 |
Yesterday, Day Two of the second early Memorial Day Weekend
in a row, I hard-wired
the new GPS Map478 Plotter to Chip Ahoy's electrical system and its DSC
connection to the VHF radio. Still not as "flexible" since my surgery,
I'm well on the mend, able to crawl into that space, albeit
thoughtfully. (May 25, 2009)
--
Closeup
-- |
 |
Squeezing myself into that hole to reach the coaming pocket
-- where
I installed a new rubber grommet through which the harness passes out
into the
cockpit, and the nylon fairleads which hold the wiring out of the way -- was the
most difficult part. Thankfully, I'd added the
hinged hatch! I do
wonder why Garmin changed color codes for its two "data" wires ("in" and
"out") between models. The rest of the job was just cutting, splicing, and sealing
the connections with shrink tubing. The screw holes for the mount out on the cockpit seat are
aligned the
same as for my GPSMap 76CS, so I've just got to swap the mounts today. |
 |
The GPS power/DSC data wiring harness, where it exits
through the new grommet in the port side coaming pocket. |
 |
The new Garmin GPSMap 478, wired and mounted -- ready to
go once I install the boat's two 12v batteries. |
 |
This morning I rewrapped the spreader boots. The rigging
tape I used last year didn't hold up, was unwrapping, so instead I used
the self-amalgamating tape that came with the lifelines kit for wrapping swaged ends. On
the lifelines it's held for a few years now, sort of melted into itself.
Hopefully it'll do the same on the boots.
--
Closeup
-- |
 |
After cleaning and polishing most of the cabin
interior and lockers with
Easy Dab this afternoon (I was so impressed with the
results last year
that I used it again),
I added the long-overdue shin guard (another
photo). I've been
promising myself this for years, and have the
shin scars to prove it! I
used a length of self-stick rubber foam weatherseal, 3/4" wide and 7/16"
thick. The Frost King package claims "Minimum Compression - Superior
Shock Absorbing." Sounds like just what my shins have long pleaded
for! (May
25, 2009) |
 |
Today I installed the mast track system by which I'll
raise and lower the 5MileWifi antenna. (May 31, 2009)
--
5MileWiFi Antenna Project
-- |
 |
Yesterday I finished scrubbing out and
detailing the cabin. It's now
ready to be loaded up. (I took these photos using the Sigma
wide-angle lens on my Nikon D50.) Next I'll move on the the cockpit and
deck, then the hull. (Jun. 2, 2009)
--
More Photos -- |
 |
Over the weekend I finished polishing and waxing the
topsides and chrome. This morning I set out to wax the hull -- but first
there were a few spots I thought needed some special attention, a little
hand-rubbing with a bit of
3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound. (Jun. 8, 2009)
For Closeup Detail See:
[Large JPG file] |
 |
When I got through with those small areas, it made such a
difference that I continued with the entire side to make it uniform. The
couple of hours I expected to spend just waxing had expanded to twice
that.
For Closeup Detail See:
[Large JPG file] |
 |
With the port side and transom
hand-compounded, I switched to
the
Meguiar's Flagship Premium Marine Wax. Tomorrow I'll continue on
with the hull's starboard side. Each spring while getting this job done, I am
so glad it's only a twenty-two foot boat! I'm now gratified that I
went ahead and hand-compounded the hull first before waxing it!
(Jun. 8, 2009)
For Closeup Detail See:
[Large JPG file] |
 |
Between rainfalls I completed
hand-compounding and waxing the starboard side. The weather has been
miserable: Relentless gray overcast, showers and occasional downpours,
temperature not exceeding the 5os for days. The first blue sky just
peeked late yesterday. It's hard to believe this is mid-June -- where's
that "Global Warning" when we could really use some? I hope this isn't a
harbinger of another monsoon summer like last year's. (Jun. 13,
2009)
For Closeup Detail See:
[Large JPG file] |
 |
Today I've finally begun loading up the boat with all its
cruising gear, paying additional attention to weight distribution. For
example, the lunch hook anchor, its chain and rode in a bag, have been
relocated from beneath the cockpit forward to under the "dead space"
alongside the v-berth/starboard side locker. (Jun.13)
For Closeup Detail See:
[Large JPG file] |
|
NEXT |
|
It's never-ending ... but Sailing Season '09 has arrived! |
