working on the boat

Nov 30,2019

So I have reached Oriental, NC....a small town of 500 that has over 3000 boats in it.  Parts, service and independent contractors here are reasonable and have good reputations.  So I am taking a work break to do many of the things I listed in my last post.

I'll take my time, get it all done and then head south.  Today I took my sail off and sent it to a shop for cleaning.  Tomorrow I will take the pulpit off and take it to the welder on Monday. There are only 2 liveaboards at my marina right now....they gave me a set of keys to the courtesy van so I can come and go as I please. The big decision today is....do I paint the deck? If I do, do I take the toe rails off and have them varnished before I paint or paint around them?  Paint and woodwork are the worst jobs ahead of me.  

Engine Fixed, ICW Journey Begins, Asshole boaters, Boarded by USCG, Motoring,Boat Upgrades and Cinnamon Coke

November 22, 2019 (this is a long one)
So 3 days ago I left Chesapeake, VA after paying an over inflated bill.  The best thing I can say about it was that the mechanic I had was very good and showed me a few things. I however, did as much work as he did so that I could get out of there.  Despite what they say, Big dollar boats owned by Big dollar people with Big dollar repairs are always going to get priority.  I must have done a good job reinstalling the mixing elbow and manifold riser because the mechanic asked me if I needed a job...

My journey to Coinjock, NC was uneventful.  It was about 6 hours long and was fine except I was part of a large convoy of boats to get out of Virginia and go south.  The big speedboats flew by my sailboat brethren (none of us were sailing because the North River started looking like the North Sea) and the wake of some of these boats was tremendous.  I started experimenting with what to do when they came along side of me at "ludicrous speed".  Eventually I found something that worked: as soon as they clear your bow, get directly behind them.
Coinjock was a cool small town.  Next morning I knew I had a long journey of about 7 hours. I got off to a great start as part of the continuing convoy of boats until we all started getting boarded by the USCG (United States Coast Guard).  They were cool but  because one of my fire extinguishers was no longer charged (I should have checked that but never did) I was sent back to Coinjock to buy one at the marina.  I did, and left 90 minutes later than planned.  They didn't fine me or anything, actually they provide a good service in educating you about what you need on board and how to use them. Just wish it had been another day.  This forced me to go Max Speed the whole trip across the Albemarle Sound to the Alligator River.  The engine was great...not one drop of water or diesel leaked out of it. 
The Ablemarle Sound was pretty, but I was surprised by the floating logs and trees and crab pots in the channel.  It required my full attention but I admit it made it kind of fun. A few friends have asked why I am not sailing this trip.  My answer has several components: Wind, tacking, and needing to be at a marina before dark.  For example, when I finally hit the Sound, I planned to sail a bit.  But what happened?  The wind turned to the South West....the direction I was going.  Could I tack?  No way, the channel is narrow and the sound has floating debris so it wasn't an option.  Also, these first 3 legs require a full day of boating with no other marinas between locations.  I could drop anchor, but.....more about that later in this post.
Anyway, today I am kicking back and relaxing at the Alligator River Marina because the wind is gusting up to 35 knots.  Tomorrow is better.
Tomorrow is the longest leg of my trip to Beaufort...8 hours of boating.  I need to be in the Belhaven area before dark. 
Ok, so I've missed things since being in KSA....I didn't know there was such a thing as Cinnamon Coke!  It's awesome!!  If they'd make a diet version I'd buy it by the case. 

Reflections on Future:
As some of you know, my plan all along has been to get to Beaufort and then if I decide my boat is worthy of upgrades and if it was,  I'd get somewhere and make them.  The boat is rock solid and I feel like it's had a good test already.  So now the question is: Where do I stop and make the upgrades?  The cheapest place to spend winter and do this is Oriental, NC. I wanted to go further south but I need to consider that I am a newbie functioning with basic boating tools so my safety is an issue.....I need:
1.  Electronics Upgrades (all I have right now is Navionics on my phone).  I need (want) new Depthmeter and Sonar capability. and a chartplotter that runs off of boat DC current.
2.  New Anchor Rode and equipment to support dropping anchor (light, anchor buoy etc.) My current anchor system is as basic as it gets - 10 ft. chain, 170 ft. old rope and a spade anchor.  That is it. 
3. VHF - I haven't even read how to do all of the functionality it has.  I also want to connect a AIS router to it that will allow the AIS (ship) data to be seen on Navionics or new chartplotter.  This will allow me to see commercial vessels around me and hail them that I am in their path. I also want to move it outside to the cockpit so I can actually hear it.  I have a handheld vhf but it isn't as powerful.
4.  I need to make a new Dodger.  Mine is old, torn, and I think rotted.  My bimini is in great shape. 
5.  Have a welder fix the damage to my pulpit that the tow caused.
6.  Install the Autotiller that I bought.

This is just the stuff to help me single hand the boat.  I also need cosmetic things like painting the top side and deck, sanding and refinishing the teak, and make the cockpit more comfortable for long trips. 

SOOOO......do I stop and work on this stuff and go to Florida more safely and with better navigation and boating aids?  Or go to Florida with what I have and pay more?  Giving it all some thought.......
Another appeal to Oriental is that there are lots of sailing businesses an marine repair shops etc.  and when the weather is nice, I can go sailing for the day and improve my skills while I work on the boat.  But, it will be cold.  I can stay there for $350 per month in floating dock wetslip, or I can go down to Beaufort and pull it out of the water and live in it for the same amount of money. 

Final reflections:
I really am enjoying living in the boat (especially now that I don't smell Diesel fuel and exhaust anymore) and I like marinas and all the boat folks I have met.  I sleep very well in my boat.  When I'm sailing in it or motoring it....It's fun, horrible, exciting, stressful, serene and exhausting all in one afternoon.  Now that my engine is sorted out, I can finally worry less about that and more about the things that I want to do.

On to Belhaven! I will have a cinnamon Coke for all of you!

Week 10 - shipyard engine check, plans, and icw

So Saturday I left Portsmouth and went down the normal (Virginia Cut) icw path. It would have been really fun (I got to hail my first bridgetender and go through my first lock) but given recent boat history I spent the entire 12 mile trip looking at where I would tie up if the boat died....but we made it fine.
The lock was cool but difficult for single handers.  I had to pull up to the wall and throw bow and stern lines up around a cleat above my head. Then they instructed us not to tie up but to just hold the lines.  Then they filled the lock and we went up a few feet.  Then we all filed out of the lock.
So now, I am at a highly regarded shipyard waiting for 3 items to be addressed: engine water leaks, diesel leak, and I think...a new battery.  As soon as they get this done I'm back on the water and on my way to NC.
No dismal swamp this time.
If I can't make it to Florida I may settle for a much cheaper South Carolina but let's see how it goes.

Week 9 - change of plans

Well, I'm still in Portsmouth, Va.  I was all set to leave on Tuesday morning when I heard a very faint alarm sound. It wasn't the alarm I would usually hear if something were seriously wrong, I could barely hear it.  But after my adventure in Norfolk I didn't want to chance it.  So then I decided to get a boat electrician to look at it.  Today I tested it and it was gone...but I don't know much about my electrical systems so the electrician is coming tomorrow just to do a routine service check and show me what I need to know. 
This is what I expected would be happening....there's no way to know what needs to be fixed until you get out there and see what happens. Anyway, this will be a good opportunity to see what I need to know about my alternator, various regulators, batteries etc.
I'm in no hurry to leave except for the fact that it is getting cold here.  I naively thought I'd be in Florida by now.  Most of the boats here at the marina have repair issues and are waiting for parts....I have gotten some great advice from the old salts here and they have told me:
Don't do the dismal swamp....it's too shallow and difficult for a single hander to navigate out of shoal areas.  Everyone is telling me this.  So, I may just do the conventional icw.
If I do this, that means I will have an 8-9 hour boat ride to Coinjock, NC. That is a long haul. I prefer not to do more than 5 hours in a day.but there is no where else to stop until I get there.

I asked an older woman in, I would guess, her late 60s if she needed a push off from the dock.  She was single handing a bigger boat than mine.  She sweetly told me no, then pulled out of her slip and drove off.  The secret to single handing is to have a mid cleat (spring line).  It keeps you from having to worry about the bow swinging out. That's what she had and she obviously knew what she was doing.

Next stop...Coinjock.