Boat Wife - Projects and Downtime

[Maryanne]All our major projects are complete, and Footprint is mostly ready for our next big passage, there is still a list of minor things, and just having a boat creates a constant stream of maintenance, repairs, and things you just decide you need to do/have. So while Kyle is busy earning us a living, I've been working my way through some of these projects.

Actually it's a good job Kyle is away, since I tend to not want to put things away until I'm sure I've done with them, in other words I live around quite a mess for days (sometimes weeks) until I finally decide enough, and pack everything away (normally just a few hours before Kyle returns, but don't tell him).

Things quickly turn to chaos once I start any project!
Here is a selection of the things I've done so far:-

• Sewing:
  • Repaired/secured sun damaged Life Sling case (used by one of us to recover the other if we fall overboard)
    
  • Repaired/replaced Man Overboard Pole flag and cover - used to mark the place where we were stupid enough to fall overboard... It flies a big flag high up so it should be easier to find the person in the water (or at least find the Man Overboard Pole again).
    
  • Repair Dinghy Cover
    
  • Repair Flag
    
  • Made a strap to secure our wash water bucket in place, we'd been using a bungee, but the sun is killing it. The strap should last much longer.
    
  • Made 2 rain catchers - I didn't have enough material to make the large one I'd planned, so I made 2 small ones (they are totally different materials, otherwise I'd have sewn them together, I'm not that crazy). Just as I was about to install the grommets I discovered I don't have the right tool. My tool is for plane grommets, and I have ones with teeth.... Foiled again, new tools on order
  
  
• Sealed boat front window screws (this job seems to need doing fairly regularly (especially after a session pounding to windward). I get the hint that it is time when they start to leak).
  
• Fixed a leaking water jug (Of the 7 or so Martha Stewart water jugs we purchased that are just the right size, only 2 remain.... Oh to meet Martha in a dark passage way....).
  
• Purchased new buckets to replace broken/lost ones
  
• Fixed my watch strap (OK not remotely boat related, but I did it!).
  
• Extended Visa
  
• Filled Propane tanks
  
• More Laundry
  
• Lots of grocery shopping (We understand prices in Bermuda are going to be very high, so we are trying to stock up for the next 4 months of basics while we are in the BVI - the boat is going to sink...... ahhhhh.

Of course in fixing things, apart from making a huge mess of the boat, I also, invariably, break something else - this way, the list of chores is never complete. This time is no exception. On replacing an external electrical box cover, the bolt sheared off - so now I only have one bolt holding on the cover just fore of the mast... Doh! That leak I was searching for has now no doubt got worse.

Oh, and sewing isn't that safe either, from time to time my sewing machine gives me an electric Zap - adding yet another job to the list (find short).

It's not terribly exciting for you dear reader now is it? But if Kyle does sneak a look at what I've been up to, hopefully it will make certain that he doesn't think of sending me back to work or anything crazy... I'm enjoying being a boat wife.


Local Beaches and coves - plenty of peaceful places to loaf
And naturally I don't just do boat projects. I get plenty of time off (hey, I'm my own boss, I can set the work hours right?). I try and get off the boat every day, and if there are no chores that require me to go ashore anyway, then I just explore. At first I concentrated on the trails around the beach of Trellis Bay, but I've slowly been getting further afield (other beaches, venturing down mystery roads, etc).

I've also met lots of nice people over the last week, AND my trip to immigration to extend my visa was all pleasant - whew. :-)

Life is good