Details, details, details......

I've gotten a couple more things done since the last time I wrote up a entry, but not a lot of it photographs well so I only have 2 pictures for everybody. There will be some good ones in a couple of weeks once we start rigging up the mast and painting the bottom. That could happen in 2 weeks, possibly 3. It will depend if I can find a slip cheap. So far not having any luck on that. I say it's a 50/50 chance if she goes back in August vs September. It's totally a money issue at this point. If I had a extra grand lying around it would be simple.

First off, I'd like to say thanks to my friend Hawkeye who let me raid his sail locker for some extra gear. He gave me a Dansforth anchor with 15' of chain, another bumper, enough dock line for 2 boats, a 30amp 110 volt extension cable, spinnaker pole and a fixed mount VHF radio since he got another one. Very nice indeed. Thanks for helping me out Hawkeye! ^_^

The radio was the gem of what he gave me but it didn't have a mounting bracket so I had to make one. 10 bucks of stainless bits from Ace hardware and a extra piece of 2x4 and it works great. Doing that and running the cable for it from the through hull located in the head back to the quarterberth took most of Saturday. I still need to finish wiring it up to the power grid and put a microphone holder on next weekend. Here's a picture of it.


Speaking of wiring up power, I picked up a new 90amp hour deep cycle battery. Figured we are close enough to putting her in the water I needed check out all power systems onboard since I removed the old battery 9 months ago. It's a good thing we did check it in advance as none of the port side interior lights or fan are operating now vs when I bought her. Starboard side works fine but guess I have a new project next Saturday...figuring out what broke and fixing it. Rich is better with electrics than I am so he will probably end up doing most of that. He also wired the outboard into the power grid again with quick disconnects. (we had to cut the wire months ago to get the outboard off) I tested the autohelm for the 1st time since I bought her and it appears to work ok. In place of a wind vane I plan of taking a couple of them with me when I can't hand steer, use sheet to tiller or simply need to get some sleep while underway.

Finished up the curtain for the companionway last week and I really like how it came out. I used a different fabric for it, a tropical print. With this curtain up and the other ones over the ports I can get the interior quite dark. It makes a really big difference in how hot the interior gets too. With a fan running below, it's certainly warm during the mid day sun but compared to the cockpit without a bimini it's alot cooler. Here it is.


I'm getting close to finishing the rear cockpit locker.....again....2 more coats of paint and I can put the new hinges on and install it. Some of my long term readers remember that I had this project done once but the teak cover just wasn't holding up the way I wanted so I'm doing it over again with paint this time. This will also be completed by next weekend.

I don't think I've told but a few people this, but the dory I built, "Notes" just isn't going to work. I started her construction before I even had a boat thinking it would fit on anything I got but I was wrong. There is no place on deck I can put her and she weights about 30 pounds more that she needs to. I severely overbuilt her. Now I'm not saying I dislike her or I couldn't use her locally but I can't tow a dory behind BeBop all the way around the world. It has to go on deck or below decks. I found the solution by modifying the plans for a Apple Pie class yacht tender. You start by taking out 6 inches to make one that's 6 1/2 feet vs what the design calls for at 7 feet. I'm going to then install two watertight bulkheads right in the middle and cut it half and have a nesting dory. I've already done the measurements and this one will fit on deck nested behind the mast but in front of the dodger. With each piece only being about 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 feet it should be cake to launch too. I hope to document building this one better than my last one so look for some pictures coming soon. I've already lofted the plans onto the wood and cut out the main pieces. Time permitting this week construction will start and I'll have something that looks boat like by next Sunday. I do believe I can build this one a lot quicker. Oh, I'm looking to sell "Notes," so if your close by and in need of a dory with built in flotation drop me a line.

I'd like to end this entry with some advice I received in a email from a friend. I'm leaving the name off to protect the guilty. I thought it was too funny not to post.

"Start sleeping outside on a hammock with a fan blowing on you to keep the bugs off to begin acclimating to the boat, and get a small refrigerator carton and put a 5lb coffee can in it to piss in. Be sure to have Rich rock the hell out of the box while your pissing, or you won't develop no skill. Every once in while at night, jump up and scream, "No wake zone, asshole!" Have Rich tell the neighbors you're experiencing work-related stress problems. Believe me, they like that better than the usual 'drug flashbacks' line. Borrow a small red wagon from a neighborhood kid and have Rich push you down a rocky hill in it while you try to assemble the carburetor off the outboard motor. Never mind why. You'll thank me for this later on. If possible, have him run alongside with a watering can, spraying you with ice water. Get a wetsuit drenched in icewater and try to put it on while sitting on the hood of the car while Rich drives around in and abandoned lot with plenty of rocks and potholes. It hones the cussword skills."

Priceless advice from a true sailor.

Until next time...Fair Winds...

Getting Closer......

I'm down to about 5 weeks or so until BeBop goes back into the water assuming I can come up with enough money. There are still lots of things that need to be done, unfortunately most of which involve purchasing things. If I cut a corner I can reuse the old bumpers and dock lines and save about a hundred bucks for now. She also isn't wired for any shore power at the moment, so installing that is nearly mandatory to even run a fan onboard while at the dock. I'll pick up a small deep cycle battery so I can at least go out day sailing and use the running lights. A bimini of some sorts is needed too or you'll just burn up in the sun here in Florida. I need to sell my other car, the white Honda that's not running, on eBay and that will help a little bit. I can't rule out putting her in the water in September but man, I'm just not sure I can wait that long. I wanna go sailing!! All in all it's pretty stressful when it should be something to look forward to because of my shoe string budget.

I still don't have the digital camera back yet so I picked up a el cheapo disposable one for 3 bucks and got a couple of really bad pictures for all you guys/gals to see. Let's start with the curtains. I really was racking my brain about how to put some inside. Ideas varied from curtain rods to velcro but I wanted something very simplistic to work with and fix if need be. What I did was buy a couple of wooden drawer pulls or closet pulls if you will, and bonded three of them on each side above the ports. Then I used shock cord to hold the curtain up with a loop at both ends so they can be taken on and off as needed. To create the loop at the ends I simply used black nylon zip ties and cut off the tails. Here are the pics, both port and starboard.


Sorry again for the quality, I know the disposable take bad pictures. Rich had a black cargo net that we used for the cord. If your patient and willing to take all the hog rings off you can get a surprising amount of shock cord for a very low price vs buying it by the foot. The wooden pulls cost about 6 bucks at walmart and the curtain fabric and thread ran about 15 bucks from Jo-Ann Fabrics. (yeah, I got a few strange looks in the store) Only probably was I needed to teach myself how to sew first lol. I have a nice sewing machine that was donated by a family member too. So picture this now.....there I was in the living room with a sewing machine, a manuel and a bunch of fabric with zero training. I open up the manuel and read page one. How to turn it on....HAHA!! Isn't that neat, it even has a little light!! Page two....how to put a needle in....cool!!..how to change a foot..wow, my feet don't come off etc.....until I got to page 21 of the manuel where you get to the sewing part. Rich who took home economics in high school like 25 years ago showed me how to cut the corners on the fabric so they came out nice. After practicing on a few pieces, away I went into the wild sport of sewing stuff for your boat. All in all, I think they came out really well. I completed the entire project in under 30 hours and I didn't know how to sew when I started. Oh nearly forgot, I made them out of two pieces, gray on one side to act as UV protection for the inner piece which has the pretty pattern on it.

Moving on to something I know a lot more about....Lexan!! Yes, after 6 months of dealing with the old beat up, worn out and leaking washboards I fabricated the new ones using a single sheet of bronze tinted .500" 24x48" polycarbonate. There were other options, resin coated plywood, varnished teak boards etc, but I wanted a low maintenance solution that looked nice. Cost wise, it was the middle solution and ran a total of $260 for the polycarbonate sheet, vents, screen, and stainless steel hardware.

I started by measuring the width of my companionway and cutting the sheet to fit with a circular saw. Since I don't own a table saw the t-square acted as a guide with Rich's help. We then hauled the whole thing onboard and test fitted it. A 30 degree angle was cut on the bottom that would become the first washboard. This was about equal to what the bottom of the companionway had. Originally there were 4 boards but I decided to go with 3 bigger ones. The bottom two boards are about equal in size and were cut at a 45 degree angle to keep water out. The top board was slighty smaller and since the top was rounded, I cut the curve (very) carefully using my jigsaw. At $225 for the sheet I really didn't want to screw up so everything was triple measured before being cut. All the practice I had cutting out lexan windows for computer cases paid off big time here.

Once all the pieces were cut out I still had to use a hole saw for the vents and drill the holes for the mounting hardware. It's important to keep in mind you want to use a bit that's one size too large or the lexan which expands and contracts up to 10% could crack. I put screens behind the vents to keep the critters out. The last thing I did was sand the cut sides by hand with some 220 grit sandpaper. Once that was done, off came the protective covering and everything that needed to installed was put on. Here are some pictures of the new ones...I've come to call them the Darth Vader Washboards (D.V.W.B's) or just Vader Boards for short. (V.B;s)


They are very reflective from the outside and it's hard to see in, but it's possible at the right angle. What's cool about them, is while your underway you can see into the cockpit very easily to see what's going on like in this picture. That little hook in the middle between the vents is for a bunge cord. It will keep the boards in place in the event of a knockdown.


From the inside the tint doesn't appear to be nearly as dark and it really makes the inside feel bigger. Lexan may be bulletproof, but it does scratch easily so it's best to handle them with a cotton towel or shirt to prevent them from getting damaged. That's my greatest worry. Other than that, these babies should last a long time. It's been raining everyday recently and have already proven themselves to be very watertight too.

Here's one last wide angle shot that shows all the new stuff that's been done. The engine mounted, rear boarding ladder, dodger on the frame with the new V.B's in place.


I'd like to add a special thanks to my new friend Hawkeye down in Cortez, FL who patched up the small rip in my dodger on Saturday. He's probably forgotten more about boats than I know. ^_^ If anybody needs any canvas work done, drop me a line and I'll contact him to see if he can fix you up at a good price.

Yawn!!! ok, I'm getting' tired here after another fun filled weekend so I'm going to sign off now. I expect next weekend to be a bit slower as all I really have to do is mount the companionway curtain and work on rebuilding the rear cockpit locker. Until next time....Fair Winds...

100 Things About Me......

NOTICE: Due to somebody possibly messing around with my email account, I've greatly increased my security and changed my email address as well. I got way to lax about my account. If you get any thing else from the.jammer@gmail.com please disregard it. My new email address is sailboat.bebop the @ sign gmail.com Thank you all for your understanding.

This weeks post is going to be a bit different. Normally I have access to a 5mp digital camera to take pictures of what I'm working on. Unfortunately, Rich loaned his camera out to a friend who's currently taking a trip Europe. It's not a big deal and next weekend I'll post pictures when I have the camera again.

Just to give you a heads up, I fabricated the new washboards after talking about it for 6 months and they came out real nice. In addition to pictures of that, I should have my first sewing project completed. (Interior curtains) Until then, here is the near mandatory 100 things about me post that seems to be in vogue recently. I always talk more about BeBop than myself and this might give some insight into me, the guy behind the BeBop project.

001. I'm a Nihilist.
002. I have a INTJ personality type. You can take the test here if you want to know yours.
003. I'm a recovering consumerist.
004. I'm legally blind in both eyes without my glasses on, with them I can see fine.
005. I'm left handed.
006. I refuse to visit any country that wants you to eat with only your right hand.
007. My astrology sign is Taurus and yes I am.
008. My Chinese zodiac sign is the Ox. (Which makes me extra stubborn)
009. I love music, Jazz is my favorite, but when I'm upset or stressed, I listen to Heavy Metal or Industrial.
010. I used to play bass in a Rock & Blues band.
011. I also used to play the trumpet too, but I was a far better bass player.
012. My favorite movie is a toss up between Bladerunner, The Matrix or Fight Club.
013. I think the Matrix is closer to reality than you might suspect. (multiple systems of control)
014. I'm addicted to coffee.
015. I'm a perfectionist.
016. I think Knob Creek is the best Bourbon Whiskey money can buy and I can't afford to drink it.
017. I've been to every state in the country except Montana and Maine when I was a truck driver.
018. I quit smoking 3 1/2 years ago without any help, just will power.
019. I'm single, never been married and I don't have any kids. (nor do I want them)
020. I'm at least 25% American Indian but you can't tell it to look at me.
021. I don't use bar soap preferring shampoo because it doesn't leave soap scum.
022. I shave with a double sided safety razor instead of the newest xyz wonder blade.
023. I would rather read a good book than watch television.
024. I spend a good deal of time studying the "big picture."
025. My favorite trumpet player is Miles Davis.
026. I've always been a serious person, even as a little kid.
027. I was a aero-medical evacuation technician in the Air Force Reserve.
028. My basic training instructor told me I am the only person he ever graduated as an individual.
029. I have titanium pins in both my wrists from a motorcycle accident 4 years ago. They hurt everyday.
030. I hate a structured learning environment, just give me a book or manual and I'll figure it out on my own.
031. I think public education teaches you what to think not how to think.
032. I think people should worry more about getting into car accidents than terrorist attacks.
033. I was born in Virginia but spent most my life in Florida.
034. I love role-playing games. Either the pen and paper kind or on a computer.
035. I'm really into tattoos and have been since I was a little kid. (link not for the faint of heart!)
036. I never felt old(er) until my last motorcycle accident.
037. I want Magneto to win over the X-men in the comic book series.
038. If I could go back in time and meet one famous person it would be Nikola Tesla.
039. I would like to write a book one day about my sailing adventures.
040. What humanity is doing to trash the planet makes me really sad.
041. I've been eating a low carb diet for 2 years and I lost 65 pounds.
042. I still really miss M&M's.
043. I never go to a doctor if I can avoid it.
044. I enjoy watching Japanese Anime.
045. I like to collect skills like other people collect coins or stamps.
046. My favorite beer is Corona with a lime.
047. I believe respect is earned not just handed out because somebody says so.
048. If I could have any one super power, it would be the ability to go forward and backward in time at will.
049. I'm allergic to cold weather.
050. I don't like cooked fish very much. I prefer sushi or sashimi.
051. I don't enjoy cooking, but I'm not that bad at it.
052. My friend Rich is more like a brother to me than my real one.
053. I like to make contingency plans for things that might happen. I sleep better at night.
054. I don't enjoy small talk, I think it's a waste of time.
055. I don't understand what people get out of dancing.
056. I hate living to work instead of working to live.
057. I think civilization is a man made hell on earth.
058. I'm not a very charismatic person compared to most of my friends.
059. My favorite kind of pen is a Pilot G-2.
060. I have a pet rat named Frick, who loves yogurt drops.
061. If I could be any Anime character I'd choose to be Batou from Ghost in the Shell.
062. I think Asian women are the prettiest in the world.
063. I like eccentric sunglasses, my current pair is Prescription Oakley Mars.
064. I dislike lazy, ignorant, and stupid people.
065. I have no life plan other than to go sailing.
066. Most of the time I prefer it that way strange enough.
067. I am pretty cynical and suspicious by nature.
068. Despite my feelings regarding consumerism, I still love computers.
069. I used to own a company that made custom computer cases. The dot com bust and 9/11 changed everything and I went out of business.
070. My favorite author is William Gibson.
071. I get bored with corporation slave jobs very quickly.
072. I like to always have a major project to work on. It keeps me from getting depressed.
073. I don't like dogs
074. I have a huge music collection. It's so large I have CD's I'll probably never listen to.
075. I think Orwell's 1984 is coming true. You can read it for free here.
076. I think Peak Oil is going to cause lots of grief for humanity in the very near future.
077. I really wish I could speak another language besides computer and English.
078. As much as I love sailing and swimming, I don't like fishing or going to the beach.
079. I'm allergic to children but for some reason they see to like me.
080. I wish cute asian women liked me as much as children do.
081. I've never had any kind of transcendent or religious experience. (thank god)
082. I have little sense of nationalism...I'm a earthling like everybody else.
083. My ideal outdoor temperature is about 70 degrees with varying wind depending on what I'm doing.
084. I love tilley hats.
085. I prefer to wear baggy cargo shorts and tank tops most of the time because it's very comfortable.
086. I'm not into cars anymore, but if I could have any one that I wanted, I would choose to have a original Mini Cooper.
087. I'm currently playing Eldar Scrolls IV Oblivion when I have time, it's the best game I've played in about 5 years.
088. I use to dye my hair. It's been blond, green, purple, red and blue. I'm back to my normal brown now.
089. I miss talking to my Uncle Jeff who committed suicide about 5 years ago.
090. I don't remember much about my childhood other than I didn't enjoy it much.
091. If I could have any sailboat in the world it would be a toss up between a Dana 24 and a Nor'Sea 27. Maybe one day, a man can dream.
092. When I was in high school I painted miniatures on commission to make money.
093. I created my blog in a attempt to make friends around the world while I'm sailing.
094. My favorite industrial band is KMFDM.
095. I've never gotten seasick on a small boat.
096. I don't wear jewelry besides a watch and (some would say crazy) ear piercings.
097. I carry a pocket tool kit at all times. You never know right?
098. My favorite jazz pianist is Brad Mehldau.
099. I'm a loner save a few close friends.
100. I take loyalty and trust very seriously.

Wow, that was harder than I thought it was going to be. Here's hoping you all enjoy it and the links I provided. Don't forget next week I'll have up all the pictures of what I finished this weekend. Until next time....Fair Winds....

Jammer.....