Companion welcome's Rose and Kurtis

Rose is quite a chef with Pizza
and red wine, "Life is Good!"

Well, it was wonderful to welcome Rose and Kurtis (friends of Kyle and Emily) on Thursday.  When they arrived at Royal Marine (not that regal) Companion was shining with her new coat of bottom paint, one black coat under a grey-blue final coat.  The propellers were missing as both the propellers and apparatus inside the saildrives were at a local mechanic getting cleaned. Jack, the "saildrive expert" initially was concerned with the amount of propeller movement, but on Friday he came back with the good words of "not to bad". Which in the boating world, means you have about a year before you will need to spend big money. The benefit and detriment of a catamaran  is having 2 engines (if one happens to stop working, there is another, but also twice the expense to bring engine parts toward new).  We have finished lots of preparations: 1. Solar (again 2 working panels) and wind generators are working well with the regulator repaired this summer. 2. A new ionic dispenser at the top of the Mast Head (reduces the chances of lightning strikes) 3. A new Main Halyard to haul up the Main Sail. 4. Bolts and screws tightened. 5. Hulls waxed and top deck cleaned. 6. Half of the lines for the trampoline replaced. 7. Electronics and batteries charged and checked. 8 Water tanks cleaned and diesel fuel checked for clarity and water. 9. Kitchen wares, linens, books, have been returned to there places and mildew was minimal. 10. Propellers and bottom of the hull have two new coats of antifouling.

Kurtis was excited to head up the mast in the Bosun's Chair to replace Main Halyard, attach ionic disperser and checkout lights and make sure screws were tightened.

Tomorrow, we plan on a day of rest at a local beach before we have the boat moved to the water Monday.

Year 2 begins

On Tuesday, 10/18 or in the rest of the world 18/10, I boarded a American flight from Chicago to Miami then an hour lay-over to Curacao. Anticipating that I would have to unload all of my carry-ons: A rod case( containing a long range wi-fi antenna, 1 short hose, plus a fishing rod from Keith), a backpack (containing a solar/wind regulator that looks like 30 wires going in all direction (took 20 min. in Seattle), a large breifcase (containing all of the computer wires, + satelite phone + desulfinator (who knows if it works to help rejuvinate batteries) plus cruising books). I also had taken out the miniMac, keyboard, Ascer laptop, and IPad so I had 3 bins. Oh, it's Chicago, TSA didn't even slow down the belt.

Arrived 7 PM to meet Inka, my car rental guy. 7:45, No Inka, and my AT&T international phone does not work (what a surprise). So find a cute girl and ask to borrow her phone, call Inka (No car but at least he will pick me up in 30 minutes, that becomes 50 minutes).

At Royal Marine, boat looks good or "SUPER". In the morning, boat still looks good, Louis had outside of boat cleaned, but did not have time to get gas in frig. Later in day, but no Louis later. Inka has bottom paint and solar panels, okay, but no car till maybe friday. To Inka, "I will take 4 gallons of paint (I hope blue) and 1 solar panel, and I will get car elsewhere, where I can use credit card".

So I unwrapped the bins in boat, charged batteries for drill, and unloaded the carry-ons plus two large duffle bags. Thursday and friday I sanded bottom of boat, cleaned 1 water tank, connected solar/wind regulator, and hooked up Desulfinator ?? plus got a grey KIA Picanto to rent. So I just got back from eating at small bar at nearby fishing marina. Ordered chicken, 6 pieces of fried (I reconized about 3 out of the 6 pieces). It was good, with fries and a salad. Conditments, catsup, mayo, and a container with pink liquid with onions (salad dressing RIGHT??). No, Hot sauce. The 2 polar beers helped. I just checked spelling and the text lite up (spelling is in dutch) so if I misspelled some words so be it.

Life is good!!