On the Hard in West Palm Beach

Getting ready to pull DW.

Getting ready to pull DW.

Double Wide is “On the Hard” at Cracker Boy Boat Works in West Palm Beach (technically we’re in Riviera Beach, but who’s counting?) I have a number of projects to do before we can sit back and start enjoying the cruising life. Here are a few items on my list:

  1. New Bottom Paint: 1st coat went on today!
  2. Wax the hulls: Partially completed today. 
  3. Install a new KVH Satellite Antenna (how else am I going to catch the Spurs games???): Done!
  4. Replace the Refrigeration compressor and cold plate: Oops. When installing the BRAND NEW cold plate, I manage to crack a weld in the feed line and lost charge on the plate. I had to pull it back out and take it to the shop to have it repaired. Hopefully I’ll get this back and installed on Thursday. 
  5. Double Wide coming out of the water.

    Double Wide coming out of the water.

    Replace the generator head (that’s the part that the engine spins to create electricity). This is a “Surprise” project that I discovered when I got to the boat this week!: Generator Head is ordered and I’ll pull the generator out of it’s compartment on Tuesday to perform the repair. 

  6. Install new generator muffler and exhaust water separator: I got the new muffler, but can’t find the gen-sep part in stock anywhere. I’ll go ahead and install the water outlet and order the gen-sep to be installed later. Muffler will go in while the generator is out of the compartment. 
  7. One of the incredible Maxi's before they pulled it out of the water.

    One of the incredible Maxi’s before they pulled it out of the water.

    Install Simrad forward scanning transducer.

  8. Repair depth/speed thru hull: Done! 
  9. Replace the shower sump pump for the port shower.
  10. Integrate InReach with eBoatcard.com: Done – and very cool! My Active Captain friends can now see me on their AC map when I’m close by! 
  11. Patch a leak in the Dinghy: Some knucklehead at Sunset Bay Marina snubbed the dinghy up incorrectly and it rubbed a bare spot and caused a leak. I found and prepped the site today. I’ll install the patch tomorrow. 
  12. Tune the Dinghy Outboard.
  13. Change the Oil in all three engines and in the Sail Drives.
  14. Seven 72 foot Racers in the yard with us. They're all waiting for a ship to pick them up and take them to the Caribbean for a winter race series.

    Seven 72 foot Racers in the yard with us. They’re all waiting for a ship to pick them up and take them to the Caribbean for a winter race series.

    Various Gel Coat patches

  15. Anything else, Michelle???

We pulled the boat last Friday in a steady rain and 30+ knot winds. The cold, wet, and wind have slowed us down a bit, but we had fantastic weather today and should have another good day tomorrow so I think we’ll be ready to go back in the water on Thursday or Friday.

Next up: We’re headed down to Miami Beach so that I can attend a business meeting during the first week of February.