The new shore power inlet is installed. Deciding the placement was difficult. It needed to be close enough to the service panel to avoid the requirement for additional circuit breakers. Placing it on the cockpit exterior would have interfered with rigging. Through the cabin top would have been ugly with no way to conceal the back of the inlet or the large electrical cable. Read the rest…
While the boat is fundamentally sound, deferred maintenance had accumulated to the point where several vital systems had become unreliable. Electrical, fresh water, and engine issues all require attention. I decided to tackle electrical first because it is central to all the others. Read the rest…
I got the boat! David, the surveyor, and I drove to Port Townsend Friday morning. The survey turned up no surprises and everyone agreed the boat was sound and priced fairly. I completed the deal and the plan was for David and I to sail back to Seattle that night. We bought drinks and food, loaded the boat, and left the dock around 4:30 pm. That was several hours later than we had hoped which meant working against the tidal currents and a longer trip. I had guessed about 10 hours but that turned out to be a severe underestimate. Read the rest…
If all goes well I will be a boat owner in about 16 hours. I found the boat on Craigslist and checked it out last weekend. The seller agreed to a handshake deal contingent upon survey. Since my boat-expert friend looked over the boat with me and found it to be sound, it seems unlikely the survey will turn up any surprises. Still, better safe than sorry. Read the rest…
I learned to sail shortly after moving to Seattle. The Center for Wooden Boats at south Lake Union offered an excellent program that helped me feel confident operating 18 foot sailboats under sail. About a year after completing the course and after much looking, I purchased an old but well cared-for Catalina 27. I sailed the boat on Seattle’s lakes and in Puget Sound and even spent a week cruising around the San Juan Islands. Read the rest…