day 384

As we near the end of our holiday from work, we are frantically running around trying to make the largest dent in our lists. ( We each have our own ) So the things we think should have been done are being done. One of the things I wanted to do was get some of the hatches in place ( photo above ) as we have been stubbing our toes on them since Christmas in the house. They do look nicer here than against a chair in the living room.
	Gena had it marked to mount the wind speed indicator and the secondary sonar w/knot meter, both Standard Horizon instruments for which cable needed to be ran through. The sonar sender needs an extension as it runs a few feet short. We could order an extension, fight with shipping and duties etc. or we can make one. The cable has an RCA plug on it, and appears to be coaxial. Specific lengths within reason shouldn't be a factor at sonar frequencies, but then we're not really sure what kind of signal is going through there. In any case a few extra feet shouldn't make any difference.
*First 2 instruments in the cockpit*
	The holes were circled with red oxide primer, then the edges circled with rubber butyl tape. Should seal well with the surrounding gasket on the panels. Panels are large ( shown inset ) so will be easy to see from the helm. They seem to be somewhat of an intrusion to my yet-to-be-finished helm display unit, but hey, they moved in first I guess. Gena also mounted the high pressure pump for the water maker on it's little plate. The lower photo of it in place was taken from inside the cupboard space near the freezer. A view we don't have but the camera does. High 5's to technology! The monster red and black wires are from the microwave on their way to the battery box. So far Gena has done all of the wiring. I feel a bit guilty until I realize I have done *all* of the cupboard doors. (23 so far) We make a good team that way, no questions asked.


The other day we noticed the ceiling in the dining area was still being held up with sheet metal screws, instead of the plastic buttons we have used everywhere else! There is finished wood and floor everywhere now and 30 1/4" holes need to be drilled above it all. I was running back and forth, hands to head, "better not get any on the floor, or under this or in there, it'll leave rust stains". Well ok maybe I was being a little overemphatic, but a number of scratch nasties have mysteriously shown up on the flooring recently, and I just don't want any more to happen. So, to protect everything from razor sharp shards of hot steel, and shut me up, Gena devised the metal scooper. It attached to the end of the drill and caught every last speck! Yay! Thanks Gena.	"The steel scoop!"
Most of my day was mounting seat hinges, (remember the sunken specials?) making a face for the slide out hatch up in the pilot house entrance, and the seat backs shown below. The dead air space behind the subtle 3" to 0" angle was too much to bear so some plastic trellis will be used instead of wood. Once glued and screwed, it's definitely strong enough, and there may be less chances of mildew happening there. The angle is comfortable, about 3" on 36" height. Now I have a strange yearning to start making seat cushions. That'll be a whole "other" experience I'm sure!

Day 384:
8 hours:
Made seat backs, mounted seat hatches, attached seat sides permanently, final mounted watermaker pump assembly and lines, mounted cockpit gauges, put on forward hatches, "Blue Stuff" coated all under the seats.