Work Progresses On Venture

Well it's slow but steady. Finally we have  the  chain plates out! It took two of us. One on the outside holding the slotted bolt head  still with a screw driver while I was on the inside taking off the nuts with an adjustable wrench. Had planned on using a socket but my 3/8 " drive came up missing. Can you say HOT! Even several hours after sunset it was 90 something degrees out side.  I think maybe it had to be over 100 in the cabin. Sweat was literally pouring off of me after about 20 minutes, It took a lot of cool down breaks but we got her done.

After we pulled the chain plate off of the port side we noticed the deck plate that goes on the out side holding it in place was not comg loose. As it turns out  a previous owner riveted the silly thing to the deck. It took some doing and I 'm still going to have to drill what is left of the rivet out,but its off.

Last night was about pulling off more of the rub rail to get the bolts that hold the deck to hull out.  It is the only way to  repair the spider cracks. It's not just skin deep. After I sanded out the parts already done it became very evident  the cracks go into the glass, not just the gel coat. THIS BITES!

We keep finding more dirt dabber nest. I THOUGHT I had all of them out but it just  goes to show you these things make nest in the most hidden places they can find. After I climbed in under the cockpit  I found two huge ones hanging from the wiring to the stern light,. Tore out the smaller of the two but the large one was not going to come out with out a fight so while I sent  my helper in to go get a hammer to smash it with I took pictures.
This is AFTER I had already knocked a good chunk off with the socket wrench. 

Just to give you size perspective of what was left after I had whacked it a few times.

                    The thing was a big as my fist and ROCK HARD!

 Some where along the lne the previous owner had either one doozy of a sense of humor or was a geniume lame brain. I'm not sure which. How did I arrive at this conclusion? Did you notice the "back plates" under the stern light above?  The only other "back plate" on this entire boat is  the one above and this next shot of the other wiring connection to a deck fitting. I suppose it is better then nothing.

 


 I just do NOT want to trust my life  to it! That does not include how incredibly uncomfortable I am with that set up considering the odds of it malfunctioning right when the lake patrol is in  my area. Yes, we have a cop who does nothing  but go run around  the lakes to make sure we are all behaving our self and have our safety equipment in place. LOL!  Seriously He is a pretty decent sort of guy.  I'm reasonably sure if it was not for guys like him there are a lot of folks in this area  who would ignore safety completely and we would have more accidents from it, so its not necessarily a bad thing. I have spoke with him on the phone a time or two with questions about area lakes As it  turns out for the lakes immediate surrounding my area only one can be sailed in,  and then only during the day! Is it any wonder I want OUT OF HERE!!!!!!


Life goes on.

That's all for now, Sail safe but sail!