Believe's Adventures
| Vessel Name: | BELIEVE |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Morgan 321 |
| Hailing Port: | Salem, KY |
18 October 2013 | Cuba Landing
16 October 2013
25 September 2013 | KDM
16 September 2013
11 August 2013 | KDM
05 May 2013 | KY Dam MArina
Recent Blog Posts
05 May 2013 | KY Dam MArina
Getting the Act Together
It is another gloomy day in the neighborhood. I am so ready for some sunshine. At least during the last couple of weeks we had a few days that were descent. The Admiral and I started our spring cleaning – summerizing - aboard Believe. So far, we have oiled the interior wood, pressure washed the deck, [...]
Countdown
11 August 2013 | KDM
Duke
Counting Down
T Minus 10 Weeks and Counting:
A few weeks ago Diana and I decided to write separate versions of our boating experiences. We felt recording our prospective separately would provide a better understanding of the experiences we shared aboard BELIEVE. Although we still have a couple of months before we plan to start our adventure, we have been working toward our departure for a long time.
We set our sights on this undertaking when we decided to sell our Catalina 27, Sans Souci, and buy BELIEVE. For me, buying BELIEVE was stepping off the deep end. The hull and deck were solid, but this Morgan 32 needed a lot of work. We found her in Panama City, FL and she had not been used in some time. All of the surfaces on the inside of the boat, including the stowage compartments, were covered in mold. And, dealing with the stench that had permeated the waste plumbing added to the challenges.
We had BELIEVE transported by truck from Panama City to the Rottgering Marine boat yard, near Eddyville, KY. There, for more than a year, Diana and I spent most of our spare time cleaning inside and out, stripping and repainting the bottom (that's after adding an epoxy water barrier coating), rewiring the mast and correcting mechanical issues in the steering. Since we put BELIEVE back into the water, project work has been less concerted.
Even so, BELIEVE now has a new cockpit table, and a new set of cockpit cushions. We have also added a dodger, upgraded the traditional head with a composting toilet and replaced the Bimini canvas adding detachable sun shades and bug screens. I have also changed out the old alcohol fueled galley stove for a pressurized kerosene stove. And, we have cleaned the fresh water system to ensure the water is potable.
Currently I am focused on installing a solar panel atop the dodger. With a little luck I might be able to put together enough electrical supply to routinely use our refrigerator.
T Minus 9 Weeks and Counting:
I got off to a good start on installing the solar panel, but found some flaws in my original installation concept. The issue was really simple: because of the panel's boxed edges, if I attached the solar panel directly to the top of the dodger I wouldn't be able to reach underneath to attach the nuts to the mounting bolts.
As slow as I am, it took me a while to come up with a solution. Finally, I have mounted sections of square tubing on the underside of the panel, one section at each corner. Now, each corner has two mounting bolts going up between the tubing and the underside mounting lip of the panel and will have two mounting bolts going down between the tubing and the top of the dodger. The mounting bolts are located close enough to ends of the tubing to allow a wrench to hold the nut for tightening.
Also, the tubing is mounted flush with the ends of the panel. In this location the tubing will prevent the mainsheet or other control lines from snagging the solar panel and possibly ripping it from its mountings.
I still have to mount the solar panel to the dodger and complete the wiring runs. If the weather had been more cooperative, I would have had this project completed this week. Hopefully, I will have this installation completed by this time next week.
T Minus 6 Weeks and Counting:
With all of the running around that Diana and I have been involved in, my progress on the boat projects hasn't been quite as efficient as I had expected. Even so, the jerry rail is ready to be mounted; I mounted cleats on the dinghy - to tie off the finders. Today I cleaned the terminals on both the house battery and the engine starting battery and I pressure-washed the deck. These accomplishments don't sound like much, but with the high heat and humidity we are experiencing I drain out rather quickly; in the last two weeks I have lost seven pounds in fluid weight, and that is a lot of sweat.
All of the need-to-have projects have been completed; at least there is nothing that would stop us from pulling away from the dock. What I am working now are the nice-to-have items; things that should make our time aboard a little less strenuous. BELIEVE is over 30 years old and high traffic areas of the deck have worn making footing less secure; so as a safety improvement, painting applicable areas on the deck with nonskid has been added to the list.
T Minus 10 Weeks and Counting:
A few weeks ago Diana and I decided to write separate versions of our boating experiences. We felt recording our prospective separately would provide a better understanding of the experiences we shared aboard BELIEVE. Although we still have a couple of months before we plan to start our adventure, we have been working toward our departure for a long time.
We set our sights on this undertaking when we decided to sell our Catalina 27, Sans Souci, and buy BELIEVE. For me, buying BELIEVE was stepping off the deep end. The hull and deck were solid, but this Morgan 32 needed a lot of work. We found her in Panama City, FL and she had not been used in some time. All of the surfaces on the inside of the boat, including the stowage compartments, were covered in mold. And, dealing with the stench that had permeated the waste plumbing added to the challenges.
We had BELIEVE transported by truck from Panama City to the Rottgering Marine boat yard, near Eddyville, KY. There, for more than a year, Diana and I spent most of our spare time cleaning inside and out, stripping and repainting the bottom (that's after adding an epoxy water barrier coating), rewiring the mast and correcting mechanical issues in the steering. Since we put BELIEVE back into the water, project work has been less concerted.
Even so, BELIEVE now has a new cockpit table, and a new set of cockpit cushions. We have also added a dodger, upgraded the traditional head with a composting toilet and replaced the Bimini canvas adding detachable sun shades and bug screens. I have also changed out the old alcohol fueled galley stove for a pressurized kerosene stove. And, we have cleaned the fresh water system to ensure the water is potable.
Currently I am focused on installing a solar panel atop the dodger. With a little luck I might be able to put together enough electrical supply to routinely use our refrigerator.
T Minus 9 Weeks and Counting:
I got off to a good start on installing the solar panel, but found some flaws in my original installation concept. The issue was really simple: because of the panel's boxed edges, if I attached the solar panel directly to the top of the dodger I wouldn't be able to reach underneath to attach the nuts to the mounting bolts.
As slow as I am, it took me a while to come up with a solution. Finally, I have mounted sections of square tubing on the underside of the panel, one section at each corner. Now, each corner has two mounting bolts going up between the tubing and the underside mounting lip of the panel and will have two mounting bolts going down between the tubing and the top of the dodger. The mounting bolts are located close enough to ends of the tubing to allow a wrench to hold the nut for tightening.
Also, the tubing is mounted flush with the ends of the panel. In this location the tubing will prevent the mainsheet or other control lines from snagging the solar panel and possibly ripping it from its mountings.
I still have to mount the solar panel to the dodger and complete the wiring runs. If the weather had been more cooperative, I would have had this project completed this week. Hopefully, I will have this installation completed by this time next week.
T Minus 6 Weeks and Counting:
With all of the running around that Diana and I have been involved in, my progress on the boat projects hasn't been quite as efficient as I had expected. Even so, the jerry rail is ready to be mounted; I mounted cleats on the dinghy - to tie off the finders. Today I cleaned the terminals on both the house battery and the engine starting battery and I pressure-washed the deck. These accomplishments don't sound like much, but with the high heat and humidity we are experiencing I drain out rather quickly; in the last two weeks I have lost seven pounds in fluid weight, and that is a lot of sweat.
All of the need-to-have projects have been completed; at least there is nothing that would stop us from pulling away from the dock. What I am working now are the nice-to-have items; things that should make our time aboard a little less strenuous. BELIEVE is over 30 years old and high traffic areas of the deck have worn making footing less secure; so as a safety improvement, painting applicable areas on the deck with nonskid has been added to the list.
Gallery not available
