Pura Vida projects - Fall/Winter 2013

For those with a crazy curiosity of what we've been working on since our arrival in Guaymas in November, here's an overview of our projects!

Engine Room

- remove and rebuild 4 injectors

- rebuild engine oil and transmission oil cooler

- build extension for engine air intake

- install holding tank vent filter

- change engine oil – 5 times

- change transmission oil

- extensive clean of bilge then fiberglass and epoxy primer

- exhaust and raw water mixer repair and weld

- rebuild both starters

- had alternator bench tested

Forward V-berth cabin

- replace and repair door guides

- install storage hammock

- clean anchor locker and mark 30 ft increments on 280 ft of chain

- install seizing wire on anchor shackles

Salon

- install 2 DC fans

- replace and repair door guides

- revise storage systems

- install Sirius satellite and Kenwood radio and speakers

- have custom door built with built in speaker, oil to match teak

- install non-skid on cabin stairs

- perform maintenance on freezer system 

Overall

- install LEDs in 10 fixtures and main overhead light

- plug holes, stain teak walls

- rewire starboard solar panel

- repair wall in master suite

Stern Head

- replace dryrotted wood, caulk, repaint trim and walls

- install solar lights around inside of dodger

Deck/Teak

- remove caulk from entire perimeter, recaulk below teak toe rail

- clean and oil all teak - toe rail, deck. Bowsprit, windows, grab rails

- strip and varnish stern hatch doors

- strip varnish from cockpit teak trim and apply oil

- strip varnish from main cabin doors, sand and apply oil

- sand and varnish 3 oars

Exterior

- replace dock lines with Top Knot (boat show special)

- polish 3 blade prop

- remove rust and paint propane tanks; sell extra

- reroute propane line into new propane locker

- rebuild windlass, paint exterior

- remove rust from windlass handle, paint and add silicone Rescue Tape

- strip and refinish all decks and cabin top; apply non-skid on decks

- cut, drill, paint steel frame for Sirius satellite antenna

- install GAM antenna on the standing rigging – Mike up the mast

- reinstall radar reflector – up the mast one more time

- design new solar panel supports

- install new face plate for engine instruments in cockpit

- repair engine oil and water temperature alarms

- remove unused instruments in cockpit and install cubbyhole for storage

- sew custom cover for cubby hole with German snap system

- replace stern hatch Lexan

- remove track from derelict catamaran for jib

- cut to size and install new track for jib, remove deck centered hardware

- remove bowsprit from derelict catamaran for stainless steel project

- install stainless steel stern pulpit from boarding gate to existing stainless framework

- install grab rail on binnacle

- repair man overboard pole

- build out propane locker with custom designed wood tray and divider

- install storage crate below mizzen boom with winch holder

- replace grill with working model

- devise sun screen system for rear cabin deck and install grommets

- sew new outboard cover and install alarm system with bells and chain

- sew rear hatch bugscreen

- resew kayak covers to expand capacity

- to add life to aging dinghy, apply primer and paint protection

- install new oarlocks and pins on dinghy

Hull

- remove embedded coral transported from Washington state

- apply fiberglass to repair hole in keel

- sand entire hull to bare fiberglass, apply epoxy primer, anti-fouling, and International bottom paint

Electronics

- install new tachometer and rewire

- reinstall tested SSB radio

- install SSB GAM antenna and hardware

- install navigation software on PC and iPad

 Photos of some of our projects:

https://picasaweb.google.com/jmgoehler/PuraVidaProjectsInGuaymasNovember2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Southbound: Mazatlan to Banderas Bay

Brown Boobie roosting on our bowsprit as we head south

Eight days have passed since our Sunday morning arrival in the Mazatlan marina. Our non-stop transit time from Guaymas was 74 hours (vs. 81 predicted), as we made good time the first 2 days then winds on the nose the last day and a half. 

On arrival at the dock, we were greeted by cruising friends, Diane and Paddy. We’d met them in Newport OR on our mutual boating travels down the west coast in fall 2011. They also did the Baja Haha, so it was great to see their smiling faces!

Diane, Paddy and Mike

Arrival on St. Patrick’s Day found us fortunate to be invited to a beach-side authentic Irish feast, complete with corned beef and cabbage, celebrated with Paddy, who hails from Ireland, and Diane, who also lived there. Plus we had the great fortune to connect at the party once again with Nikki and John - fellow cruisers and friends from Alaska. It was grand to catch up, hugs all around. All in all, a great day.

This passage, we tried longer night shifts – 6 hours vs. 3 or 4. It's a long shift in the dark (for some of us) - long enough to watch the moon set and the stars dance across the night sky!  This is a new twist that we will replicate tomorrow as we head south to Banderas Bay/Puerto Vallarta area - although the moon is closer to full, so will illuminate the sea.

Women's restroom sink - keys are faucet handles

A day trip to El Quelite was a great success with Diane and Paddy, driven by local cabbie Enrique, who took us to Sinaloa’s only tequila factory, an extensive family-owned operation and on to the colorful pueblo of El Quelite, with its colonial charm, cobblestone streets traveled by horses, scooters selling tortillas and a few cars. Check out a few of our colorful photos at 

You are invited to view Mike Judy Goehler's photo album: El Quelite, Sinaloa, Mexico

El Quelite, Sinaloa, Mexico Mar 24, 2013 by Mike Judy Goehler View Album Play slideshow

We look forward to our return to Banderas Bay area, heading out Monday 3/25 at 5:30a. We'll be picking up Michelle and Tony on Friday at the airport for a week of fun and sailing.

Setting sail for Mazatlan!

Seeing us off: wonderful friends Mel, Nancy and Birgit 

Sunday, 10 March 2013 

This morning I awoke to the song of a kingfisher and waves splashing against the hull – we’re on the water again! After more than 4 months of working on Pura Vida in the boatyard in Guaymas, our splash was a joy, a relief, a gift. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Guaymas and spending time with many friends, old and new, in the area.

Larry, Brad and Mike watching the travel lift

Not all work and no play: Mark and Mike during our hike to the beach

Mike and the Medicine Man

After our long awaited splash on Saturday, Birgit and Mark set us free from the ways on this windy Sunday morning at 9:20 with gusts to 24 knots, we exited slowly from the idyllic bay that has been our home port these months. 

As we departed the shallow bay at high tide from Marina Seca Guaymas, we passed Morningstar II and maneuvered around a couple of pangas (fishing boats) and the islands. Even at high tide, we cruised slowly in 3-4 ft of water.

Birdlife abounds in that lovely little bay with osprey, heron, egret, pelican, frigate, vultures and gulls skating on the breeze and gusts, while coots and diving ducks slip under the waves for breakfast treats. 

Getting serious about setting sail

Tomorrow we set sail directly southbound to Mazatlan! Estimated 81 hours transit time, at 5knots, we'll see how the winds cooperate to help us on our journey. Food's prepared for our 4 hour watches over these next 3 1/2 days, and it's been a while since we've done a journey of this duration so I feel a tinge of excitement and anxiousness.

As I sit on a hilltop overlooking the fish processing plant in Guaymas - climbed up here with my stool and computer in tow to get internet access - Mike is checking things one more time in the engine room (a place he has spend a considerable amount of time in these past few weeks. Such patience and fortitude to resolve engine issues and such!)

Mike hoisting our new US flag

Hopefully, the next post will be from Mazatlan or our destination for this leg of our journey, Puerto Vallarta / La Cruz. 

Happy Valentine’s Day from Guaymas

Walking to the ladder checking out
our new bottom paint 

We are still in Guaymas after 3 months! No splash for us yet. None of the luxurious cruising perhaps you think we're doing.

Looking down from our boat we welcome
Shelley & Walt.  Our 4 companionway doors
in process - after sanding before teak oil

We're living 'on the hard' in the boatyard. Pura Vida up on stilts, we climb up and down the ladder multiple times daily to the restroom and shower, to the bus, to haul water and visit neighboring boats. We continue working on Pura Vida projects while making friends in the boatyard – everyone has interesting, colorful tales about why they’re here, where they've been and where they’re headed.

Domingo & crew painting the bottom

Mike and I enjoy exploring Guaymas, a resourceful, industrial area where you can find pretty much anything you need – well, except for some boat parts that we either do without, jury rig or plead with anyone coming down from the states!

Sunset view from the cockpit

 Boat projects continue and fall into 3 categories: upgrades, repairs and maintenance.  Progress is visible. Even with setbacks we are extremely fortunate for what we have, what we are learning daily, and of course, our flexibility to make the most of every day.

With Mel and Shelley - Mel smashing an egg filled
with confetti on my head during Carnaval parade

While we never envisioned we’d still be around for another parade in Guaymas, we joined in their multi-day celebration of Carnaval. And do they party! Extremely loud music, lengthy parades with multi-national floats and confetti filling the air. Millions of taco, candy, elote (corn) and Tostito carts hawking various renditions of Mexican fast food - some we’ve tried, others we can only guess what the concoction is. The plethora of junk food we skip - deep fried and / or sugar coated, potato chips smothered with picante sauces, corn on the cob dipped in cheese and salsa.

La Cobacha with cruising friends on V Day

Tonight, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a group of friends from the boatyard - going out to dinner is a special treat. 

Check out our pics on Picasa -

Music festival:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100074699878222670561/AlamosSonoraMusicFestivalJan201302?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Carnaval parade:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100074699878222670561/CarnavalParadeGuaymasFeb2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

A celebration of life: Myrna Goehler 1922-2013

Mike’s mother Myrna passed away peacefully on January 21^st, shortly after her 91^st birthday. Myrna was a wonderful, kind and gentle person with the best dry humor that kept you on your toes. She was a loving mother and Mike is fortunate to inherit her good genes.

In early January, we’d returned from Guaymas, Sonora to Portland to celebrate Myrna’s birthday on January 11^th and for Mike to work at the Portland Boat Show. He’s working now as a yacht broker for Portland-based Passion Yachts.

After a busy week in Portland, we flew to Phoenix on the 15^th and stayed with our good friends there before taking the Tufesa bus to Guaymas. On the day we planned to leave for Guaymas, Mike got the call from his sister that Myrna’s health was failing and we needed to head north. We made hasty arrangements to get our belongings to Mexico and flew to Portland for funeral preparations. The well-attended service was held on Friday, the 25th.

Meeting Myrna

I met the entire Goehler clan at a fudge making party on that fateful day in November 2001, when Mike and I first met and connected. His mom, bless her heart, came and sat between us as we started chatting. It was apparent that she approved of our connection. This photo is from our wedding reception in 2007.

Life in Guaymas - viva la revolucion!

El Dia de la Revolucion

Keeping it all in perspective, one morning we were off to find the ‘good’ hardware store (recommended by fellow cruisers to find critical boat parts) and it was closed. We walked from the camion azul (blue circumnavigation bus) to the main drag for the next bus south, and literally walked into a major parade. We were so focused on our boat projects we didn't know that today was Day of the Revolution, so we had to ask the reason for the parade. Of course, this is a huge holiday here which as visitors, we should know. Teaches us to pay attention beyond our small world to look around and learn more history.

I cried as we watched the incredibly long parade - it was like the parades of old in the US for Memorial Day, when every kid was out in a costume or outfit and every group represented. Here it’s walking uniformly in school or sport uniforms - blaring music from the back of a pickup, banners proclaiming Tierra y Libertad - land and freedom. And the occasional float throwing candy (dulces). A great experience.

Chicken en Mole for Thanksgiving
We spent Thanksgiving with another cruising couple at our wonderful bungalow. Enjoyed our view of the sunset over the bay (beyond the Tecate beer billboard), rum rocks with lime, chicken en mole sauce. Not traditional but hey, a great, relaxing time with good friends.

Pura Vida is still so much a work in progress that we choose not to live aboard at the dry yard. It's dusty, dirty and with 4 huge golf cart batteries sitting in the salon waiting for install, electronics projects all about and stuff everywhere, it's not comfy for living. Call us snobs – others do it, but Mike did the liveaboard in Olympia for 6 months and no need to repeat right now.

Our salon is a staging area
for all of our projects!

Plus, we are stoked with our deluxe bungalow for $400/mo - it's 4 long bus rides daily roundtrip to the boat which adds to the adventure, two lovable barking daschhunds greet us at our gate after our dusty walk from the bus. So, we explore and live locally which we both totally enjoy.

We are the only TALL gringos in Guaymas! People stare at us on the bus, as we walk along the road, and at the stores. The gringos hang out in San Carlos, an hour bus ride away. This is the life we prefer and it costs less.

Feelin’ the Love on Pura Vida
Teak work, cleaning the bilge, painting the boards for our new propane locker (custom made boards built by the guy who sells bed frames along the highway). Oh and a million other projects dabbled on. Lighting, sound, alarms, safety.

Here we're pirating parts off a derelict boat
- tracks to run our staysail sheets
and the bowsprit which we're having
reworked into our stern pulpit (safety)

Our projects continue and progress is measurable. The categories of our many projects are: repairs, upgrades and maintenance. Extensive in each category, divided by time and skill set. Judy is learning about systems, power tools. Up and down our ladder multiple times/day to haul water, tools and parts. Not complaining, just a view of our lives over the last month.

Mike spends hours in the engine room doing the amazing things he does to fix mechanical and electrical systems. Our conversations revolve around check valves and rusty contact points. And rigging for our sails.

PHOTOS: projects, life in Guaymas and summer on the Columbia

https://picasaweb.google.com/100074699878222670561/PuraVidaProjectsNovDec2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/100074699878222670561/LifeInGuaymasSonora?authuser=0&feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/100074699878222670561/SummerOnTheColumbiaRiver?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Saturday Night Live

Our newly refinished deck!

Just back from another day of boat work and a myriad of adventures - on the bus, at the market, at the store. Saturday and Sunday are work days for us, too.

Mike's new propane locker
at the stern. No more plastic
crates on our deck!

So on this Saturday on Pura Vida, it was teak work, cleaning the bilge, painting our new propane locker support board we had built by the guy on the highway who sells bed frames. Oh and a million other projects dabbled on. Progress is being made and the list is getting shorter. Some of these are maintenance, upgrades, others are mandatory repairs. All are labors of love.

New engine panel (R) and new fiberglass
cubbyhole(not in yet) to replace old gauges
that bumped you in the back

One of our friends wrote to be safe. Well, that's just a good idea and one we follow! Don't go out at night - more the fear of getting run over on the busy highway outside our driveway. And we are better about the buses - no such thing as a schedule but we learn more about getting around. 

Tonight we got off the 2^nd bus at the Ley grocery store, of our 2 bus trip each way from the bungalow to the boat yard. We bought tequila and tortillas and a refrigerated pizza (sad but true) - navigating around the LOUD blaring music in the deli department where (seriously) cheese whiz, turkey dogs and unknown processed foods are being hawked by overweight women next to huge speakers squawking bad bump music in shopping carts. Are you getting the visual? It's part of the holiday extravaganzas at the stores.

We walked our 1/2 mile home and the quiet of our bungalow is magical. Our string of Christmas lights and our poinsettia brighten our space. Tequila on the rocks, AC and a hot shower. Now that's a great Saturday night.

Oh, and our latest Saturday night 'live' was spent perusing sailing hardware online at Garhauer Marine checking out boat parts.