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Distance Traveled in 2000 86 miles
Time in Travel ~14 hours
October 27,2000 4 miles
(estimated)
It was a beautiful day in Oriental to buy a boat. Justin and I came down in
the afternoon and took procession on "New Freedom" from Triton Yacht
Sales. We took a very short trip to Whittaker Creek Marina and took on 40 gal of
diesel fuel. Since the boat had an unknown quantify of fuel and is to sit over the
winter, I figured it was not a good time to fill the tank. We then motored across
the Neuse River to our new marina, Pecan Grove Marina. We slipped into dock 71 that
had been assigned to us. After securing the boat and providing power, we went to eat
supper at M&M's. Back at the boat I started measuring and cutting lines with a
hot rope knife. We both sleep good that night with the screens in the companion
ways.
October 28, 2000 12 miles (estimated)
Justin and I ate breakfast and got a new toilet head pump. We proceeded to
replace all the running rigging. Most of it was easy, but one of the 3 halyards in
the mast had broken. The other two were easy to just splice the new rope to the old
rope using splicing twine. The third (broken) halyard took us over an hour to fix.
Just feeding the halyard down the mast from the top would cause it to hang at
places. I finally pulled one of the other halyards out where I could use the
splicing twine to attach the two lines together. This allowed us to pull the
existing line down and have the new line follow. Laurin and Ian came in the later
afternoon, so we took a motor ride down to Sea Harbor Marina to off load our processions
from the Annabelle II. That was an emotional job, and leaving the Annabelle II was
quite sad. We motored back to Pecan Grove and then took showers and out to eat,
Justin created an Excel inventory of the boat with Laurin and Ian helping. Laurin
and Ian left mid-morning, while Justin and I continued to clean until mid-afternoon, at
which time we left for home.
November 2, 2000
John, Julia, Justin, Laurin and I arrived at the boat about 11 PM. After a
tour for John & Julia, we settled down for the night.
November 3, 2000 25.1 miles via GPS
We were all up about 9 AM, ate a quick breakfast and fired up the diesel for the
trip to Beaufort. We headed across the Neuse River into Adams Creek. Justin
and John took turns at the helm. I finally took over as we approached the Beaufort
bridge - which refused to open for us due to high car traffic. Frustrated, I turned
around and tried to make a not clearly marked channel that would take me to the high rise
Morehead City bridge. After a few tense moments we successfully navigated the
channel and made it under the bridge. A quick trip around Radio Island and we were
entering Beaufort from the front entrance. Beaufort City Docks was expecting us and
helped up us to dock. After a quick lunch of sandwiches, several went shopping and
others laid around and just read. That night we ate at Clawson's, shopped some more
and came back to the boat. After reading and talking awhile, we all went to
bed.
November 3, 2000 10 miles via GPS
A lazy morning. I walked to the hardware store to pickup a few
things. Others went shopping elsewhere. We ate lunch at the Dock House and
motored out to Cape Lookout. The channel going out was littered with fishing
boats. It was like trying to weave down a football field. I managed to get
Julia to take the helm once we were in the ocean. After figuring out how to not
over steer, she did a great job on the helm. As the entrance to Cape Lookout was
crowded with fishing boats, Julia gave me the helm back. We motored into the lee of
the bight and dropped the 40 LB CQR anchor. We saw lots of sea turtles of all
sizes. Justin decided to go swimming - which he admitted was rather cold.
Another boat anchored fairly near us in the late afternoon. All five of us played a
set of contract rummy. A check on the other boat's position later in the evening
showed that due to the wind having slowed to a whisper, but changed directions by 180
degrees, we were drifting toward the other boat. Taking the least intrusive action
I went to start the engine to move the boat, only to find there was not enough battery
power. The house battery is old and apparently no longer holding a charge. The
engine battery is rather small, and the 3 refrigerators we were running must have done it
in! So we dropped the 60 LB CQR bow anchor and another small Danforth off the
stern. We moved the fenders to the port side in case we did drift into him.
Then it started raining and everyone went to bed.
November 4, 2000 35 miles via GPS
The wind built in strength last night and blew us by our close neighbor.
The last two anchors I dropped were drug since they had no scope on them. The
primary anchor appeared to have pulled out (since we had rotated 180 degrees to where it
had been set). It did reset itself and held the boat steady. Everyone came in
and jumped on my bed about 7:30 AM, with my handheld VHF radio, telling me to call TowBoat
US. I did and after having explained the situation they stated they would be out in
an hour. At the end of the hour TowBoat US arrived with a portable battery
pack. It made quick work of starting the engine. John and I took turns raising
the bow anchors. While the boat now has a manual windless, I see a motorized
windless in my future! We then motored back to Oriental. Most of the trip was
in flat water, even though the wind would hit a sustained 35 knots. Once we entered
the Neuse River the chop built up and made for a bumpy ride. John was the only one
outside with me, and those in the cabin did not suffer from any sea sickness.
Arriving back at Pecan Grove we pumped out the waste tank and pulled back into our
slip. Here we stripped the boat of sails and lines to make it ready to be hauled and
de-masted. Justin drove the van over to Sailcraft and the rest of us motored over to
Sailcraft. We had to raft up to another boat since someone had already parked in the
haul out slip. After eating at M&M's we headed back home.
November 7, 2000
Spoke to Allen of Sailcraft today. He told me that the boat was out on
stands. When they lifted the main mast, the remains of the step tore off the keel.
They were able to knock it loose and remove the main and mizzen mast. They
expect to start peeling the bottom next week. It should take a couple of days.
Hull moisture measurements will determine when they will start working on finishing
the bottom.
November 17, 2000
Drove to Oriental today. Spoke with Allen - Annabelle had been peeled.
There was still some hand grinding to do around the thru-hulls and deep blisters,
then the entire bottom has to be sanded. After that point moisture measurements can
begin to determine when the bottom is dry enough to start epoxing. I got to see the
main step - not much left of it! The masts look big in the boat, but lying out the
are even bigger. Prime time to do any work on them before they are re-stepped onto
the boat. After a quick bite at Scot's, I came back to the boat and started doing
some work. Measured the hydraulic piston on the steering to determine it's volume
for proper sizing of the auto-pilot pump. I measured under the aft berth for
placement of two new larger house batteries. I think they will fit, but I am not
sure I am going to move them there. It would be cooler than the engine compartment
(which is good), but I am not sure I could secure them as well as in the engine
compartment. I removed the parts and wiring of the defunct auto-pilot, and that led
me to look at all the wiring. I found a number of wires not being used and removed
them as well.
November 18, 2000
Fired up the air compressor and started removing the nuts from the screws holding
down the toe rail - there is a screw/nut ever 5 inches down each side of the boat!
It took about 3 hours, and all but about 10 were done. The screw turned with the nut
on those. Chuck Amos stopped by and started helping me with those, but we did not
have a large enough screw driver. He left and went to the local hardware store,
purchased a large screw driver and was allowed to use the owner's grinder to take the
handle off and size the end of the shaft to fit into a 3/8's inch chuck. While he
was gone I removed a couple of portholes. Upon Chuck's return, we proceeded to
remove all the screws from the toe rail. The toe rails were still firmly attached to
the deck by caulking and 21 years of just being there! The forecast has changed from
a pleasant day on the 19th to rain tonight and tomorrow. So I purchased a caulk gun
and silicon caulking to temporarily plug the holes. After cleaning up my mess
off the deck, I went inside and was hit by the smell of acetic acid ( the smell of curing
silicon caulking). Looking over on a shelf, there was a blob of silicon - every 5
inches. Duhhhh. By this time the silicon had started to cure and was easily
removed. I took a shower and went out to eat with Chuck and some others from Pecan
Grove Marina. After returning I made measurements of the portholes, jumped in bed
and read a little while before going to sleep.
November 19, 2000
True to the weatherman's word it rained last night - and is continuing to rain.
I spent the morning cleaning up all the mess made by removing the toe rail screws.
I also removed more wire that I felt I would not need. After a general
cleaning I packed my stuff and left about 12:30 PM. It rained until about Smithfield
and then it started snowing. The big flakes brought an involuntary smile to my face
as I remembered how excited Ann would get when it started snowing. The worse of it
was in and around Raleigh with numerous accidents. I arrived home safely about 5:30
PM.
November 23, 2000
It is Thanksgiving Day, and two months since Ann died - it's not getting easier.
After eating a Thanksgiving meal at John & Julia's, Laurin and Ian went
shopping then returned home. John and Julia were leaving for her home in Mt. Airy,
and Justin and I drove down to Oriental. It was about 6:30 PM when we got there and
could not find the boat! It had been moved around in the ship yard and was hidden
from sight. Once aboard, we cranked up the heat - but it felt like a match in a
blizzard (outside temperature was in the 30's). We went to bed about 8 PM. We
slept in the forward cabin on new foam cushions for the twin v-berth bunks. Justin
wore a couple of pairs of sweat pants and shirts with a hood pulled up over his head and
face. He also had a blanket doubled over and a thick bedspread. I wore my
typical silk boxers and had a doubled blanket and a double thin bedspread. That of
me under the covers was warm. My face however was only a foot from the deck of the
boat and felt like arctic air was falling on my face. I finally got enough of my
face covered to be warm.
November 24, 2000
Justin and I got up and went out to eat breakfast at the Village Restaurant.
After eating, we returned to the Annabelle and started taking up the toe rail.
It took a couple of crow/pry bars and a sharp scraper but we managed to get it up.
Next we took off the stanchions and rails. Justin removed the davits for
refinishing. He also removed the screws from the port holes and popped them out so
we could measure for new units. I removed most of the caulking around the outside of
the portholes and covered the openings with plastic. It was starting to get late at
this point so we showered and went to M&M's for supper. We borrowed the small
electric heater from the Annabelle II and put it in the forward cabin. Justin still
slept with blankets, but not as many clothes. I only needed a sheet as cover.
November 25, 2000
True once again to the weatherman's prediction, it is raining. We packed up
and left - stopping to eat breakfast on our way out of town. An uneventful trip
home. I got some quilt material at Wal-Mart and made a complete cover for one of the
two v-berth foam mattress. For having not sown in 30 years, I did ok.
November 26, 2000
This afternoon, I added Velcro to the first mattress cover to hold it's opening
closed. I then made the cover for the second V-berth mattress. Again, while
not perfect, it certainly is usable. I think I will do the new sail covers next -
but first I need to get the material.
December 8, 2000
The temperatures were scheduled to be at least 60 today, so I took off work and
drove down to Oriental. Arrived at noon, and discussed the progress and plans
with Allen. I then scraped the remaining silicon caulking away from the
hull mounted portholes. After a light sanding to remove all residue, I mixed some
epoxy and filled in the old screw holes and the spider web cracks coming from some of the
holes. Finished about dark. After supper, I started cleaning the base of the
keel that the mast step rests upon. Got carried away - the keel is now almost clean
enough to eat off of. Traced out some more wiring. Went to bed about 10 PM
after reading a while.
December 9, 2000
I woke up with a really whoopee headache this morning. I think it is
probably because my head got so cold last night. Even with a space heater running
full bore in the aft cabin with me - it was COLD. I got dressed, ate breakfast, put
plastic back over the portholes I had worked on yesterday, took out the speed and depth
transducers, packed up and left for home! At this point I do not see my returning
until the weather warms up (like March). This really bums me out, but I
cannot work in the cold weather, nor does the epoxy work well in the cold weather, so
maybe I have a valid excuse! I did bring all the boat cushions home with me to
recover - so I will get to do some work on the boat.
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