Online guitar lessons. When we’re on the move, it’s a pretty darn good solution. Plus, I’m learning, too—jamming the E minor and A major chords, and making up ridiculous lyrics to make my girl laugh.
Back in the Turks and Caicos our fabric bimini really bit the dust. We’d hated that bimini right from the start, so the fabric shredding was really just the excuse we needed to get something new on there this season. We found a welder, came up with a plan, and then moved up the river a few miles to a dock where he could work.
Felt good to be on the water again, even if only for an hour.
The current made it impossible for us to get the spring lines from the pylons, so our fearless Ouest got on the kayak and braved the alligators for us. She wrapped a couple lines for us and we were able to get the boat off the dock in preparation for the boats that would blast by occasionally.
Morning on the Okechobee Waterway. Not a bad spot to get some boat work done.
Just don’t look down at the water. Florida is a nightmare.
Looking classy.
The welder was too big a guy to go climbing underneath our top steering station, so while he drilled the holes for the mount I crawled underneath with the backing plates and bolts. As soon as I climbed in I spotted our mistake. Neither of us had thought to have a quick peak at what might be behind where he was drilling. Turns out, it was the wiring bundle for the entire nav station. All the wires wrapped up tight into a bundle an inch thick, and he had drilled a hole smack dab through the middle of them.
In the end it all worked out. He felt terrible about not being able to fix it himself, so while I spent an hour splicing 11 wires back together, he spent an hour cutting off the flag pole mount on the bow railing, and shining it back up to a mirror finish. That flag pole nub had driven us nuts last year. We’re never going to fly a flag on the front of the boat, but that little pipe had kept us from being able to sit on the railing. It wasn’t annoying enough for me to want to pay to have it removed, but in exchange for a screw up I was happy to have it gone.
Coming together. That’s with four 100 watt solar panels sitting in it. It’s got room for eight, but I just wanted to make sure everything was going to work out the way I wanted before ordering up more. This is what will handle our new 12v fridge compressors from now on. There’s still a lot to do, including covering up the underside so we don’t have to look at all the solar wiring. Should be nice when we finish it up in the coming days.
15 Comments on “Hard Top”
Whuff, those hidden things can really bite you. Hubby drilled a hole in between two stringers to support a floor plate. Yup, drilled right through a water line. He investigated off and on all summer as to why we had water seepage in the bilge. Finally nailed it; and now that’s another winter project while we are on the hard. Love boats and projects! Really…..
Uggg. So FUN! The nice thing for us was that we were “arguing” about the $125 the welder wanted for removing the flag stand up front and decided against it. So after the welder cut the wires and felt so bad – I won the argument. 🙂
E – A, you’re well on your way to “Ring of Fire”. Top is looking good!
Also teach her (and you) the basic power chord shape. It is the easiest chord and the one used the most in modern music.
Just looked it up. Will get on it.
We have solar panels as our “hard top” too! Great compromise and alternative to a cloth bimini. We strung up some clothes line under the panels and hang up our wet clothes. It’s nice and breezy (usually) on the fly bridge and the clothes are protected from any rain. You’ll love those solar panels! Which way are you heading?
Sounds like a good set up! Our wet clothes set up, is to use a drying octopus hung from the dinghy clip. Always sunny, blows in the wind, and super quick. I hate clothes hanging outside for hours.
We are heading towards Mexico, Belize, Guatemala this season.
Learned a painful lesson on our beautiful anodized alum hardtop frame. If you don’t regularly wipe the salt off and put a bit of something on it, it will pit. I keep after it now, but those pits are never going away.
Are you sure the new bimini frame is aluminum and not stainless steel, Jonathan? But yes, the solar panel frames will be aluminum and should be cared for as you stated if it isn’t too hard to get to them.
You might remember the hard top bimini we had on Magic? One of the best features of an awesome cat. You did good making that improvement. Some led rope lights under it help too.
great job and photos, wishing you all the best.
Just purchased a place on Lake Chatuge GA (North Georgia Mountains, 6 miles over NC line) that came with…. my first boat! Haven’t been in anything since Zodiacs since my days in Antarctica. Tri hull with a 2 stroke Yamaha engine. Big fun 😉
Pat and Ali, any potential threat to you and your family from Hurricane Michael? I hope ? not❗️?
Curious as to your location presently?
We are still in Indiantown holding off moving to Fort Myers until after Michael moves through.