March 25

An update on the preparations for the upcoming voyage to the Pacific isles. We have been making good progress lately on repairs and maintenance. We have completed engine prep (oil/filter change, fuel filters cleaned and new elements) and had the bottom painted with anti-fouling paint, had the generator engine rebuilt (she's running smoothly now and starts first time every time, but the voltage output is off, but it should be easily adjusted).

Kate has been recoating the exterior woodwork with more Cetol (a varnish-like paint) and has been provisioning the boat. I have completed several tasks including installing some steps on the mast for sighting coral heads in shallow water, pad-eyes on the main boom for rigging a preventer, replaced the Plexiglas cover on one of our dorade vents (which was ripped off in December by a flailing mainsheet) and installed a new port side bow light (thanks to Paul St. Pierre for bringing that light from the states on his visit) and many other equally noteworthy tasks.

We still have quite a long list to complete in the next week. Tomorrow we are bringing the boat over to the yard to have a small tear in our bow-pulpit welded, then I will work on adjusting the generator speed to correct the frequency and voltage. In the afternoon we are going into town to try to find mason jars - I want to make a mess of chili and can it for later. Plus we are going to purchase the Johnson 8hp 2-cycle as a replacement for our Honda 5 4-stroke. We wanted a 4-stroke for environmental reasons and general ease of use (no mixing oil and gas). But the only one available down here - the Honda - is not available NOW. Plus we want more power and the Honda 8hp 4-stroke is about 20lbs too heavy for our dinghy. The Johnson 8hp is about 27lbs LIGHTER then the Honda 4-stroke 8hp. Its even 3 lbs lighter.