So much has happened since we returned to Deltaville just over a week ago. Maxwell's parents threw us an awesome "Bon Voyage" party on the 18th. We were so excited to see all of our family and friends that showed up to support us! It was a happening that we will never forget. I hope to have some photos to post on SmugMug soon.

Monday morning came as expected with a long list of "to dos." It is hard to believe that in one week's time we have completed: installation of the life raft, repair of the galley stove, installation of refrigeration, mounting the jerry can rails, upgrading the roller furling blocks, more provisioning and general organization!!

The life raft started as most projects usually do: We thought it wouldn't take too long...and then we always realize, it will. After we decided on placement, the moment of drilling four 3/4" HOLES in our boat was at hand. I let Maxwell do the honors. We then filled the holes with epoxy filler and waited 24hrs to re-drill. We did it this way to make sure that the deck's core would be completely sealed against moisture. Thanks for that tip Ben & Pam on Cricket!! Anastasia has a nice headliner that we took down for this project. After bolting the life raft mounting bracket to the deck house it was time to reinstall the headliner. We found that holding a cordless drill above your head constantly for an excess of 45 minutes makes it exponentially heavier!



This is what lies behind the headliner. The bolts for the bracket were well hidden once we replaced the panel.



Finally, we have a brand new Avon 4 person offshore life raft complete with a hydrostatic release! So, in the event that the boat were to sink so quickly we could not deploy the life raft, it will automatically release once submerged by a few feet. Nice feature that I hope to never use! Maxwell made the comment that somehow Anastasia looks more "hard core" now we have fitted the life raft. I said, "heck yeah she does, rock and roll!"

To see the rest of the life raft installation photos check out the SmugMug gallery "New Life Raft."

I think that I mentioned in a previous blog entry that our galley oven has never worked for us. I love to cook so this just would not do! On this job we rallied my Dad for the fix. It took him an afternoon to diagnose the bum thermostat and another week for the part to arrive. Armed with the right tools and replacement parts he fixed the stove in a few days. Not only does my oven ignite and maintain temperature, the burners on the stove top now self-ignite where they didn't before. He did a top notch job! Thanks Daddy!

Another project we had my Dad help with was the refrigeration installation. It went so smoothly in only a day and a half! Once we chose a location for the condenser, we ran the copper lines, mounted the evaporator inside the box, and ran the wiring. We went with the Adler Barbour Cold Machine unit. As far as boat projects go, this was pretty easy and simple. I now have ice!! Cocktail time!!



Here is the converted ice box. We now have almost 4 cubic feet of refrigeration bliss! Bring on the cold stuff!



Here is the condensing unit. We chose to put it under the galley counter. I gave up two drawers so that it would have a well ventilated spot. Fellow Cruisers know that this is a big sacrifice. To see the rest of the refrigeration photos check out our SmugMug gallery "Installing Refrigeration."

We had planned on adding boards on the forward deck, mounted to the stanchions to serve as a securing place for the jerry jugs, one on each side. Most cruising boats have this setup in one way or another. We happened to see a Tayana 37 with a great idea for these boards. They used the recycled plastic decking boards that you can get at any home improvement store. We went to Lowes and found a nice brown one, 16' in length, 8' for each side. This product will do well in this application because these boards endure a lot of wear and tear. No sanding or varnish needed! Definitely a plus!

We haven't been totally happy with the roller furling. It has been really hard to furl the sail. We decided to upgrade to stanchion mounted blocks for the line. This will make pulling in the sail much easier as we have almost eliminated all friction. When Maxwell was installing one of the new blocks on the pullpit he somehow dropped the block. It disappeared instantly into the cold water and sank to the bottom of the creek-bed below our slip. In an effort to save $30 he went for a swim. He donned his bathing suit that had been packed away for warmer waters and a snorkel mask. I was impressed, he found it on his second try! Funnier is that neighbors a few boats down dropped their keys into the water a few hours later and Maxwell volunteered to go back in! He found them on about the eighth try, and as a thank you they gave him a bottle of rum!! Woo Hoo!! Needless to say, a wetsuit is now on the list.

One thing that we have noticed upon our return to Deltaville is the cruiser population out in Jackson Creek. It is such a great place to anchor and we have even run into a few boats we met in Annapolis. One night we were invited to visit Wendy & Dave on Elysium, a Westsail 42. They gave us some great pointers on the Bahamas. Right about now they are waiting for a weather window to make the jump from Norfolk to Bermuda. The following night we entertained Steve & Kirsten and their two little ones, Emma and Maddie from Hook, a Morris 30. They left Maine in July and are heading for the Bahamas like us. I love cruising! Everyone is an instant friend...it is a great group from which to belong!

This week we are trying to finish up the last of the equipment installations. Saturday, the 31st is our last day here at Deltaville Marina. It has been a great summer here but it is time to move out! We are going to spend about a week in the area swinging on the hook after we leave the marina and then start our journey South. This is a week or two late by our original plans but, considering the obstacles we have overcome this summer, we are pleased with our progress.