The Last Big Purchases Have Been Made

Sorry we have been afk for awhile.  September was a stressful month.  After a closing delay and having to cancel our FL flight, the house finally went to close on the 23rd.  So it's official, we own a house!  Our next step is to fly down there and get it rent ready, which does not involve much.  Then we will let a management company rent it out while we are cruising.

Since I've been home I have cleaned everything corner of our boat/home.  It took awhile and requires constant attention but its nice having the open clutter free living area.  Christine has been busy working and taking 3 college online classes.  And through all this, she still hasn't smoked one cigarette! We also started running again and finally got to the 10 mile per week mark again.

Well now that the house is takin care we were able to spend money again and bought two 80 watt Sunforce Solar Panels with the controller.  We also bought Martek Dinghy Davits.  These are two big items that we have been watching and saving for for awhile.  It feels good to finally buy them because they are the last big items to purchase!  Once we have them installed, then we just need to repair the engine and we are ready to go.

We plan on putting the Solar Panels on top of the Dinghy Davits.  We have been walking around the marina to get ideas on how to do it.  We also have contacted some boat contractors because drilling into the hull is my worst nightmare.  So if it is affordable we might let them do the scary part.

-Joey

Maryland Weather

How is it that Sunday, I am lounging around wearing THIS:

And this week I am reduced to wearing THIS:

Last week temperatures were in the 90's and this week, 70's. I hope we don't skip fall this year like we did spring. Just like last year I need to find an electric blanket asap, or marriage troubles will ensue (one of us is a major cover hog I think), but the stores look at me like I am crazy because its so early and I refuse to buy one online. So the first time someone is shopping and see's one in a store, let me know what store! Until then I will continue trolling all the major stores around here looking.

Only a few months of horrendous coldness then southbound!

-Christine

Regrouping

So my last day of work was Aug 31st.  Since then I have been vigorously cleaning the boat which is turning into a 3 week event.  Ofcourse I do take video game breaks :)  Once the cleaning has been completed then the boat projects will comence.  Specifically installing dinghy davits and solar panels on top of them.

We also hired Chris Oliver to survey our engine.  Besides alot of small fixable notices we have three main problems with the engine that I will dive into.

1) There is an oil leak.  We have known about this and just monitor the oil level.  Well Chris showed me where it was and how to fix it.

2) The head gasket needs to be replaced.  There is alot of rust on one side of the engine due to this. He also suggested that we have our fuel injectors sent off to be replaced because he noticed one of the three didnt start immediatly when turning on the engine.  This will be a tough job to remove a large chunk of the engine but I am confident.

3) There is a leak at the stuffing box.  We have noticed this and just make sure the bilge runs every so often.  Well to fix this I have to turn one bolt and adjust another and then retighten.  Chris made it clear that this had to be done properly or water could start pouring into the boat so I will either have the boat pulled or hire a professional.  I am not that confident.

Other than that we are installing some LED lights and getting more excited by the day to be off and away!

-Joey

Great news all around!

- Christine

I quit smoking 3 weeks and 3 days ago!!! Things have been a litttle tense around Bright Eyes so we havent ventured out sailing and therefore havent written, but I'm all better now. However!!!!... Joey just got laid off! Yay! So now he has tons of time to get all those pesky boat projects done before we leave. Including, some engine brickabrack, changing a halyard, davits, and solar panels. And were done! Or more likely there is other stuff to do I just cannot be bothered with remembering what it is right now.

There is also this thing called money, but we are working on that. We are supposed to close on our house by the 15th! Thats next week! Woot! We are scheduled to fly down the 22-26th to fix it up to rent it, if any handy people live in FL and want to come help! Then we have the more important job of renting it out. Once it's rented my worrisome mind can calm down and rest assured that we ARE leaving Jan one.


Oh yeah, Joey hired an engine surveyor after our disastrous trip in August, and he can post the details later.