05/10/2006, Pt. Richmond, CA
This morning we finished up getting the rigging ready for bringing down the mast. We didn't have too much, disconnect the wires under the base of the mast in the salon (what a jumbled mess they are and nothing labeled - we will fix that) We also spent time (Rick mostly) in the stern cockpit locker. Took pretty much everything out and found some things we thought came with the boat but had not located like the folding ladder for the side of the boat. That turned out to be a really nice find as it is in great shape and with a little elbow grease will look brand new.
Just after lunch they were ready for us. It was pretty cool how they hooked the mast up to the crane and then removed all the standing rigging carefully bring it all to the mast and securing it before removing the bolts holding the mast to the deck. I should have been really nervous as I stayed out of everyone's way taking pictures, but this is a great yard with really experienced workers and I wasn't in the least bit concerned (I know a first for me who worries about everything).
Once the mast was off and on the hard, Mike and Rick did an inspection and discussed the work needing to be done. Mast is in great shape, but the rigging was definitely ready for replacing.
Tomorrow we will continue doing our projects in and around the work the yard will be doing for us. Should have a better time line in the next day or so.
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05/09/2006, Pt. Richmond, CA
I didn't sleep all that well last night as I kept going over and over in my mind just how we were going to be moving the boat over to KKMI in the morning. Never having had our boat towed, or even seeing one done made the prospect a little scary to say the least.
We drove over to KKMI at the appointed hour to meet Mike who was going to take us back to our marina in the boat (ridged bottom inflatable with 150 hp motor) we would use to tow Whisper's Echo back. Since it was just the three of us for this operation, Mike, Rick and me there are no pictures to document this event. But, and I thank God, there wasn't much to see after Mike successfully pulled Whisper's out of her slip and Rick managed to climb aboard just in the nick of time by grabbing a hold of the bow pulpit rail and pulling himself up and over. (That really was the only worthwhile photo op but I needed to be in the stern and had my hands full with steering).
Once Mike had towed us into the open estuary, we moved the tow line from the stern of the boat to the bow. After that it was a very slow tow back around the corner from Marina Bay to the Richmond Marina where KKMI is located. Once there we again changed the tow ropes to bring Mikes boat just along the port side of the bow and he just powered her back and we came neatly along side the dock.
Rick and I spent the rest of the day getting all the lines ready for pulling the mast which we think should happen sometime tomorrow. We labeled all the running rigging, disconnecting and bringing all the lines to the mast. We removed the whisker poll, the main boom and the staysail boom carefully securing them to the deck. Rick also began the job of loosening the standing rigging, just enough to be sure all the bolts would turn. We were lucky none of them were frozen and required soaking to break free. Day One Done.
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05/08/2006, Marina Bay - Richmond CA
Boat work has started! After spending 5 days at the April boat show we made arrangements to have Whisper's Echo hauled tomorrow at the boat yard just around the corner from the Marina we are in. They will replace all the standing rigging, replace the thru hulls, scrape and paint the bottom along with a growing list of items.
So we have been up here at the boat getting her cleaned up and doing some small projects. Yes, I am now 2 for 0 in the measuring department. First was the new stove which was too big for the space I had measured and required an enormous amount of work by hubby hero Rick to get installed (I did offer to send it back and get the smaller 2 burner model). Next I measured for the new sink faucet in the head and went to Home Depot and purchased what I thought would be a perfect fit..NOT. Poor hubby could not make this fit like he did the stove. We went to the local marine store and found a fixture made for the head, and I told Rick I would get it, but it was really pretty cheap looking and ordinary and he said no we would find a really nice one to fit. Back to Home Depot we went with new measurements (Rick's) and found something even better and back at the boat it fit! Course underneath we (Rick) had some work getting it all installed and what I thought would be an easy to do install became a 3 1/2 hour job. I do have pictures, but I forgot to pack the camera cord so I can't download. I'll post pictures of the haul out when we get back to San Jose in a week or so.
We are actually staying in Oakland while we are working on the boat, thanks to friends Gail and Colleen and their wonderful guest cottage!!! If we haven't said it enough yet girls - THANK YOU!!!
Well that's it for right now. Will write more in the next couple of days as the work progresses.
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