Signs of a Happy Dog

18 April 2012

9 Signs of a Happy Dog

1:  I give big hugs after work

2:  I roll around in the grass and snort like crazy (a dog's way of senseless giggling)

3:  I alway have a smile on my face

4:  I have my favorite blanky

5:  I love playtime

6: I loyally and fiercely protect my mom, dad and boat from those mean manatees 

7: I love to help with boat projects

8: I love to relax with my humans in the hammocks

9: I love happy hour with dad

~Johnny

Quit Belly-Aching!

16 April 2012


Medicine is a last resort for us, as we try to stick with natural solutions to our aches, pains, and minor illnesses over the use of man-made chemical drugs.  One of our natural secrets is ginger; it is our little miracle root.  We are never caught without a good hunk of it in the galley.  The range of benefits that ginger provides is impressive, and we find many of them extremely useful in our daily lives.  


Every day I make ginger tea for us to drink after dinner, and sometimes with breakfast as well.  Dried ginger tea bags are available at just about any health food market, however I prefer to go the fresher route because the taste is better and the benefits are stronger.  I grate up a good 2 inch section of the root and pour boiling water over it for 5 to 10 minutes before straining it.  Mixing honey into it gives it a little more flavor by adding a little sweetness to set off that spicy kick that ginger has.  Another way I add a little flavor to the ginger tea is to brew some white, green, or rooibos tea and add it to the ginger tea.  Because white and green teas should not steep as long as ginger I do not brew the two together, but mix them after I have steeped them individually.  Rooibos teas can brew longer, so the two can be steeped together.  If drinking ginger tea is too strong for your taste, cooking with it is a great way to incorporate it into your diet.  I often cook with either fresh grated ginger or dried ground ginger, and throw it in the pan with chicken and veggies fairly often.  
So, what is ginger good for, and why is it a must-have in the galley?  Studies (and some personal experience) show that...

1.  Ginger is great for easing motion/sea sickness, nausea, flatulence, heartburn, bloating, indigestion, and over eating.
2. Ginger is anti-viral, and can serve as a remedy for flu, bronchitis, cold and fever.  
3. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory herb, and may help with arthritis and joint problems. 
4. Ginger can aid with toothache, headache, menstrual pain, and pregnancy sickness.
5. Ginger aids in the maintenance of healthy circulation, cholesterol, and blood pressure, and in the prevention of blood clots. 

~ C

Murphy's Top 5

TOOLS FOR PLANNING, BUDGETING, ORGANIZING, AND DREAMING

14 April 2009


While we are at work we have plenty of time to organize our boat work, create our summer budget, order and purchase necessary boat parts, and plan our escape.  As our project manager, G has planned out the top five most important things we must do to get our boat sea worthy and ready for a little adventure.  Of course this list is subject to changes and modifications, but as of right now these are the priorities once we get back home.


Priority ONE: Permanently Secure Fuel Tank
To do this we need to permanently install our mounting brackets, cut a new hole in our cockpit for our deck fill line, connect the hoses, and fill the tank. 


Priority TWO: Finish Engine Work
We had to remove the water strainer and water lock to work with the fuel tank last week, so we will have to replace all the intake and exhaust hoses along with the newly rebuilt intake pump.  


Priority THREE: Reinstall Chart Plotter & Cockpit Electronics
We will have to reinstall the chart plotter and cockpit electronics; we removed them temporarily to keep them from "walking away" and because of the helm/pedestal work we did last week.  


Priority FOUR: Making Bug Nets For Hatches
We will be making our own bug nets for all of our hatches before we leave the dock.  We like to sleep with our hatches open since we do not have an air conditioner.  The lack of bug screens for the hatches makes for a miserable night on the hook in Key Largo in the middle of July when the forward berth fan craps out on a very windless night... yes, that is experience talking.  So needless to say, bug nets are a big must before we head out onto the water again.  


Priority FIVE: Building A Door For The Head
Obviously there are things that need to stay private no matter how close you are as a couple, and being out on the water away from marina bath houses will not allow for such privacy.  Therefore the door is a priority, and we will be building a mahogany door for the head.  


Only FOUR weeks until GO-TIME!


~ C

On the Road Again...

10 April 2012

Are we there yet?

We are now in the SC upstate working.  While we are always excited to fatten the Hammer Kitty it seems to get harder each time we leave the boat.  Not so much homesick for any place in particular, but rather homesick for her... after all, she is our home.  It won't be long though, and we will be planning and scheming like crazy until we are back.

~ C

Jack in the (Chain) Box

8 April 2012

Our final project for our week at the boat was finishing up the anchor chain box.  We began building the box back in February, but the final touches got put on the back burner for a bit (Perkins was the number one priority at the time).  

This is the space devoted to the chain box up in the foc'sle.  You can see the outline he drew as a guideline for the braces.  Also note the leak off thru-hulls where the green water will drain out of the box.

We over-built knowing that we have 250 feet of chain and could possibly add more if need be.  

With the substrate complete we moved onto the box itself...  

Three sides are angled so that when the chain comes in through the deck pipe, gravity will force the chain to the center of the box- important for balance and keeping the chain appropriately contained.

The next step was to glass in the box.  We took turns using woven cloth and West System to glass it all in.

After three layers of fiberglass, we let it set up and then took a sanding disk to take off the sharp edges. Several coats of paint were applied, and once dry we piled all 250 feet of anchor chain into the box.

Finally we added the braces (not pictured yet) to secure the box in place.  


~ C&G

Musical Tanks

5 April 2012


After our last post, it came to our attention through Dani's comment (S/V SUNDOWNER) that we never wrote about our fuel tank adventures before posting (HERE) that we alas, finally had a fuel tank sufficient enough to suit our needs.  And the story goes...

Original Old Rusty Tank

When we purchased the boat back in September 2009 the boat was equipped with an old 60 gallon mild steel fuel tank.  While the fuel tank was a perfect fit for our homebuilt boat (which mind you, is difficult to find... we know from experience), it was badly corroded around all of the fittings.  We could have attempted to repair this 30 year old fuel tank, but we decided against that route.  We ditched the whole thing all together, realizing that it was not worth the chance of an unnoticed leak allowing diesel fuel to make its way into the bilge and overboard, thereby earning us the big fat reward of a very expensive fine from the EPA.  


We unsuccessfully looked for a fuel tank that would fit our dimensions and our needs, without  the convenience of internet at the time.  Finally we found one through a marine parts store that would work, and the order was placed.  Two weeks went by with no word on the tank so we went in and inquired about the order. 


Maybe the order got over looked this week?  Perhaps it didn't make the truck in time?  Check back next week.  


A week later we checked back and it was discovered that the company that it was ordered from had gone out of business.  Ha. 



So we looked around some more and found a tank that would work.  It was not perfect dimensions, and it was smaller than we wanted, but it was on sale and we didn't have too many options because the space devoted to a fuel tank is pretty specific on our boat.  We were in the boatyard at the time, and anyone who has spent time on the hard knows TIME IS MONEY; every day we spent there was costing us extra.  Because of this reason we went with this fuel tank; we had to start building bulkheads and other things around the engine room and really didn't have the time/money to spend fretting over the perfect fuel tank.   This day tank was installed, and over the next year or so we built around it.  


This past winter we fussed with the engine for quite a bit.  We knew there was air in the fuel lines, but we could not figure out where it was coming from.  The tank was full, so we assumed there was a breach of integrity between the tank and the secondary filter... not giving our new tank a second thought.  After pulling our hair out for days we finally decided that it had to be the tank; draining the tank only proved our suspicions correct.  The suction tube had broken off inside of the tank, preventing us from picking up fuel, but instead a mixture of fuel and air.  On this specific tank the pick up tube and fitting were pressed into the tank.  Realizing the problem, we decided to back up and punt.  


We were fed up at this point with the whole situation.  We even tossed around the idea of going "Pardey-style" and totally getting rid of the stupid engine all together... But we didn't.  We had after all, gotten the engine to finally crank after plenty of abuse over the course of two and a half years, so the hardest part was over.  

New Tank

Instead of trying to Redneck-Rig it, we made the decision to cough up the money and have an aluminum fuel tank custom built to fit perfectly into its designated spot.  G designed it, and the guys that did the work did a great job.  We are really happy with it (finally).  I am, however, not very happy with the holes in the two bulkheads.  "We can't leave the dock without a fuel tank... we CAN leave with a hole in the bulkhead," is what he said to me right before he took a Sawz-All to our precious bulkhead... but he has promised me that it will be repaired soon, perhaps as early as tomorrow.  


~ C

The New Phonebook's Here!!!

04 April 2012

...I mean the new Diesel tank is here.  Our long awaited custom tank was finally finished this morning.  It was like Christmas morning for us as we went to pick it up.

Unfortunately we had to cut two bulkheads to allow us to get it into the engine room.  After a minute with the Sawz-All the pathway was clear.

There you have it; our new 59 gallon diesel fuel tank snug as a bug under the cockpit.  Now all that needs to be done is to secure it with brackets, connect the hoses and wire the gauge to the sending unit.

-G

Signs Signs Everywhere Signs

03 April 2012

This mystery sign has showed up at our marina.  Nobody knows who put it here.  The funny thing about it is that each of these activities ARE allowed.  We know because we pay extra for 3 out of the 4.


What's the funniest sign you have ever seen?

Nip and Tuck

02 April 2012

Mission #1

Our first mission today was the helm pedestal.  The pedestal was a home build at some point in the past.   It was fabricated well except for the undersized hole in the base.  The steering chain and cables kept hanging up on the lip.  After transporting the pedestal to our storage area we opened up the hole for more space.

Itsy bitsy hole

Cutting the Stainless

I used a 90 grinder with a cutoff wheel to cut through the Stainless Steel base.  If you are looking for the safety guard you won't find it.  It went with the cardboard box the day I bought the grinder.

My sexy assistant helped with the most important part of the job, the clean up.  She used the same 90 grinder but with a sanding disk we call a tiger paw.  She used it to take off all of the sharp edges.  Come to think about it maybe I should put the guard back on the grinder.  With her around it's hard for me to stay focused on what I am doing and pay attention.

Mission #2

The Quadrant

Our other big project was the Quadrant.  Surely misnamed, this one is a whopper.  Just like everything else around here it is a home build also.  The small snag with this one was that the cable brackets (I call dog ears) were welded in to close.  Being in that position left no room for a turnbuckle at this end of the steering cable.  The fix was simple, cut off each dog ear and weld it further away form the break in the edge.  Now comes the fun part.  Most of all the welding around here is done with the splatter gun (MIG), but not today.  Today I got to drag out my little buzz box.  It's a 115 Miller stick welder.  The reason being was because the dog ears were stainless and the lateral deck of the quadrant was mild steel.  I keep a few special rods just for times like these.

Marking the new location

Stick welding

Relocated dog ears

At the end of the day the Quadrant and Pedestal were back home onboard and bolted up.  If all goes well, tomorrow we will be picking up the new fuel tank!




-G

It's Bo Time!

01 April 12


Still on our sleep routine we were up with the sun this morning.  Eager to get at it but without any groceries we went to the Waffle House, one of our favorites.  Before returning home we swung by and picked up food for the rest of the week so we can eat happy healthy meals onboard.  

Fresh

The first thing to start was to finish the fiddles on the galley shelves.  A quick trim and up they went.

Fiddles

The big project for today was to rip out the temporary Day Tank,  Helm column, Quadrant, Water-lock and raw water Strainer.  Before removing the tank I had to siphon out the 15 or so gallons of diesel.  Next I had to disconnect the steering cables and unbolt the Quadrant.  Note the red tie-downs- we used them to secure the tank in place.  It worked on our last boat for this same reason also without any trouble or rust (We got your back Tate).

Temp Tank

Empty Cockpit

We hit our mark with the punch list today and enjoyed two home cooked meals.  It's good to be the King, even if it's only for a day.




~ G

Spring Break

01 April 12

We're home! We have a week off and we have a lot to do on the boat... we will be posting daily with the updates.

Sweet Date

29 March 2012


Date night is rare while we are working on the road, especially when we are working opposite twelve hour shifts, six days a week (him from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and me from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.).  With the exception of a five minute chat in passing at the worksite, we don't see each other at all with these kind of hours.  I finished up my contract this week (and am still trying to readjust to normal human-being sleep patterns) and today is his last day at this site.  We are planning to head out of here as soon as possible in order to get in as much quality time with The Hammer as possible before we have to go to the next job site.  Since yesterday evening was likely our last night in the Charlotte area we decided to go out somewhere downtown for date night.  Restaurant of choice?  Crave Dessert Bar.  YES- a restaurant devoted to delicious desserts and yummy cocktails.  I seriously LOVE this idea.  We both have an insatiable sweet tooth, and were in dire need of a tasty drink after the past few weeks so we cleaned up and headed into town.  

The restaurant's atmosphere is very romantic with a sensual ambiance.  Caley was our server, who was fantastic.  She made several great suggestions for drinks and dessert, all of which we tried and loved. Lucky for us we came on a good night to drop in, as all of the martinis were half price.  I indulged in a Cucumber Martini (Rain Cucumber Lime Vodka, mint, lime, and garnished with a cucumber), and he in a Razberri Mojito (Bicardi Razz, mint, soda, and raspberries) while we looked over the desert menu.  Finally I decided on a Double Decker Strawberry Shortcake (Caley's suggestion), and G ordered The American.

The Double Decker Strawberry Shortcake has four layers; the top layer is a thin strawberry glaze, followed by a light strawberry moose.  Under the moose is a layer of shortcake, and the bottom layer is cheese cake.  White chocolate shavings are sprinkled on top, and served with a fresh sliced strawberry.  It makes a perfect dessert because it is not too heavy... which means you can eat more of it!  

The American is a hot apple pie baked in skillet.  A bourbon cream caramel sauce is drizzled over top, and served with a sprig of mint and a side of vanilla ice cream.  Both desserts were amazing, and we finished off the evening with two more yummy cocktails.  If you happen to find yourself in the Charlotte area make sure you stop in here to satisfy your sweet tooth for a little romance and dessert... and make sure you ask for Caley!


~ C

Fun With Inch Worms

28 March 2012

Spring is here!  Is it just me, or are inchworms incredibly charming creatures?  We have the R.V. parked right under a big tree, and these little guys are everywhere.  I will often notice two or three of my little green friends that have made their way to the worksite from the campground, making my hair, hoodie, and arms their playground, swinging and inching their way all over me.  How can you not love such a cute reminder that winter is over? 


Anyway, I have been laid off from my first contract (don't be concerned- being "laid off" often is why we love this work), and G will be freed from his this weekend.  We will have a little bit of time off between now and our next job, so we are going to have time to go home and play/work on the boat for a week or two.  We are definitely looking forward to a good night sleep on the boat and being able to get a couple of boat projects done as well.

What signs of spring do you love?

~ C

Freeze Frame

27 March 2012

Our Olympus 280

We have decided that it is time for a new camera, as our Olympus 280 is starting to show its age.  It has been put through a lot, and it is finally time to start thinking about an upgrade. After having looked at several brands, types, pixel counts, optics, makes and models over the course of the past month we have come up with a few features that we would like to have in a new camera.

• At least 14 megapixel
• NOT a touch screen
• Chargeable through a USB
• Small enough to be easily carried and concealed
• Less than $200 on it, but a reputable name

Some of the brands we have looked at include Nikon, Sony, Canon, and a few others.  I know a lot of our readers are fellow bloggers and many of you share beautiful, high-quality pictures of your adventures.  

What kind of camera do you use, and do you have any suggestions for one that would suit our needs?

A Posture A Day

23 March 2012

As I mentioned in my recent post, AN APPLE A DAY, we do not carry health insurance.  In that post I also mentioned that there are several aspects of living a healthy life to consider when trying to avoid doctors' offices and hospitals, including, but not limited to diet (the topic of the mentioned post) and exercise.


So, what do I do for exercise as the second most important contributer to my health?  I practice and love yoga.

I can hear all of you hard core runners and gym rats snickering at me, but seriously- yoga is an awesome total body (and mental) work out!  Anyone that believes that yoga is not a physically challenging workout has never been in a room cranked up to 105 degrees F in Standing Bow Pulling Pose.

Most of the time I practice BIKRAM YOGA, which is a series of 26 Hatha Yoga postures and two breathing exercises.  This series is done in a hot studio between 95 and 105 degrees, which does two things:

1. Allows your muscles to warm up and loosen up in order to get deeper into the postures, and
2. Detoxifies your body through incredible amounts of sweat. 

During each session the same series of postures in the same order is practiced.  It requires 100 percent concentration and ability to stay in the present moment for the duration of the 90 minute class.  Affectionately called the "Torture Chamber," the Bikram Yoga studio will reward your hard work with a fit body and mind.  

Bikram's Postures Chart

Not only does this get and keep you in awesome physical shape, it does wonders for your mind, mood, and energy level.  It aids in the healing of injuries and pain, balancing hormones, lubricating joints, and building a strong skeletal system, among helping with other health problems.  

Above all else- IT KEEPS YOU HEALTHY!  It is challenging, but can you beat the rewards of a healthy mind and body?

I was pretty bummed out when we got to the job we are currently working and could not locate a Bikram studio anywhere close (I had to figure out a way to get my yoga fix!).  My brother suggested that I try VINYASA YOGA while I am here working.  I did a little research and joined a nearby studio that teaches Vinyasa.  

Vinyasa ("breath") is a flowing yoga that gets your blood pumping, and provides total body conditioning in a heated studio.  The main idea of Vinyasa is to balance mind, body and spirit; to create peace of mind and the ability to live powerfully "in the now."  The postures can vary, flowing from one posture to the next without the short rests that Bikram Yoga inserts between postures.

After my first class I was not totally satisfied because I was used to Bikram and the usual 26 postures, and I didn't feel like my Vinyasa class was as challenging or rewarding.  After my second class, however, I decided I had found my second yoga love; mixing it up is fun and interesting, and once I got into the groove of the flow I realized that it is just as challenging and rewarding as Bikram, just in different ways.

I'm not saying that everyone should love yoga- it is definitely not for everyone.  Each person should find what works for him or her when it comes to exercise.  I believe the best advice anyone has ever given me regarding exercise is to find something you love to do, and when you accomplish this, you can look forward to exercising.  Yoga is my physical outlet.  I find it challenging, and unbelievably rewarding physically, mentally, and emotionally, and for these reasons it is the perfect form of exercise for me.  I can practice yoga while traveling anywhere in the world requiring very little space, and studios are literally everywhere.  I recently stumbled across an amazing yoga blog.  She provides a lot of information about yoga, and writes about her daily Ashtanga practice, which is her main focus.  You can check out her blog "MY YOGA BLOG" HERE.

~C

Pump Up the Jam

20 March 2012

ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE BROUGHT WITH US TO WORK ON WAS THE RAW WATER INTAKE PUMP.  THIS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL FACTORY PUMP BUT An ADD ON.  THIS IS A BELT DRIVEN SIDE MOUNTED MODEL.  APPARENTLY ONCE YOU TAKE THE ORIGINAL OFF IT IS A BEAR TO GET BACK ON.  IN THE CRATE OF SPARE PARTS I FOUND THE SMALLER FACTORY PUMP PLUS AN ADDITIONAL MATE TO THIS ONE.

JABSCO RAW WATER INTAKE

 ONCE WE GOT THE DIESEL ENGINE STARTED I NOTICED THE SHAFT SEAL FAILURE FROM THE INTAKE PUMP. IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED SINCE SHE HAS NOT RUN IN THREE YEARS.  AFTER CLEANING THE TARNISH OFF THE WEAR PLATE JUST ENOUGH TO READ THE MODEL NUMBER, I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB.  IT IS A JABSCO 11850-0701.  LOOKING AROUND THE PRICES RANGE FROM MODEST TO OUCH.  I FOUND THAT THERE IS A MAJOR REBUILD KIT AND A MINOR REBUILD KIT.  THE MINOR IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED BECAUSE THE WEAR PLATES AND CAMS ARE STILL WITHIN SPECS.  THE MINOR KIT GOES FOR $60USD.  THREE KITS HAVE NOW BEEN ORDERED.  ONE TO FIX THE PRIMARY PUMP THAT'S PICTURED, ONE TO REBUILD THE SPARE, AND ONE TO KEEP FOR A PINCH.

WHILE HERE I WILL BE REBUILDING THE PUMP ON THE TAILGATE.  WOW, IF THAT DODGE TRUCK COULD TALK!  WE HAVE REALLY PUSHED THAT TRUCK DURING THE BOAT REBUILD. NOT TO MENTION SLEPT IN IT A NIGHT OR TWO ALSO.

- G