7.14.2009

Like the Neighborhood

A week plus in Norfolk. I'd love to say we were "waiting for a weather window" but it's just not true. Like cruisers everywhere, we must do some boat repairs in exotic ports. In this case a little less than exotic, but pretty cool sitting next to the aircraft carriers and all the other USN vessels. While the photo here is from the outside, the little Naval marina we are in is right behind the ships births. Having come through the Great Dismal Swamp with a non-functioning depth sounder, leaky head, and a tear in the mainsail, we wanted to get a couple things fixed. So we ordered parts while enjoying the Independence weekend, had them sent to the marina at Norfolk, moseyed in for a great deal on a transient slip and went to work. Here is the end of week score: We took the main down, patched her and got it back up; disassembled cleaned and lubed one of the reefing winches; built a bracket and moved our Fortress anchor to the bow relegating the small CQR somewhere else yet to be determined; got in the head parts but decided to put them in the spares and sent the second head directly to the dumpster...it's all about the weight and the space; installed a new shoot through the hull transducer that is IN FRONT of the keel (neat concept in my view, and it WORKS!); replaced a broken LP solenoid; finally split the settee bases which we've planned for years and installed a piano hinge so we can get to the food (another good quality of life issue); installed a deck pump-out fitting for the forward holding tank since we've now eliminated the aft head; Repaired a small leak and recharged the engine driven refrigeration; installed new navigation software as my old is very outdated and the new (almost) free stuff is getting pretty good; and finally, I made some neat facings (photo here) and installed the LED galley lighting we've been carrying around for months, BTW the old lights haven't worked for much longer that that. All in all a good week, met many new friends and now time to head north. Weather...once we're actually looking...will probably keep us in the Chesapeake. Tomorrow will tell. We'll update again soon!

N 36 deg 57.311
W 76 deg 18.610

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG, that made me tired just reading it, I thought you were retired??? Sounds like you need a vacation from your vacation! So good to read your blogs and know that all is going as planned, or not planned, as the case may be!
Keep up the good work!
Tammy

Anonymous said...

Hey!
You are gettign close enough for us to take you out to dinner sometime soon! Let us know where your next port will be. Will heads to Boy Scut camp for two weeks as of Saturday, July 18 so we will be free as a bird and would love to catch up with you!
Alison

Bob and Kitty said...

Steve, but when are you going to build Lynn's new spice rack?! Slacker! (Just kidding . . . )
Capt. Bivalve

Steve said...

Damn...busted again! BTW, Lynn has worked out a new plan for those spices. Heck, I used to like the all jumbled up after healing method. You just grabbed what was up front and went for it. Like the proverbial "Box of Chocolates"

Steve said...

Alison,

We are in Solomons now, may head up to Annapolis on Monday? Does Mike have the mast stepped yet?

Anonymous said...

Monday is fine by us if that is your best evening. You can reach me by cell at 703 899 5745 or home 703 931 7096. We will come fetch you anytime! If the weather holds you up, we are pretty open the other days of the week too.

See you soon!
Alison