 |
| Front view of open center panel for airflow |
At last, the installation of our long-awaited hard dodger is now complete and what a difference it makes! All parties are happy upon completion - our vendors, the Captain and his mighty crew (gee, don't I sound impressive).
The fiberglass structure
replaces the Sunbrella set up we've had since purchasing our boat in December
2010. This project finally rose to the top of the list when the Sunbrella gave
way and could no longer be coaxed into service with yet another coat of 303
Fabric Guard. Our vendors, Pancho and Pepe, had done other work for us so we
knew the quality of their work and their commitment. We were involved in the
design, material usage and entire process to ensure the results we desired.
 |
| Grab rails front & aft |
 |
| Drainage, sides & aft |
Due to the intense
labor, fiberglass dust and small spaces, we moved off the boat during what
worked out to be 48 days for the project. Longer than quoted but rain and cold temps impacted the 24th of December completion date. While there were a ton of stories that transpired in those days, in a nutshell, we had plenty of
adventures, occasionally stopping by to check on project
status and answer any questions.
We moved back on board
and spent a few days doing serious cleaning of fiberglass dust and
associated project mess. We finally launched January 26th, of course
later than we wanted but such is life when boat work is underway. We were happy to afloat and at the dock for the next set of projects. Friends, old and new, were a highlight of our time in Guaymas. That, and the Wednesday chicken special at the nearby Pollo Feliz. Just kidding about that part.
Moving on to the next projects. Huge kudos to Mike for installation
of the new windlass, a multi-phased project. No more manual hauling up of the
50# anchor and the 100+ feet (depending on where and how deep we anchor) of 3/8”
chain. Mike is a happy camper and this windlass is definitely quieter (this,
noticed by the crew in the cockpit, farthest away from the bow).
 |
| Measuring the windlass before installation |
 |
| Mike crafted the platform from layers of plywood |
 |
| Configuring & installing inverter/battery setup |
The new inverter and 4
of our 8 batteries moved from the engine room to a forward hatch, which
entailed a complete revamp of the hatch, wiring, cabling and building a wood
platform for the new setup. And reallocation of the resources stored in that
huge and valuable storage locker. When I wrote this, we were
anchored in Catalina, a short distance from Guaymas. The small bay features a
fish or clam farm along the shore. It’s hard to tell what they are farming but
there are dozens of milk jugs floating around some structures and a shack on
shore for the workers.
We waited for an appropriate 48+ hour weather window to
cross the 240 miles from Guaymas south to La Paz. Gusts to 29 - in a protected
anchorage and white caps beyond the point made us decide to lie low until the
front moved along. That turned out to be four days. We attempted a departure on
the third day and were unceremoniously sent back to the anchorage – the weather
wins every time! Two hours out into heavy winds and three hours back, pounding
into the wind and waves, boat and crew worse for the wear.
We finally made it to La
Paz at 8:30 and are at the dock dealing with … boat issues. But, we are having
a great time in between it all!
Looking at my previous
posts, I found this gem I wrote in September 2011 when we were young, foolish
sailors thinking about heading to Mexico. The messages certainly continue to
ring true and seemed worth a re-publish as a reminder of the sailing life.
We are very pleased to
pursue new adventures over the coming weeks. Maybe we’ll see you out on the Sea
and beyond!
 |
| Full moon rise at Catalina anchorage |
 |
| Margarita sunset, Charly's Rock in San Carlos |
 |
| Sunrise over Guaymas city hall |
 |
| Pig roast at the old dirt yard. Thanks, Dale! |
