"The plan was set, the plan was done..."
-Steely Dan
Every year, the boats come out of the water aroundabout Halloween-ish. Every fall, I think to myself,
"This winter, it's going to be different. this winter, I am going to make a list of all the boatprojects that we want to complete, and I will schedule them over the next six months, so that we're not busting ass at the last minute, racing a ticking clock, as we run up against the immovable barrier of our splash date."
Yeah, I think that.
The reality is always entirely, frantically, different...
Five and a half months go by and suddenly the world looks like this:
and I look like this:
With a big ol' procrastination -driven project backlog monkey on my back.
Inevitably. our spring splash punchlist gets prioritized, with projects falling into three categories:
1. Shit that absolutely has to get done before the boats get dropped in the water, or they don't happen. Or the boat sinks.
2. Shit that was scheduled to get done before we splashed, but who the hell am I kidding?
3. Shit that gone done on, or ahead of, schedule, purely by accident, or because, rarely, it is easier and simpler than we thought it was going to be.
Well, all the 3. stuff has been done, now it's just 1. and 2. fighting to finish.
We splash Karma May 6. Ereni will splash at a later date, which buys us some time.
But, the next few nights after work are going to be jam-packed with fun stuff like (in no particular order):
1. Installing a new/used swim platform (including modifying mounting brackets, reshaping platform, finishing trim to finish platform, cutting backing plates, and actual installation.)
2. Installing a topping lift.
3. Installing a 100 w semi-flexible solar panel.
4. Installing a new charge controller, and a new starting battery, wiring both existing batteries into a house bank, and installing a new Xantrex Echo Charger to simplify our charging system.
5. Raising and stiffening bimini, installing longer frame stringers on rigid solar panel frame to solve top sag problem, install a couple of additional struts to stiffen the frame.
6. Cleaning and rebuilding the cabin cushions.
7. Finishing the construction of the first SUMO dinghy.
8. And, of course, sanding and painting the bottom, and finishing washing and waxing the topsides.
And, dammit, I love every minute of it. The next best thing to being on the water is getting the boats ready for the water, stress and all. The best part of the next best thing is that SWMBO is right alongside, busting hump with me.
It beats the hell out of winter.
Six days left.
We'll be (mostly) ready.
I think.
Thanks for stopping by! Please take the time to "Talk the Dock," and pass the word.
