Cardboard is never supposed to be allowed onboard a boat as it normally brings with it cockroach eggs which bring cockroaches eventually(amazing how that works).  That's how they get into your houses also.  So while the filters aren't stowed quite so nicely and orderly, they won't be a breeding ground for the bugs once we get farther South and it gets warmer.

Today, we will finish the running of the wires and make the electrical connections and, with luck, finish the job.  We should be able to listen in and talk to people all over the world by late this afternoon.  Keep your fingers crossed.

It has now been a year and a half since we moved on board Zephyr and a lot of water has passed under her keel since then.  It has been some of the toughest and some of the most enjoyable months of our lives.   The learning curve that we have had to endure has been horrendous as we were about as green as you can get as to what to expect when we moved on board.  Yes, we have been sailing since the early 80"s but the systems are much easier on a 26 foot boat than they are on a 46 foot boat.  Reading manuals took over our lives and a book with a plot was unthinkable for quite some time.  We attended classes and worked with professionals(or at least watched them) as work was done.  We tackled many of the jobs ourselves.  The stove installation and the new refrigeration system to name two of the biggest.  We've committed to a big adventure and that takes time and patience.  I will admit that there have been many times over the past 18 months that I was at my wits end and could have just as easily thrown in the towel.  There were some days while we were in Port Townsend that I just had to leave the boat or sit there crying.  Frustration of all the delays was terrible.  BUT, we are now well in tune with Zephyr and if something goes bump in the night or you hear a faint click, we know what it is.  Many boaters, when they buy a used boat(or even a new boat), spend years at a marina or in a boat yard getting themselves and their boats ready for what we have done in 18 months--with the last 6 months actively moving(and still fixing).  Heck, we are now on our fourth transmission.  We've gutted or changes out just about every system on the boat.  From the electrical to the heads(toilets) to the water system and its pumps, the refrigeration system and stove, we have ripped it out and replaced it.   Along the way, tears were shed and words were said as the frustration ebbed and flowed with the job, but we just kept on going.  "In for a penny, in for a pound".  We were committed and still are.  BUT--boy it has been a tough yet very educational 18 months.  We're no longer the green newbies we were.  We now know Zephyrs(and are still learning)systems much better than we ever have and with every passing day(and installation or replacement)we grow and learn more.  For those of you that read this blog(with all my rants and raves) and dream of doing what we have done(live the dream?) please keep in mind what I have said above.  The work that needs to be done(on old boats as well as new boats-they aren't perfect either) before you ever leave the dock, marina or boat yard can be long and can take a toll on not only yourself and your spouse(physically and mentally) it also takes a toll on relationships(and bank accounts).  If you go as a couple, be prepared for "give and take" in the relationship.  No one is right all the time, so listen to your "significant other".  It's amazing how often she(or he)has better ideas that make the jobs easier.  For you men--don't be so "macho" that you won't listen.  And for you women, have patience with your man.  He is just trying to do as best he can to get what should have been a 10 minute job(now at 10 hours)done with out killing himself or dislocating his back or rupturing his spleen.  We have learned that this is a "give and take" learning experience.  It has made us stronger as a couple.  Yes, we have fought and argued and yet here we are.  Still heading South with dreams of warmer climates(sorry Colorado) and far off shores.  If you can get past the preparation for leaving with all it entails, you can do anything.  Just be prepared, the work never stops on your boat, the scenery around you as you work on her does.  

OK, now it back to the installation.