(A pic of the boat with the solar panels on the bimini)
Well everyone, it has been way too long. I didn't know what to say that was not the same comment that I had already made. "We don't know when we are leaving, we don't know if we should sail back or leave the boat in St. Thomas, we don't know where to leave the boat, whom to leave it with..." It was the same questions over and over.
Finally, we decided that it was time to leave to fix both of my knees and go visit Jettie's family for the holidays. The weather in the Gulf is not pleasant nor very predictable, therefore we decided that it would be best to leave her in the hands of our friends and go deal with my knees. Then hopefully when we get back, I will be able to get in the water and kick around, which I could not do since March.
Now it is time to start planning our return and our sail back to Texas so her family can see Dutchess. Right now Dutchess is having her solar panels moved from the bimini top to a rack off the back and over the dingy davits. This should decrease the shadows on the panels from the mast and sail pack which seemed to be the cause of our inability to full recharge daily. We also got a wind generator installed and it too, was obstructed by the sailbag. It had to be raised and was done shortly before we left. Of course it was not very windy once we got the generator installed. But hopefully when we get back all of the work will be done (it might not get all done since there were purchasing issues) and she will be running smoothly. It has worked out well that we have been gone so Kevin can stay on the boat, has free run of the boat, can work on it when he chooses and is the security for the boat. Thanks Kevin!
I might have some pics to post from stuff that was done before we left. I will have to try to find them.
Also I am trying to redo this page so the old stuff is on the other pages and I can't figure it out. So this page may get posted more than once unforturnantly.
Well, here goes. Thanks for sticking with us. More to come in 2013.