Don't Tread On Me Part 4......

Did you ever get so lazy that you embarrass yourself ? I've been this way for a while now....just can't seem to get the motivation to get anything done....I'm putzing around with the deck redo and its getting there....I want to take all the hardware off the boom and paint it....the Main is off at least...I sent it off to a company in Pennsylvania to be reconditioned and repaired...I couldn't believe how awesome the sail was when I got it back about 5 weeks later.....it looked and felt like a new sail.....this company has a process the revitalizes the sail....it feels like new....all crispy and stiff...
The cost of the reconditioning and repairs, couple of slugs needed to be redone, some tears, and the bolt rope on the foot had to be restreched to get the belly out and get the shape back. Anyways the whole cost with shipping was about $700 which I thought was a good deal because the sail maker bandits around here wanted $2200 to $2600 for a new sail.....Rolly Tasker, Lee Sails and some of the other internet lofts wanted around $1600 before shipping.....anyways, I think I got a good deal. The guy at the company told me that even cruising, I should get about 10 more years outta the sail if I take care of it......Mmmmm...wonder how long it will last sitting here at this friggin dock?

I did manage to get a bottom job....for 30 years I've been using Interlux Fiberglass Bottomkote in black and was real happy with it.....it typically lasted about three years in our waters....this time I changed to Interlux Ultra upon the recommendation of the boat yard manager....new technology?? We'll see....!! Bottom looks great....no blisters !!!


                                    

 

SWEET LINES !! wouldn't you say??

 

 

One day this beautifull boat butt will be facing the trades...I promise...Soon!!

 

Rain here for the next few days...nice weather next week till Thursday....I'll tackle this on Monday.............

 

 

Don't cha LUVIT ??

 

Take care my friends.........

 

 





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Don't Tread On Me Part 3

 

Well, my teak deck removal and re non-skidding project is still progressing at a snail's pace. Some of you might recall my whining over the extremely poor condition of Zosha's teak decks. They were pitiful when I bought her. Some or all of the past owners of Zosha, there were three before me I think, totally screwed up the decks. As a result the bungs were popping out, the wood was all deeply grooved out and they were leaking......thankfully not into the deck core. I probed every screw hole with a dental tool and they were all solid but water was pooling under the wood deck.



Starboard side deck before demo....

 

Port side deck before demo......

 

 

 

 A little obligatory boat project blood.......owie! that smarted!

You can see all the mud and dirt and crap that was under the decking......the entire deck looked like this after the teak was removed.....a real mess!

This project is not for the timid-you gotta do some rippin'....!

Side deck before final cleaning and detail......

 

aft deck new non-skid applied.....looking good!

This last photo shows a portion of the aft deck  with one coat of the new non skid applied. The color is a light gray. It looks real good and is aggressive without taking skin off of bare feet, knees and fingers. This is an epoxy paint and primer and is very temperature sensitive during application. Its been too cold lately. Hopefully moderate temps are around the corner so I can finish this project and move on to the next.....a new stove installation!!  Can't wait..........

 

I'll post the pics of the completed deck ASAP.....

Take care my friends.....its 40 degrees here today which to us down here in Texas is

COLD BABY!!!  



 



Holiday Greetings to you...!

Hello my friends......again, I begin a blog by apologizing for not posting for awhile....what can I do?....my life here has resorted to a unrelenting tedium trying to get everything done that is necessary to leave cruising. It looks like the final hurdle for me and Tana should be overcome in March......hope so.........those Islands are calling for us!   For now...............

We want to extend our sincerest wishes to all of you for a  Happy Holiday Season and a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year.........talk to ya soon

My Girlfriend-Tana

Hello my friends.....I do know that there are a few of you who check in with ZOSHASWAKE on a semi regular basis and I do know that I have been remiss in my responsibilities of catching up with those of you who care about what we are doing....we have not left for the Caribe yet....just got the boat outta the yard for a bottom job and for some ordinary maintenance...thank GOD for giving me the insight not to have bought a bigger boat!!!! AMEN!!!! ............................You know?  Let me tell you something...OK???..................I got the BEST Girlfriend!!!..........What you say!!! Yeah....Whats makes the BEST GIRLFRIEND???...............In my opinion it's what kinda stuff they know about...everybody knows a little bit about nothing important or unusual....just crap... what celeberity is doing this or that...or what politico is doing this...or what sports team or star has this going for them...or what some reality TV personna is up to.............you know what I'm talking about??...you've been around  and conversed with these people.............HO HUMM.....the other day someone for some unknown reason  brought up the topic of North American /tribal Shamanism..........Well let me tell you dude, my girlfriend was all over it...........she knew everything about it...........from the prehistoric beliefs of the early cave men to the pueblo dwelling inhabitants of 18th century southwest.........Whoa, impressive, right?............coupla weeks later, we are someplace and someone mentions Chinese Numerology and.............well, TANA explained the significance of numbers and the meaning of certain numerical combinations and how they impact human endeavor......WHOA DUDE!!...........sometimes later......can't remember where we were but the topic of Astrology came up and ...........somehow my GF ended up explaining to all the basics and history and evolution of the topic............she reads TAROT cards..............She knows all about Vampires..............She is an established professional musician............she is a poet and author..........you wanna know about the mugrations of native peoples in ancient times?......ask Tana....she knows a whole buncho other stuff that I can't recall right now because I been drinkin' ...but take my word for it Dude....she's AWESOME..and I love her because she knows so much cool stuff and because she has the sexiest little feet in creation.
Take care my friends..........








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Keeping Track....

It's been a while my friends...........I've been so remiss in keeping this dialogue open....it's my loss.....I'm sorry................I hope this finds you all well, happy, and prosperous.....today, I was reading one of those minamalist blogs and the writer was talking about all the things in our lives that we need to keep track of on a regular basis............thinkaboutit???     If you really contemplate the subject, you come to the conclusion that peace of mind might be not having to keep track of anything.   Many of us dream of casting it all off and going sailing....talk about keeping track of stuff .... sailing around the place on a permanent basis is work! .....it's a myriad of permutations and combinations of critical details! ......wind, weather, communications, navigation, boat maintenance, engines, electronics, customs, big ships around you, waves, charts, waypoints, radio frequencies, tariffs, currents, unfriendly peoples and officials, money, radio protocol, family obligations, this list goes on and on and on and we've 'chucked it all to go sailing'?   In our case, we still haven't left .......I've developed some health issues that unfortunately for the time being I need keep track of ........................take care my friends.........

Disappointment, promises, and blues....

This blog has been around for a year or so and I've made these illustrious promises of taking you on a Caribbean adventure....I was supposed to leave months ago....but I am still here....! Don't abandon me my friends....I promise that I will take you that I WILL embark on the journey and will take you with me .... soon............!

You just thought that I went away........!

No......I'm here.......I've missed you all. There's been alot going on in my world in the last couple of months but unfortunately none of it is interesting and not "blog worthy".  Last Thursday July 14, 2012 was somewhat of a landmark day for me.....on that day I sold the last piece of my old life and now own nothing but my boat and a few clothes and my old truck......feels good!! REAL GOOD!
The plan to be outta here and start cruising by Spring 2012 has not happened. I'm still in Seabrook, Texas trying to get the boat ready. Now that hurricane season here, we will not be able to leave until after the first of the year........probably February or March 2013......just a year behind schedule....not too bad....really. Nobody ever leaves for cruising on schedule the first time out. That we are still going is what matters.
The teak deck is all off  and the hundreds of screw holes have been filled with epoxy and the deck has been pretty well prepped for the new non-skid paint and guess what?? The company from whom I purchased the first batch of the DOVE GRAY non-skid paint that I was so happy with has gone out of business!! They have dropped off the planet....no website, no email, no phone number......AW CRAP! if you know what I mean. In retrospect, I think that they were probably a reseller of the paint. They most likely purchased it from the manufacturer in big batches and re-packaged it in quarts and gallons for the recreational market.....I think!! So now my quest is to find that manufacturer if there is one and try to secure some paint......if that doesn't happen, I will have to redo those parts of the deck that are already done with whatever new non-skid paint that I find. AARRGHHH!! 
Y'all take care.....Next blog will have some pics..........seeya