I'm thinking of changing the name of the boat...
Although I haven't consulted Jessi yet, I'm thinking I may re-name it, "Big Gigantic Pain in the Ass." The name just seems to ring true somehow.
--DISCLAIMER--
I am going to be unreasonably grumpy in this post because I am tired and have been working non-stop on the boat. I get up every morning and work on the boat before work, and come home every day to work on the boat. So let the bitching roll...
I love boat people. I really do. Especially because I'm now one of them. But... picture this. I'm lying on an 18" ledge, 5ft above the water trying to put painters tape on a window 8" off the deck, 4" from my face. I have a cleat in my back, and the shore power cable wrapped around my leg. This situation makes a 30min job take an hour and a half.
Here's where I was lying to tape.
While I was taping, some other boat owner comes walking by and chimes, "Boy that's some project." OR "Looks like you gotta lot of wood to paint there." OR "I sure don't envy you!" Thanks. You know, that doesn't help. Especially if you then launch into a story about how you just hired this guy to do all this stuff on your boat, and it's really coming out great, and you're glad about how you can go do other things while your boat keeps looking better every day, and how fiberglass is the greatest invention... Enough. I am already painfully aware of how much work I have on the boat, and how I can't hire someone else to do it for me. Especially since Jessi put the "Hard Labor Schedule of Things Still Not Yet Done" (HLSTNYD for you Navy folk) into Excel format for me. (Which actually has been a godsend - it helps keep me going - I love crossing things off that schedule. But I'm complaining now, so all's fair.) I see that schedule every day and every night, and it helps remind me that I'm not close to being done. And, when I'm hanging off the boat, chest deep in not being close to done, it's not the right time to enter a discussion about the amount of work still to go.
So please, if you are walking by and I'm in the middle of scrubbing or some such thing, try, "Wow, almost done!" OR "That's some progress." OR "looks like a different boat now, nice work." OR "Who'd you hire to get such great results?" OR "Can I get you a beer?" Because I think I've chuckled my last polite chuckle and said, "Yeah, but it'll be worth it," One too many times already.
-- RANT OVER --
Much better.
Now some truth. As frustrating as it can be at times, I'm really enjoying the work. I don't think I've worked this hard for something in quite some time. It's really very satisfying to put in a lot of hours and really be happy with the results. It's amazing, I'm actually beginning to see change (Sea Change, get it? Thanks to Jessi's Dad and Stepmom for that one.) I'm happy to say that so far, the effort and work is all worth it. And I haven't even really used it as a boat yet! Speaking of effort and work, time's a ticking. Gotta go paint.
The blue tape has moved from the pilothouse to the salon. Progress!
- Tom
posted by Jessi and Tom @ 9:57 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Hi Tom and Jessi,
That what I read is very recognizable (only read the last 2 blogs). I'm a full time sailor/live-aboarder for 6 years now. You always have to work on your boat, and if you don't work on your boat you try to figure out a jury-rigging kind of idea on something.
Never get mad at commentators, they might have the tools you need.
Why Insurance?
I don't have one, and I don't miss it. If the boat goes down, and I survive, I don't know if I ever want to sail again, but if I want, I know now how to build a boat. Everything exept the hull. Steel hulls are cheap, and the rest very expensive. But I take already care of all the rest, I don't need to insure that.
Sometimes people talk about using the insurance of a boat. Mostly these are cases of brand-new sailing boats with construction failures -and very long procedures. Sometimes a roller-furler that breaks down the first year, but that is within guaranty. (My windvane is guaranteed for a circumnavigation, for ex.).
And theft? Better to prevent then to insure. Choose only save spots and have friends around you, locals and sailors. They will babysit your boat. (I did it once for 3 months in Panama at anchor.)
I think the price of insurance for a boat is very high for what you get back. They talk about statistics and high-risk but they just don't know the business. I bet you can run a profitable sail-boat-insurance company by having a boat insurance that is cheaper then your car-insurance.
May I say then neither you nor the insurance companies did a real risk assesment?
The thing that you have to insure your boat upto a limit of 2 weeks after you bought the boat is rediculous. This can only be an informal rule. You can even insure your dog, if you would like to do that, right this moment, on-line. They only make up this rule , because If you know a bit more about the business and about the real risks, you might decide to wait a bit longer.
Well, anyway, I have to congratulate you with your new boat. I deduct this from the rant over the insurance happenings. I didn't go further back in your boat-blog.
I will curiously read some more of your history to see what I can recognize and to understand your voyage.
Paul.
for some outdated info see: http://www.watergeus.box.nl/
PS. I found your blog by looking how many sailors are using a blog to communicate. Not many, to my surprize.
Aye shipmate! Nice rig. I read most of your writings... And I do seem to remember wood in the quiver known as the USS Nevada (right between your ears). Maybe you would have had an easier time getting insurance if you told them that. I hope you have a ships bell, to ring me onboard (5 bells? - I don't remember). Seriously though, congrats and good luck painting that thing. I love painting. I just painted my cat. Word. JK
On Painting:
You'll get good at it. Try this on one of those windows. Don't tape it. Use a steady, careful hand. Razor blade off any paint you might get on the glass. I'll bet it will be little, if any. Some practice will eliminate hours of taping! You own a boat. You'll get the practice :)
Brushes: I use the cheap, china bristle ones. I love them. Get several sizes for different jobs, and care for them as you would expensive ones. Those boar bristles beat the heck out of the synthetic ones.
Congratulations on the boat and the location.
Post a Comment
<< Home