SOME BOATS ARE LAUNCHED ALREADY

The ice was still solid on the lake, when we were there on the weekend, but a couple of boats have been launched at the beach already.  Glen Wright has launched "For Now", (always the first boat in the harbour).  I'm sure he will start living on board immediately, Glen is always anxious to get the season started.  Marge Homenick's "Teddy Two", has also been launched.  I guess this is the official start of Boundary Creeks boating season. 

 The rest of us with larger vessels are still waiting for that damned ice to clear out of Gimli Harbour and off of the lake as we all have to be launched in Gimli and make the 12 mile cruise down the lake to get to Boundary Creek Marina.  Even though Dan and I, have a steel hulled boat, I don't much feel like playing "Titanic" with icebergs on the lake. 

AND SO WE KEEP OURSELVES BUSY  AND PRAY FOR HOT WEATHER

 



THE TO DO LISTS ARE GETTING SHORTER

Well, we are finished work weekend #3 and we are assessing our to do list to see what are the "has to be done" items and what can be postponed till later.  




My canvas sewing projects for this year are completed.  I finished the dinghy cover on our second work weekend.  And the run-off cover and the Bar-B-Q cover, were easily completed on this our third work weekend. 

So, next weekend I will move on to my upholstering tasks.  I still need to re-upholster my navigators stool and complete the back rest for the Captain's seat.  The back rest requires assistance from Dan as there is carpentry involved.  So, I'll see if he can fit me in amongst his other tasks. 

I also want to make some more custom fitted sheets for our custom made mattress in the forward stateroom.  The other sewing projects I have are much simpler and should go quickly. And some of these jobs might even wait until after our launch if time runs out. 

Dan's fibre glassing is finished as well, and he re-installed those taps and also finished some of those oil and grease projects I mentioned earlier, so now he will move on to the yearly painting.   


We give the old girl a new touch up on her paint job almost every year.  

SO THAT WAS OUR WEEKEND. 

 

 

WORK WEEKEND #3

We have picked up most of our project supplies;
canvas, wood,  taps, bungee cord, etc. and we are getting back at it for another weekend of working on the boat.
 


As usual, we will hit the road Friday morning and work on through Sunday.  I've also planned another crock pot meal, as last weekend's turned out so well, and was really convenient.  This weekend it's going to be a nice big pot roast with vegetables.  Yum 


No internet at the hangar, so I will blog again when I get home on Sunday. 

DIY: MORE CANVAS TO BE SEWN

Well, I have some more canvas to be sewn this weekend.

When we started this spring.  I had three major projects to complete.  The main project was the tarp/cover for our dinghy.  That's the biggest project and the most complicated.  I managed to get that completed last weekend and the dinghy is back up on the roof of the boat.  Thank goodness that's done. 

Now, I have to make a simple run-off cover to protect the new back deck cushions that I made last year. 

And last and simplest of all I need to make a cover for our on-board Bar-B-Q that Dan installed last summer.   These projects will not be too complicated, but I'm anxious to get on with them. 

 

Then there are also a couple of interior upholstery projects on my list.  And it turns out that my fabric has been discontinued, (after all it's only been 10 years since I started my upholstering lol ) so I am going to have to improvise and made do with what I have on hand.  As usual, we will figure out something, but those problems can be put off until after launch if needs be.   (See, that's how it got to be 10 years)

 

Dan is also very busy with his list.  His list involves fibre glassing, oil changing, grease cups, packings and all kinds of other things that he keeps explaining to me and I don't really understand.  But, anyways he's very busy.  And this weekend he has the added chore of re-installing those new taps, that replace the ones that broke last weekend.   

 

 

THE SOONER ALL THE PROJECTS ARE FINISHED THE SOONER WE CAN LAUNCH.

 

 

 

OUR TO DO LISTS ARE GETTING LONGER

We have our to do list as a guide line, but as much as you make lists, things that are not on your list, always arise.   So we have added things to our to do lists. 

This week I had to add new taps to my list.  My son Ken re plumbed my en Suite bathroom on the boat, with new water lines and new taps.  Everything was finished beautifully then we noticed a small drip coming from under one of the taps, and as we were tightening it, the damned tap broke.

 They are a small set of RV taps, so this week I will be on the hunt for a new set.  Standard household ones will not work because of the limited space.  So, as usual two steps forward and one step back. 

I made a good start on my sewing though.  I got my dinghy cover completed, except for the bungee cord around the edge, which I didn't have with me.  That has also been added to my to do list.  Find 8 meters of good quality bungee cord. 

Dan also made great progress on his bow repairs as well.  It still wasn't very warm in the hangar, but hopefully the fibre glassing will be fully set up by the time we get back next Friday. 

And in case anyone is wondering, that crock pot Orange Chicken recipe turned out great.  If anyone saved it off of Facebook like I did, give it a try.  You'll like it. 

SO, A FEW THINGS CROSSED OFF THE TO DO LISTS AND A FEW MORE ADDED.   

 

 

WORK WEEKEND #2

Well, the tools and the cooler are packed again and we are off to our second work weekend at the hangar.  This weekend, I should be able to get some of my sewing done.  Hopefully we will also be able to cross a few more things off of our to do lists.  Our son Ken is coming with us as he is going to do a plumbing job I have on my list. 

I am taking my crock pot with me this weekend.  that will take care of one meal with very little work.  I'm going to try that great looking Orange Chicken recipe that was on Facebook this week.   

I will also take some pre-made burgers with me.  That should do the trick and keep us fed with out too much hassle.  

So I will be working on my canvas cover and Dan is still working on his bow repairs.  Once this weekend is finished we only have 3 more, ( the 10th, 17th and 24th) so the push is on. 

We will also try to book our launch date, while we are there this weekend. 

That's the plan.  But, as everyone knows, the best laid plans always go awry.  So, we will see what happens. 

WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH

I didn't get as much done as I had hoped, but I did get a lot of stuff sorted out on the boat and I'm ready for a big push next weekend.  I have a very long list of things that I have discovered I need to pick up for our work projects.  I have discovered I don't have enough Blue and Green plaid upholstery fabric.  I was sure I had lots, but it turns out, no matter which way I turn what I have, it's not wide enough for my new back rest.  The length is good but the width is not.  Oh, well, I have to go back to the suppliers anyway, I also found I am a little short of canvas as well. 

At least we got my Sewing Machine all set up and ready to go, for next weekend. 

Dan has completed the generator, it is now running perfectly.  So that can be put away and crossed off our to do list.  Thanks Sean, for all your assistance.  Dan also made some good headway on the bow repairs as well. 




I think I will pre-make some meals for next weekend.  Stopping to cook takes too much time away for chores.  Even cleaning up and going out to eat takes away from work time as well, so I'll give some thought to that for next weekend. 

I GUESS IT WAS A GOOD FIRST WEEKEND