Work on the boat is progressing albeit slowly.

One of the 8 batteries on board has tested defective, so I drove up to Ft.Pierce to exchange it for a new one.

The riggers have arrived and are in the process of re-assembling our mast c/w the new rear stay which will be used as the antennae for our new Single Side Band (SSB) radio.

The radio has been tested and a radio antennae tuner has been installed. We await a customized mahogany enclosure to be built to allow for the radio installation.

Stainless Steel bows have been ordered to accommodate the solar panels on top of the bimini.

The entire bottom of the boat has been scraped and sanded, primed and painted with anti-fouling paint which contains a biocide to minimize algae growth. I was surprised to learn that the paint costs $400 USD per gallon, and we'll use seven gallons.

The prop has been polished and painted with another special covering to prevent barnacle build-up as has the bow thruster.

Louise has completed an initial cleaning of the exterior of the boat, but will wait until after the mast has been installed before completing her final assault on the deck.

We are living in a lovely home 3 blocks from the marina which we share with the owner, Peter Adams, who is a professional golfer who spends his summers in Connecticut, and winters in Florida.

The house across the street is currently for sale, and with the real estate market in Florida in turmoil, the asking price for a 3 bedroom home c/w 7 appliances, 2 bathrooms, and double car garage is $120K.

Louise and I are going to view it tomorrow.