Saturday, June 28, 2014

The More Water The Better

 You don't realize the 'type' of people that hang out on the water. There are several, but the best part of all, is we all have this yearning, this yearning to be by the water, on the water, in the water, as long as it says water after it, thats where we want to be, the more water the better. 
  For the most part, we are all the same, it doesn't matter how much money you have, it doesn't matter how old you are, it doesn't matter where you are from, it all just doesn't matter. The size of your boat only means you have to pay bigger dock fees. We all smile and talk about boat stuff. 
  This weekend we are going to get in the dinghy, and row around the marina, like everyone else does, and say Hi to the neighborhood. Everyone sits topside, and chat as we go by. It goes all day, and sometimes, after dark.
  Really, the only difference is Sailing Vessel, or stinky Power boats. But really, that doesn't matter either, not when your on the water.
bunkmate

Friday, June 27, 2014

UN~Chemically

We have pretty much settled in. The Marina is pretty nice, The people are really great too.  Most of the Marinas have live aboards. They space us out pretty good, I think it is for our sanity, as well as security. While chatting with most of the people around here, they have not locked their boats for over 3 years, for live aboards. I am pretty sure the boats that don't get visited every day, should be locked. The gate has to have a key going in, and out. 
 I have only seen one man going through the trash. And downtown, never, we spent some time downtown yesterday, at the farmers market. and I didn't see any vagrancy at all. 
  The Farmers market was pretty fun, the market is pet free, no pets aloud, so Roxi~n~Sailor had to sit in the car when the Cap'n got there. There was alot to see, but there is nothing like a carrot that 'just got picked this morning'. and the flavors, oh they are so un~chemically. The best part is you can eat them right now, you don't have to wait and wash them when you get home. Which is like a block away, from the marina. 
This, right here, right now, is pretty awesome.


bunkmate

Monday, June 23, 2014

We Made It Home

  Home is where your anchor drops. 
  We made it to Benicia around 2pm'ish. What an awesome ride. we had the wind at our back, with an apposing tide. We were pretty happy with the whole trip. We had to wait till 9am to get some fuel for the ride down river to Benicia. Wow it was beautiful. There wasn't too many boats on the water for a Saturday morning. The weather was perfect. Just enough of a breeze to keep a slight wind at your back, and cool enough for me to be able to only wear 1 layer of sun protection. The kiddz had a ball too. They just wandered around, slept, and just checked everything out.
This is where we plan to spend some quality time with each other, and get familiar with Cerridwen, before the leap.
 So get comfy, this ride has just began.
bunkmate


Friday, June 20, 2014

The Naming of Cerridwen

There is a story to why we chose to do the Re~naming ceremony when we did.



First of all, Cerridwen is the goddess of the 'Honey Moon' . She symbolizes Inspiration and Transformation.
  Cap'n Carey had a gal come into his work, that makes wine with the name Cerridwen, to ship a couple of bottles to have them tested. They started talking and our Cap'n told her about our Cerridwen, and asked if he could purchase a couple of bottles, and she said she had only about 50 bottles left from her 2010 Pinot Noir, and she would see. So when they chatted again she said she would love to bring the bottles by the boat and see her.
 We launched on Thursday the 12th, not Friday the 13th, So that was the rising, FULL Honey Moon. And that day she said she would bring them by in the afternoon. Well she got busy and forgot the time, and said she would bring it in the evening. She got to the boat around 8:3o. She told us that every grape in these bottles were hand picked, de~stemmed, crushed, and everything, by her two hands. It was her first attempt at making wine. She purchased the rights to a small vineyard, with Pinot Noir grapes. She hadn't made it before, so it was a new experience for her. She literally poured herself into these grapes. She did it all by herself. Everything.
  She was a very down to earth lady.
  The bottles were only $5o.oo so we got two. After she left we were glad we decided not to tell her we are going to pour her wine on the bow of the boat. I am sure she wouldn't not sell them to us. But all the same, I didn't want to hurt her feelings either.
  We decided to do the ceremony during the rising of the Honey Moon. It was perfect.
 We have another bottle, we intend on partaking of this one.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Maiden Voyage

  We have been chatting about when to do our 'maiden voyage' with SV/Cerridwen. Well yesterday the Cap'n called and said that he was thinking of taking her out when he got home from work. He needed to change the oil, so the oil will be nice and warm. When he got home, the wind was still blowing pretty good, so he kabashed the deal. Then right after that the wind died down, and the Cap'n said 'lets do this' and we stripped the windows off, and the wind picked up again, and kabash. So I started to think about dinner down below, and the Cap'n stuck his head down and said 'ok this time for real'. We stripped the windows again, and threw the lines overboard and took the hell off. Haha not really, we did untie her, and got underway towards the mouth of the marina. The Cap'n was awesome. We went out, down river a little bit, and back, into the marina to out spot at the end of the dock. We had a blast.
  The water was pretty calm, the tide was high. You can't get to the marina at low tide, there is a berm right at the entrance. When you go out, at high tide, you have to stay in the middle, and head left out the entrance. Then coming back, you have to come in from the right. There is an older Cap'n across the dock from us, that ran aground on his way out the other day. He got a good laugh out of it too.
  So the maiden voyage went very well, everything went smooth, until I missed the swing line on the dock, that goes through the the deck onto a cleat. It wasn't no big deal, except everything went smooth till then. The kiddz had a blast getting out too.
  The whole thing stemmed from having to warm up the oil to change it. I'm not sure what happens at your place, but here, if the engine is warm, you might as well go for a putt.
  The Cap'n got the oil changed, while I got the cockpit back in order.
  Our Maiden Voyage wasn't very far, but I will tell you what, there is nothing like taking off, just the two of us, on a voyage. Continuing our adventures, together.
bunkmate


Monday, June 16, 2014

Pre ~ Post

  There were a few things that we had to get done, to get on with our adventures, that didn't get covered very well, time tables, and boat life kept them from being completed. So I want to make a couple of blogs and cover some of those things.
  The launch was alot different than I thought it would be. Instead of being in the sling, we were actually lifted from a flat trailer. It was pretty trick how they tilted the heads of the 'arms', fit like a glove, and all of them acted as one to lift it straight up. I tried not to take a bunch of pictures because the guys were trying to avoid the camera. They did an awesome job hanging out while the Cap'n went aboard and made sure all the the through holes weren't leaking, and the stuffing box was dribbling a little, but that means he didn't over tighten the Rudder. The Cap'n had the tools all ready, anticipitating the need to tighten the stuffing box a little. They backed her straight in.
  There is really no feeling like the anticipation of a smooth launch. All the times you dreamt of this exact moment. All the times you thought of all the things that needed to be done pre~launch, and all the things you need to be doing during the launch, and then all the post launch things that need to be done after the launch. That feeling when everything went just as anticipated. No surprises.
  The next morning Duke and Doug, with Cruising Sea Services, came out with their tanks. Cleaned the fuel, and pressure washed the inside of the tanks with the fuel. It was quite interesting how they processed the fuel through filters.   And it was under $350.00. That is including the filters, and his travel time. It only took a couple of hours. We only have 4" of fuel in the tank right now. Doug said that the tanks can only condensate on the walls of an empty tank. It is better to run with a full fuel tank, less condensation.
  We will be moving this Saturday, over to Benicia.
bunkmate

Friday, June 13, 2014

Fired Right Up


  We are in the water, safe and sound. No leaks anywhere!! I thought they were going to lift us in the slings, while we finished the bottom patches that the stands left, but they didn't, they have a trailer that they back under you, and the arms come up from the trailer. Something new.
 We left the kiddz aboard for the launch. Roxi was a little panicked at first, but I talked to her and stayed in her line of sight, and she was fine. Sailor was fine once Roxi relaxed.
We had them tow us over to the guest dock. She was pretty lopsided at first, but we moved stuff around, and balanced her right out. We had Duke come out and polish the tanks and filter the diesel for us. Then Cap'n Carey turned the key and, vroom, fired right up!!
All the preparation that the Cap'n had us do, 2 years ago, was totally worth it. Not a question in his mind about it firing right up. And it did. 
  Today we went over to Benicia Marina, and they do have a few live~aboard slips available. We took our little map out on the docks to look at the slips, and we have decided that slip # E192 will be the best slip for our needs quite nicely. The facilities on that side of the marina are quite nice. They have 2 shower stalls, and 2 toilets, and a washer, that costs $1.25, and a dryer that is only $1.00, and the same for the mens restrooms. We will be moving over there next week.
  We are so happy to be able to live our dream.
bunkmate

Monday, June 9, 2014

Thursday Splash

  This is the last 'hurry~up~and~wait'. We launch this thursday. So we spent this weekend getting the wires, hoses, washers, screws, pliers, wrenches, hose clamps, through holes, grease, etc. all in place, making sure nothing is going to leak, the engine will run, the everything is where it is supposed to be. Today I will be going thru the closets, (again) and cabinets to get all the life vests etc. ready. With all the construction going on, somehow all kinds of dirt has landed in some pretty odd places. I will have time for dirt later. The Cap'n had time to give her a good brushing with her bath. With the Sheer strip and Rub rail done, we won't have to worry about the fenders rubbing on the sides. 

 While checking the engine Cap'n Carey noticed a nice big crack in the 'exhaust mixing elbow'. Luckily Napa Marina is a Yanmar dealer. Hopefully that was the only thing that could happen, would happen. The part plus gasket, will be here before we launch, if not, we will just have to wait at the dock, because we WILL be in the water. WOOP WOOP
bunkmate

Monday, June 2, 2014

One More Roller Coaster Ride

Everything is sanded, and sanding everything put away. We are almost through the painting phase. We have a schedule that we have to meet.
 The sheer stripe just put the sparkle in her eyes. All the credit for the Sheer Stripe/Rub Rail all goes to the Cap'n. She is so beautiful.
 Now time to get the Diesel cleaned, Dusty is coming out on the 12th, or 13th. The first thing after getting in the water, and now make sure the diesel is properly filtered, and the 'guck' off the bottom, getting mixed in. I guess he will probably go through 4+filters. We have decided to plug the through hole for the old transducer, until we know if we want to put something there.  The method he uses, uses elevation for flow, so he need to do it when we are lower to the ground, instead of being on stilts.
 So many things coming together, here we are one last time on the roller coaster.
bunkmate