Well, it would seem that the freezing weather is almost gone. A few flowers have started to bloom and the rain is coming more frequently. I'm getting closer to being able to tackle some of the topside tasks. I'm also getting the itch to get out on the water! So much to do...

got the chartplotter (Garmin GPSMap 640) hard-wired in. I'm taking a crash course in NMEA 0183 data words, although it's connected it seems my DSC capable VHS isn't receiving the data it's looking for. I'm sure once I figure out what to turn on and off it'll be ok. Just one of many projects I've been working on that hasn't gotten finished yet.

Picked up the bilge paint for the new battery shelf. Once I get that painted I'm going to pick up the new battery boxes, maybe even this week. I'm going home this weekend, will probably pick up some wood while I'm there to frame in the top and front face.

Finally got the inverter wired into my AC source select switch. The inverter is a 2500W (continuous) unit with a 5000W surge capacity. I think it'll do. I transferred power over this afternoon and verified the system works. Unfortunately it (the inverter) is wired into my accessory circuit which only has a 15a breaker. Predictably, neither the microwave or radiant heater can be used on ship's power. BFD. I'm good :-) . Started penciling out a permanent replacement panel for the temporary one I built some months back. I'll give the inverter it's own dedicated circuit then, along with building in some expansion room for a windlass, water pump, and a few other things down the road.

Let's see. Finally got back to working on the holding tank. Need to cut a hole topside for the pumpout fitting, got up this morning with the intent of doing in but we had a strong, cold wind most of the day. I was hungover, so that just wasn't happening. :-) .

Let's see. One window will be coming out this week so I can start cutting the acrylic for the new ones. I need to take them home and cut / route them this weekend. although the main point is to stop the leaks from the 50 year-old, cracked and beat up windows, this is really the first thing I'm doing that will make a cosmetic difference, too. That'll be nice.

The last debacle was the ice box. The ice box is under the starboard side cockpit and has accesses both in the cockpit AND in the galley. Very convenient. I had picked up a refrigeration unit (Waeco) many moons ago that would fit just about right on the back wall, turning my ice box into a refrigerator OR freezer. Friday I cleaned, sanded, and recleaned the ice box. Then I painted it with appliance epoxy, creating a nice, hard enamel coating on the inside of the box. I then made a template of the Waeco unit to mark the wall of the box for cutting. By this point a day and a half had gone by. You can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the cooling unit is actually 1/2" TOO BIG. Ugh. Plan B is to modify some unused space under the counter when I rebuild the galley and companionway ladder later this year.

So that's it for now. The weather's warming up, and I'm beginning to feel itch. Bring on sailing season!

Mike