John is in Seattle working full time to get the boat ready for the summer's cruising schedule. In addition to the normal maintenance, the boat is getting some hull blisters taken care of (which means the hull paint will have to be touched up), a new refrigeration system, some modifications to the anchoring system, maybe some additional cabin heat, and a bow thruster! Polar Mist is currently in the yard at CSR in Ballard. The combination of hull work and Seattle's famous wet weather has necessitated building a tent around the boat to keep things dry.

The photo is of a 10-inch aluminum tube that is being welded into the hull. A 15 HP 24 volt Side Power bow thruster should make docking and maneuvering much easier!