SPRING CLEANING THE THUNDERBIRD

We finally have sunshine, which has given me the incentive to carry on with the cleaning of my boat.  

Yesterday, I got the Galley and Salon done.  I even washed all the Venetian blinds (a yucky job at the best of times). 

 This morning, I tackled the forward stateroom "Captain's Quarters"(but he lets me sleep there too) and the en suite bathroom. 

I even got the main "Head"(bathroom) scoured and sparkling.  I really must find a basket for all those toiletries on the counter.     Well that's it until next weekend.  Then I will tackle the "Pilot House", which means 4 more Venetian Blinds.  (Yuck)   And we have to bring a carpet cleaner out to clean that old carpet in there, as we will not be able to get new carpet this year.  Then we will be able to bring in our newly built "Captain's Seat" and install the ice maker etc.  but, that's next weekend.  .   

AT HOME IN BCYC

Here we are safe and sound and at home at our dock in Winnipeg Beach.  It feels so wonderful to be here.  Right now I don't care how long it takes to get the impellers to arrive.  I can not believe that a few short hours ago we were stuck in Gimli Harbour. 

I have always told my children that you can accomplish almost anything, if you set your mind to it. 

Next time I will have to add, that you can accomplish EVERYTHING, "With a little Help from your friends".  Thank you, so much to Sharon & Casey of Loafhaven for getting us here today. 

DIY: WE NEED IMPELLERS

We brought the water pump into town and are looking for impellers for a 1954 - 471 Detroit Diesel.  They shouldn't be to hard to find, Right?

Well, we have Jim Merkley of Wajax Power Systems on the hunt for them.  Hopefully he will be able to find some for us and rush order them. 

Or we will have to find another solution for getting the Thunderbird to BCYC.  I sure don't want to spend my summer in Gimli.

THE LAUNCH OF THE THUNDERBIRD

We went out to the hangar Thursday and set the boat up for summer use.  In the spring and fall in the hangar I use an electric fry pan and kettle, along with a coffee maker as we live on board on work weekends.  At launch time, that all gets put in storage as I set up my gas stove, with kettle, frying pan and percolators.  We put all tools in storage and generally prepped the boat for our launch, with fenders and ropes all rigged and ready.  We took our new Captain's seat out to the lake with us, in the back of the truck, but we did not put it on board and wont until we are at our home dock, where it's a simple walk down the dock and in the side door. So, we are as set as we can be. 

There she is on the trailer and heading out the door of the hangar. 













The Thunderbird always looks huge to me, coming down Center Street in Gimli. 

So, here we are Launched and floating for another year. 

Well, we are launched and floating, but not going very far.  Right off, she wouldn't start.  We figured it was just the batteries, so we charged batteries all day, still no luck.  Then they traced the problem to the starter.  That was the culprit.  So all day Saturday Dan & Sean worked on the starter, removed it, got it working then re-installed it.  Once the engine was running they discovered there was no water flow cooling the engine, so off came the water pump to discover the impellers are shot. 

 

So here we sit in Gimli Harbour, we will take the water pump in to Winnipeg and hopefully we will be able to get new impellers installed and have the pump ready to be installed back on the boat next weekend.  Then we will be off to our home port of Boundary Creek Marina and on with the rest of our Summer. 

DIY: OUR LAST WORK WEEKEND IS DONE

Our last work weekend at the hangar is done.  I have finished my flybridge cover and it is all snapped on and ready to go.  I also got the seat of our new Captain's seat upholstered as well.  Dan did some more painting on the hull.   He also put a new board on our back deck that I can put snaps on for my deck cushions. 

I managed to finish all my rear deck cushions.  I am quite pleased with how they have turned out.  I'm so glad Dan talked me out of the Red & White, or Yellow and White stripes that I was looking for.  Every time we flipped through sample books he would say I like this one and as I didn't find the one I was looking for I decided to defer to his choice and I'm really glad I did.  I really like it.  Now that I have the right sewing machine for the job, I'm going to make a cover for out Dinghy and a Bar-B-Q cover as well.  We launch on Friday.

DIY: CAPTAIN'S SEAT IS ALMOST DONE

We made a lot of progress on our Captain's Seat today.  The hinges were added and the doors were fitted.  Then of course they had to be removed again to add the stain and varnish.  Then we found that the trim we bought was too large so we are on the hunt for some finer trim.  The piece was cut for the seat top, that I will now take with me to the hangar this weekend and upholster it to match my Pilot House couch.  (Yes, I saved some of the fabric from when my daughter and I made the couch.)  We haven't made the backrest for the seat yet, but we will work on that after the boat is in the water.  We need to add the trim and another coat of varnish then we can re-hang the doors and it should be done for now.  I am pleased. 

DIY: WORK & PLAY

I'm falling behind in my blog, as we have been so busy working out at the hangar.  Last weekend our son Ken came out with us to help Dan and we got the whole hull of the boat sanded and prepped.  I got the Tonneau cover for the fly bridge almost completed except for running out of snaps. 

This weekend the hull was completed with two coats of paint and I finished the fly bridge cover and started making my back deck cushions.  I should be able to finish them next weekend.  I still have more sewing to do, (like a cover for our Dinghy, a small tarp for our back deck etc.) but most of it can be done later, as we only have one more work weekend before our launch date of June 1st. 

After our work day we drove up to Gull Harbour Campground for dinner with our daughter Wendy and her husband Murray.  The weather had improved, the sun was shining the meal was wonderful.  As they say in the ads, "It was worth the trip."