Alberg 30 "Gaelic Sea"

[s/v Faith]

Gongrats John!

  May the good days outnumber the bad, and may you and your crew have very short memories on the bad days.

[Allan]

Good on ya!! John

Sounds like you had a good shakedown cruise.

As for the water in the fuel problem Methylated Spirits (Metho) is worth while keeping on board for just this problem.

Added to the fuel probably a cup full for a 23 ltr tank helps the water to bead and pass through the carbie.
Works a treat.

Allan

[Captain Smollett]

Since we had a full shoreside-life schedule for May-June-July, we decided to undertake a few projects that would put Gaelic Sea out of sail trim for a while.

Today, I completed the tiller head replacement.  The old one had worn so that there was a LOT of play in the tiller.  The new was from Edson was not QUITE drop-in replacement, but nothing an hour or so with a Dreml tool couldn't fix.  I did have to saw off 1/8" off the end, too, and redrill one of the holes in the tiller itself.  Slapped on some resin to reseal the wood, let 'er dry, put some 4200 around the bolt holes and she's done.  Much better, and it should improve sheet-to-tiller performance as well.

Got all the genoa track and wooden caprails off last week, and yesterday went to get the mahogany to replace the rails.  The dude I bought it from gave me a great deal - $6 a board ft for 1" nominal boards.  They range in width from 6" to 16", and that 16"-er is quite a board.  I've got some 'before' photos of this project, so after I get done, I'll get some 'afters' and post them.  The boat is already more water tight in the living space below.

Today I finally got started on the pine prototype of my anchor roller.  The final roller will be made of mahogany also, but this I already had (I did not have enough to do the rails).

I still have not finished the ice box, but oh well.  Too many projects, too little time (or that's what I tell others).

Anyway, we are progressing.  We are missing some beautiful sailing days, such as this evening.  Though VERY hot out today, this evening is absolutely gorgeous.  Ah, the price of one foot in the water and one on land.   ;D

On another note, we've temporarily lost the title of biggest family on one boat here at the marina.  We had a family of EIGHT pull in a week or so ago.  Their boat is bigger of course...a 42 ft Cat.  Great folks, and the children have had a blast having someone to play with.

[Tim]

Sounds QUITE productive. Reminds me I have to order a tiller head, my understanding is an "Ensign" fitting will work as a replacement for the Ariel is unavailable.

[Captain Smollett]

Gongrats John!

  May the good days outnumber the bad, and may you and your crew have very short memories on the bad days.

Well, for those of you considering the ups and downs of living aboard....

We 'celebrated' our 1 year anniversary of living aboard this week.

Which means, of course, we did nothing special for the event.   ;D

During this year, we

• Had some great times
• Had some down times
• mourned the loss of friends
• dealt with major health issues/near loss of family
• explored options for moving back ashore
• Wished, on more than one occasion, that it would JUST QUIT RAINING

Punchline:

Living aboard is not much different from living anywhere else.  The local environment is different, perhaps, but the issues are not.  The attitude wins the day.

Don't sweat living aboard.  The loss of convenience (we have no oven, no fridge, no tv, no pressurized running water or shower) is completely insignificant.  The spiritual gains, the connection to weather,  neighbors (other liveaboards and transients), the knowing "I CAN" so far outweigh the perceived conveniences that no comparison is really justified that one merely face those fears to conquer them.

Okay, it's true...sometimes, carrying ice to the boat *IS* an inconvenience.  A hassle.  "Not tonight," I would say.  "I just want a break." 

But....

Having my children, now 4 and 7, not miss TV, prefer to explore on the dingy, tell others of 'life on the dock (complete with the death of ducks, major fish kills, etc) so far outweigh the 'pain' of parting with contemporary "America" that I cannot imagine moving BACK into a culturally normal 'life.'

In other words, boats are cool.

[Frank]

Congrats on a year!!!!!!!!!!!!  Grog to ya   ;)

[Tim]

Congrats Have another :D

[s/v Faith]

John,

 Wow, does time fly.  So much sweeter the fruit of our decisions because it does.

Congrats to you, your crew and the good ship Gaelic Sea!

[Lynx]

I have been on mine for 2 years. The First  year voyaging and the 2nd needing work. A lot different. Boat Maintance is so much easier than living in a house. What a different life. People are generally about the same.

Welcome to the club.

[Captain Smollett]

Posting some links to other Gaelic Sea threads.

Old Stuff:

From 2007:

Delivery from New River, NC, to Georgetown, SC
Overnighting On Schooner Creek

Life Aboard:

The First Week
The First Month

Getting out on the Dinghy:

Dinghy Explorations

General "Cruising/Sailing:"

Day Trip - New Bern to Oriental
Light Air Practice and Goof-Up in Marina

[Captain Smollett]

"Boat Repair in Exotic Locations"


Yesterday, I mentioned, "We must be cruising."

Wife:  Why do you say that?

Me: Because cruising is said to be boat repair in exotic locations.

Me:  But I don't know how 'exotic' New Bern, NC is.

Wife: More exotic than [small town in central South Carolina]

Point:

We took off a port light to rebed the frame...and found total delamination and a completely CRAPPY repair of some previous damage.

In fact, well, I'll post some pictures and some comment later, but let's just say, by some definition, we are "cruising" now (if you'll grant me poetic license on 'exotic').

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[s/v Faith]

It's not New Bern, but I have a t-shirt that says;

• Parris, France
  
  Ciaro, Egypt
  
  Rome, Italy
  
  Bellhaven, USA

  So there is that.

[AdriftAtSea]

I was just in Belhaven.  While it may not be exotic, it is certainly REMOTE.  There was no cell phone service there in most places.

[CharlieJ]

LOL- I was in Bellhaven once, long ago. We were told that on Friday notes, they had these great parties there, not to be missed.

So we pulled into the marina(not at the hotel) and tied up, then wandered about town. Ever see a western movie where the maincharacter enters a ghost town? Tumble weeds, etc? That's what it felt like. Five PM on a warm late summer Friday afternoon and we met not a soul. Not a car moving, not a person walking, not a store open, dust blowing in the streets.

It was kinda spooky.

After about an hour or so, we went back to the boat. Never did pay for the night at the slip, as
we never saw anyone TO pay!!!

Months later we again stayed overnite, this time at the hotel. That time it was
extremely cold, but the place was hopping. ;D

[s/v Faith]

In keeping with this trend of thread drift, I would recommend that a visit to Bellhaven include a stop at 'Wine and Words' a great little restaurant / book store with a eclectic menu that changes every week and a library with selections you simply will not find in (big box) chain book stores....

[Captain Smollett]

Pulling in the reigns a bit on the thread (  ;D  )...

Gaelic Sea scored her first consignment shop finds this weekend.

(1) Barlow 16 winch for the mast for $10.  I have one on sb side and wanted a match for the port side.  It's missing lower pawls, but I can get replacement parts.

(2) Two stainless bow chocks (much bigger than the broken ones they are replacing) for $8 each.

Saw a winch handle for $3, but it was mislabeled so it had to stay. 

[Captain Smollett]

Yesterday, for his schoolwork lesson, my son (age 5) had to write a list of ways he could be helpful.  Here are the first three items on his list:

• Crawl into the chain locker to put on tape so we can fill holes with epoxy.
• Paint while Mom and Dad are busy doing something else.
• Sweep off the extra sand after the epoxy dries (we have been doing sand-in-epoxy non-skid).

At least we are finally getting some projects done.  Will post some pictures soon.

[Captain Smollett]

New Chapter opens for the Crew of Gaelic Sea:

While we feel SOME sadness about this change, it is seen at the moment as being 'for the best.'

We've realized that some of our boat restoration cannot be easily done while living aboard and that, at the moment, the best course is to move 'ashore' for a time.

We plan to put the boat on the hard for about a year.  It's been quite a while (probably at least a decade) since she's had a GOOD drying out, and we will have the opportunity to strip everything out of the interior to get things done...without the two hours of moving everything before and after any given project.   ;)

We have found a place to rent that will give me a place to work in all weather and store some of our gear to be handy.

We are not "running" from living aboard...this is not because of any pressing stress of the lifestyle.  We've toyed with moving ashore over the past 3 years on occasion because of that stress, but this time it is driven by several other practicalities.  This makes the decision easier.   ;)  If we WERE changing because we could not handle living aboard, I think we'd feel even more sadness and a sense of 'shame.'  Or something. 

The push is driven not only by needed to get some work done on the boat that has proven difficult while living aboard, but also some issues here at the marina.  I'll detail these later after we are actually "out."

In part I offer this to anyone considering getting a project boat and living aboard while fixing 'er up.  It's darn hard, at least with a family.  It CAN be done; but then again, even the Pardeys and Martins move ashore occasionally, and I think the boat needs this break, too.  In the long run, I think she'll get in cruising 'trim' far sooner.

[s/v Faith]

Does not sound like defeat to me, more like a strategic withdraw in preparation for going cruising!

Good luck in a speedy refit, and may the splash date come much sooner then you can even imagine!

Looks like I will finish that delivery in the next couple weeks... the boat is headed to the Sheraton docks right across from your current slip.

You guys still going to be nearby?

[Tim]

Agree, sounds like a good plan. Looking forward to hearing about the progress.