We're now in the home stretch. I did our taxes this morning and then cleaned out the bilge around lunch time. Both jobs that fall under the yuck area of life. Taxes were not to bad and the bilge had just a bit of water and no oil so that's an improvement.

I finally got our navigation(Nobeltec)software up and running after the tech support people through up their hands in frustration at the way the computer(or software more like it) was behaving. There was no way to unload a permit I'd bought from them for the South Pacific region of charts and the first tech support guy I'd talked to had invalidated the permit so that even though I'd bought it and installed it legally, there was no way for it to run and there was no way to get it out of the computer so I could reinstall a new unlock permit. They'd never run into that problem before. In the end, I uninstalled the program and all it's charts and reinstalled it with the same unlock permits I'd used earlier and it worked out fine. Now we have our Garmin as well as our Nobeltec up and running plus all the paper charts to cover the area we expect to be seeing over the next few years.

We had a refrigeration specialist come out and check our system(appointment at 1700, arrived at 1820) since we thought our freezer and frig should be getting cooler. The freezer is down to 23 degrees and the frig is at 40. Not bad, but they have been colder. I pretty much stay out of the freezer anymore. I used to go in daily to get ice cubes but as long as drinks stay in the frig, a cool one is ok. It doesn't have to be cold. I also got a haircut this afternoon. It's got to last me for a while. Tracy got hers cut a few days ago.

So far, since we got here to Bandaras Bay, we've done the following. At least what the memory can remember.
Take apart and rebuild the roller furling system.
Strip all the varnish off the teak side of the hull and then coat with two coats of teak oil and sealer(from Boatlife). Does more than just oil, it actually seals up the teak so it looks better longer.
Have the rigging retuned. It's been almost two years and 8,000 miles since we had it replaced.
Replaced the raw water pump on the engine and had the old one rebuilt as a spare.
Take apart the hydraulic steering and have new hoses made. Then bleed the system of air.
Take off all the anchor chain and wash and add on an additional 90 feet of chain.
Clean and wax the entire hull and top sides.
Take apart and relube the windlass.
Install 34 mast steps on the mast.
Change the oil in the engine.
Replace the diesel filters(set of three). The primary twice and bleed the system of air. The engine won't work if you don't bleed the air out of the fuel lines.
Changed the "pencil" zinc in the engine. Old one was worn out.
Replaced the "Joker" valve in the stern head. This required taking the entire toilet out of the boat.
Take apart and rebuilt the Aqua Drive unit between the transmission and the propeller shaft. The old one had come apart(at 0300) on our trip south from San Carlos back in early December.
Paint unsides of new hatch lids on the stern. Had them made in San Carlos.
Check fluid levels and refill batteries--twice since we got here.
Re wire lamp in stern cabin.
Plumb the forward head to the fresh water tanks instead of using sea water when we flush. Should make it smell better. Sea water stinks in a head.
Change oil in Honda generator.
Change oil and transmission oil in Mercury out board motor.
Change zinc on propeller.
Cleaned out and inventoried everything under the stern berth. Boy do we have a lot of stuff buried down there.
Sewed a patch on the Genoa sail. Had a small hole in it.
Finished installation of Spectra water maker.
Replace pads under engine that catch oil from the engine.
Water proof the dodger.
Washed and lubed every block on the boat.
Washed every piece of clothing and bedding on board--some twice.
Several trips to Puerto Vallarta to Sam's, Walmart and Costco for more supplies and provisions for the next four months. Foods not cheap here but it's lots more expensive out there.

That's all the memory comes up with off the top of my head. There's lots more little jobs but they are too numerous to list. As you can see, we've been VERY busy since we got here. It's far from lounging around and sitting back and reading books(unless they are manuals).

Tomorrow, back to Puerto Vallarta(a 45 minute bus ride) to see the local chandlary so see if my diesel filters have come in as well as buying new hose for the stern head. Old ones are beginning to smell.

For our next journey, everything has to be checked and made sure it is in perfect order. And even then, we know things will fail. It's what a boat does.

With luck and the Weather Gods, we will be off this Saturday, or Sunday, or maybe Monday at the latest.

The picture is of our teak with all the old varnish stripped off. What a difference it has made.
Stay tuned.