A Waiting Game

The weather here in Ft Lauderdale has fallen into a predictable pattern, very cool upon waking up (40 something), warming up through the day to a great sunny afternoon, (60's or 70's) and then cooling slowly through the night. I am slowly working on my tan, no mom, I am not using sunblock, but yes, I am limiting my time in the sun. Suprisingly I have yet to burn, and maybe I just might be a light brown when I get back north.

Yesterday after walking Spook and a couple of cups of java, Tom took me out and about to get a few errands done and to get some supplies at West Marine. I finally found some liquid caulk, and just in time to do the caulking on the chainplate job. We hit a used book store, they had a great selection of authors I enjoy, but, they were a bit more pricey than I had expected. Oh well, seems like everything in Ft Lauderdale is more pricey than I am used to. Tom took me by a great Irish pub for lunch, Waxy O'Connors, and even though it seems to be a franchise, (they have them in Miami and a few other towns) the waitstaff was predominantly Irish, and a few of the customers sounded like they had just come out of the bog. They had a great Shepards Pie, and after a glass of two of Bass (Guinness is just a bit too stout for me) we made our way back to the house and it was time for boat work again.

The caulk I got was liquid polysulfide, and it is the perfect caulk to do the job on the chain plates. Being a liquid, it flows into every crevice, and does not have to be forced into holes the way typical caulk does. Polysulfide bonds to everything, is flexible, and can be sanded once dry. It can also be painted over, which most caulks resist. The only draw back to it is that it can take 3-4 days to dry, and I usually do not have that kind of time with the projects I get involved in to wait on caulk to dry for days. This time I have the time, and this is definitely the application for it, so it all fits into place. I also did a bit more bright work (varnishing) yesterday, the companionway hatch was showing a bit of wear, as was the aft hatch, so I did a light sanding and gave them 2 coats of Cetol, I think when I get back up north I will sand them all the way down, re caulk the joints, and refinish them completely.

Sven came by later yesterday with a guy whos boat that is tied up behind his, I am terrible with names, truly, but I think his name is Matt (might be Mark) and he comes from up near Chicago. He is in a 28 foot Beneteau that he had shipped from Chicago to here for the remainder of the winter and into the spring. I hopped a ride back over to Sven's boat with them, it had been a few days since I had been over, and we talked about, what else, sailing. Elias was there, and it was kind of a gathering of sailors for the everning. Sven had told Matt that I was heading over to Bimini in a few days, and if we can get it all worked out, now there may be 3 boats making the trip. I am going to go back over there and discuss that a bit more this morning with Matt.

I recieved a comment this morning from Lynda in Arizona, the woman that I had met the first night I was in Ft Lauderdale, she and her boyfriend came aboard for a bit and had marvelled at my boat and how I am out and about on her. Thanks for writing Lynda, glad you made it back to Arizona ok, and I hope you keep reading.

Today will be a bit of painting, more clean up, and planning for the Bimini crossing. If all goes well and the weather cooperates, looks like Tuesday may be the day.