Here it is Halloween, the end of October, where has the time gone? July was the last blog entry when we arrived back at Kemah Boardwalk Marina from being on the hard in Aransas Pass. Several people have asked me why the lapse in blog entries. I didn’t think that people would be that interested in the hum drum ongoing work that has taken place over the last few months, but I was wrong!
It is important that potential boat owners understand that even when buying a new boat, there will always be something to work on, much less when you buy an 8 yr old boat that had been in charter. Part 7 will highlight some of the upgrades and repairs that have taken place over the last few months.
Air Conditioner and Generator
When we first arrived back in Kemah, TX, south of Houston we discovered that our AC would not work properly especially when using the generator. It took several visits from the refrigeration repairman to troubleshoot the various problems get the unit working properly. Half of the chiller was not working because of a faulty start capacitor. 
We also learned that we had twice the BTUs than were indicated in the survey. Nevertheless, it finally was fixed so that we could brave the Houston humidity and spend the night on the boat.
We know that the generator used to run the AC, but it does not now. We wonder if they put in a larger AC unit but did not upgrade the generator. But no matter, we have ordered a larger one, which believe me, is a high-ticket item! Hopefully we can sell the one we have or trade it in as it is fairly new. Land and Sea Services indicated the generator will arrive in a few weeks—fingers crossed. They will come to the boat and install it!
Tinted Windows
To further combat the Houston heat and assist with the AC workload we had the saloon windows tinted which has made a significant difference. In addition, it keeps us from being in such a fish bowl at night.
New Stove and Oven
Our next hurtle was changing the boat from butane to propane and installing the new stove/oven. Except for getting the tanks out of the locker, the process went smoothly and before long I was cooking a pan of baby brownies. The oven is not excessively big but at least it now has a temperature degree selector.
The other oven was either on or off. I had to buy RV size pans to fit in it, but the brownies turned out well and I even have a broiler now.
Refrigerator
Our icebox broke right before we went to Aransas Pass. We have one on order, but with COVID everything takes twice to three times as long to get. Thus, while we ordered the new refrigerator back in September it will be late November before it arrives.
Dinghy and Motor
Before we left Aransas Pass, it became apparent that our dinghy was on its last leg. We pumped it up but it did not stay that way for long. Since money was in short supply, searching for an affordable dinghy became a priority. We found a very reasonably priced one in Canada but by the time we were to pay import fees, tariffs and shipping it did not save us any money. We talked to some people in Florida but they were having inventory issues because of COVID. Finally, we found Triad Marine in Kemah which carried both Zodiacs and Achilles inflatable boats. They had the right size Achilles and excellent customer service. They will hook up the dinghy motor and run the fuel line under the floor as well as put on the TX numbers and bow and stern lights. They also will deliver the boat to a ramp for us.
The motor was another issue. We have a 5 hp motor but we wanted a 20 hp short shaft motor. We found a place in Galveston that said they could get us a Suzuki in 3-4 wks. Yet when 4 wks was up they indicated it would be 12 more weeks. It took some finagling to get our deposit back but they finally relented and we now have Tohatsu from Boatworks. Thus by Wednesday, we should have our new dinghy and motor!! YAY!
Enhance Liveability
We have completed several tasks to make living aboard more organized and pleasant. We added wire shelving to each bathroom and in the cockpit for storage. Ben installed slide out shelves so that we have more useable storage. Deb gave us lots of tubs to organize all the boat paraphernalia.
In addition to make the boat pleasant and homey, I bought some nautical pillows from Amazon to dress up the cockpit and saloon.
We even got a tablecloth which is aesthetically pleasing but also protects the dining table which frequently becomes a work bench.
Another project has been to find the correct bedding for comfort and function. At this point we are using some foam to put over the cushions (which are quite hard) and a topper which adds some plushness. We both seem to be sleeping better with these additions.
Finally, we have bought a Sawyer gallon filtration system so we can make several
gallons of clean water a day from our tanks and not have to continue to buy bottled water. This system works well for now until we can install a boat filtration system, but this is not a priority at this point. We will address the water maker and drinking water once we have the electrical system upgraded and a new generator.
Dual Steering Station
The other big project Ben has been working on is mirroring the two steering stations. While we installed some instruments in St. Thomas, they were only on one helm station. Since our stations are outboard, it is difficult at times to see the front of the opposite side of the boat and running from one station to other is necessary in tight situations. Also, it can be advantages to drive from the low side at times for a better view of the sails or negotiate oil rigs. Thus, we now have instruments at both helms and the nav pods have been pushed outward to open the walkway to the front of the boat. Working with Nmea 2000 can be a bear to troubleshoot and has been quite the learning experience for Ben. Thank goodness he has had Ron to assist him when the instruments don’t function as expected.
Electricity, batteries, battery management and solar
Currently, we are focusing on refitting the boat so that we can use American appliances and have enough AC and DC power for lengthy stays
at sea. When completed we will have over 1200 watts of solar and about 1000-amp hours of battery power. In addition, we will replace the French outlets with 110 outlets. The larger inverter and battery management system will allow us to plug in different appliances for cooking and grooming. In addition, we will have power for the two new electric toilets we have ordered. Brent Hodges is wonderful to work with and he really knows his stuff!
The same guy, Jason with JZ Custom Rails, who made the steel for our steering stations is going to formulate a davit for two of our new solar panels and the other two will be located on the hard top bimini. does excellent work.
Trampoline Protection
While Ben has been struggling with the getting the steering stations to work, I have been on the front of the boat applying a protective coating to the trampoline. Without this coating, the trampoline would fall apart in just a few years when subject to the Caribbean sun. One person indicated this coating has protected their tramp for 13 years. The blue color looks genuinely nice and we are pleased with the results.
New Microwave
Last night while cooking dinner, the microwave bit the dust. We needed to replace this European appliance anyway with the new electrical system, but now replacement is necessary sooner than later. Luckily, I had my new stove so that I could finish cooking dinner. The boys settled for cold pizza for lunch rather than heating it in the oven. Oh well, boys will be boys.
As you can see from the list above, we have been busy running to the boat most weekends, working diligently and spending loads of $$$. In addition, we have been clearing out our 3500 square foot house in Fort Worth. This project also has been quite the undertaking. We keep getting rid of things, yet, it appears that fairies are uncovering more things every day—where in the world did all this stuff come from in our house? We recently signed a contract with a management company who will rent out our house while we are away. Thus, our next big push before the end of the year is to vacate the house and move full time to the boat.
Questions and comments are welcomed!