We Be Nukin' Now

At last! The new Microwave and Refrigerator was installed today. It required significant surgery to the cabinet openings, much grunting and groaning, and a bit of vaseline, but they are finally in place and working!

As usual, I'm posting "Before" and "After" pics. The top picture shows the galley area before we started making any changes. The second picture shows the work in progress as the openings were enlarged for the new microwave and refrigerator. The last picture shows the new appliances in place.

What is not shown (intentionally!) is that we have begun removing all of the white formica facings from the cabinets, since we found original teak cabinets underneath most of it. We just met with a Danish couple who own a cabinetry shop here in Bradenton, and we are very excited about their ideas for restoring and updating the cabinets in the galley area, and the mirror surrounds in the guest heads belowdecks. More on that later, once we get their bid, and find out if we can afford to have them do the work...

In the meantime, over the last few days we have been stripping wallpaper throughout the boat. We've lined up an expert wallpaper guy, who is experienced with boats. New commercial grade vinyl wallpaper in a nice grasscloth pattern has been ordered. So, over the next few weeks, we will see new wallpaper go up, the blinds and valances will be hung, and hopefully the cabinets will be in progress. New countertops will be installed next week.

Best of all, the flooring will be completely finished in one more working day. That means that the chop saw that has been sitting on our aft deck for the floor installers will be gone for good, along with the sawdust it creates. Then we can bring aboard our salon and aft deck furnishings that are now in storage locally. You cannot imagine how tired we are of sitting in the two five-dollar plastic chairs I bought at CVS! I am LONGING to finally be able to sit in my comfy leather chair, with my feet up on the ottoman!

During the wallpaper stripping, we did find some wet, rotted plywood under two windows (portlights) in the master stateroom. I water-tested them with a high-pressure hose, and they don't leak. We've concluded that they must have been left open for an extended time in wet weather. So, now we have some plywood to replace before the new wallpaper goes up on the aft wall of the master stateroom. I already have a guy lined up to do the work. I've been told that this one is a common problem on boats, and that it is completely preventable. The good news is that we have found absolutely no damage to any structural components anywhere on the boat.

I can also report that yesterday, we got the Satellite TV and XM Satellite Radio working. We're now plugged completely into the outside world of news, weather, events, and entertainment.

Also, this evening we briefly attended a cocktail-hour mixer sponsored by the marina management at Mattison's restaurant. It was nice, but we could only stay about 45 minutes, since we had to get back to the boat to meet with the cabinetmakers.

So ends another busy day aboard "Kingdom". We are making it our own; beautiful, comfortable, tastefully updated and functional.

Naked Deck Now Decent

I'm posting a few pics of the new flooring we're installing on the boat. The flooring and carpeting that was present was really not of good quality or installed properly. So we immediately tore it out. So the "before" picture simply shows the plywood under the carpet in the salon. The new flooring is BellaWood, Brazilian Walnut. This is a hardwood product, and is wood all the way through, not laminate or veneer. It can be refinished if damaged. It is warranted for 50 years.

The installers will be working tomorrow to finish laying the floors in the below-decks companionway and the other three heads.

On Monday, we believe the installation of the microwave and refrigerator will be completed.

New Electronics Installed today!

I'm posting the "before and after" pictures of the pilothouse electronics station. I'm very pleased with the new Garmin combination Chart Plotter, Radar, GPS and Weather display. We now have true redundancy for Chart Display, Radar, and GPS. The new unit will also be interfaced with the Autopilot system. We're moving the Autopilot interface over from the older Simrad GPS system, which is the display on the far left. Second from left is a PC version of the MapTech Chart Plotter, which receives boat position data from the Simrad unit. Third from left is the new Garmin unit, set to display the same chart as is displayed on the MapTech unit to its left. To the right of the Garmin display is the depth sounder display, which reads out a bottom profile as well as numerical data. Just below it is the autopilot unit, which is only turned on when it is needed while underway. Autopilot is ordinarily used only offshore for somewhat longer passages.

Tomorrow we will run the cables from the new Garmin XM satellite weather antenna unit to the Bose sound system in the salon. That will allow us to have the satellite weather information broadcast into the salon area, as well as provide the ability to listen to all the usual XM non-weather satellite radio stations.

Lastly, we will program the TV to pick up satellite television broadcasts from the existing gyro-stabilized TV antenna located on the radar arch over the flybridge.

Whew!

I am so glad Susan is coming back tomorrow!

My Day Off

Today, I took the day off! It is Sunday, and as the story goes, even God took off the 7th day...

Anyway, I thought I would share some pictures of the Marina we are in. It is called Twin Dolphins Marina, and is located just West of the Highway 41 Bridge over the Manatee River in Bradenton, Florida. There is a nice pool area with propane grills and hot tub for use of the resident boat owners and their guests. On these hot, sultry afternoons, people really enjoy a dip in the pool, socializing, and eating in this area.

The Bradenton Library is directly across the street from the Marina, as well as the Manatee Aquarium, and Bradenton Museum and Observatory. The city hall and police station are a block away. There are a few small restaurants within a few blocks, but I haven't tried any of them. I've mostly taken my meals aboard the boat, except for a couple of burgers at Mattison's Restaurant, overlooking the river.

I've met 8 or 10 other couples who either live aboard their boats here at the marina, or spend weekends here. Some, like us, are retired, some are still working in the area, and others are seasonal or part-time live-aboards. All are friendly, sociable people who are more than willing to offer advice on services here, swap boating stories, and answer any questions I may ask. All have been very complimentary on our choice of boats. Many have been aboard our boat while it was for sale, and they have invariably expressed envy of the living spaces, as well as the heavy duty construction, and seaworthiness of this boat. The ladies are all curious about the new appliances they've seen come aboard, so we will have to hold an "open house" when our remodel is finished.

Today, I also met the former owners of our boat (Vicki and Dave). They traded it in on a new Mainship 43' Pilothouse model. They only use it on weekends. Very nice couple, so I spend a couple of pleasant hours talking with Dave about his experiences aboard. Too much to relate, but long story short is, his wife has no interest in long-range cruising or living aboard for extended periods. She also has no nautical skills, and is not interested in learning them. So... they downsized to a boat he can handle alone when necessary. I could tell Dave really misses this boat. He had nothing but good things to say about it.

It has been really great to be made welcome in this small community of like-minded folks.

"Incognito" no longer

Today our boat officially received its transom lettering: "Kingdom". Shown are the designer and installers. Christian on the left, and his helper, Brad. I'm not sure you can make out the colors, but the name is in black, with silver and grey shadowing. The hailing port is Scottsdale, AZ, in silver lettering.
Of course, when the transom door is open, the name reads, "Kingdo"!

Do what?

The Reluctant Refrigerator...

New Refrigerator and Washer/Dryer are Finally Aboard!

This has been a very busy week! Among other things, I was losing sleep, trying to figure out how we were going to get the new appliances aboard. I should preface this by noting that anything as large as a refrigerator coming into the Salon (living room) level of this boat has to be lifted first from the dock, over the transom to the cockpit (about six feet), then lifted again over the aft deck weather rail (another seven feet), and then fit through the aft salon door that is only 26" wide.

We purchased the appliances at Lowes, and paid for delivery and installation. Monday the delivery manager called and told me they had arrived, and would be delivered and installed on Wednesday. On Tuesday, he called again and told me they don't install appliances on yachts! We explicitly told the sales person at the time of purchase that they were to be installed aboard our boat. Now, their position was that they couldn't accept liability for damaging the boat while doing the install, and the best they could do was deliver them to the dock! I argued that we had a valid, enforcable contract, and that I was willing to sign a waiver and assume responsibility myself for any damage. Their store manager is a S-head, and would not budge.

The appliance salesman saved the day. He volunteered to bring a crew over on his day off and load the appliances aboard and install what he could, since he had done it before. He is a great guy, and was as good as his word. The washer/dryer was a piece of cake. It was aboard and installed in less than an hour. However, the refrigerator was hell! First of all, we struggled for two hours to remove the old one. It was wedged into its cutout, and had unseen screws bolting its frame to the deck. That thing was going nowhere. We finally beat it into submission and got it out of its hole. Even after removing the refrigerator doors, it barely fit through the aft deck door. The new one is bigger. We finally took the starboard aft deck window out and lifted the new one through it. That took another two hours. Now, in order to install it, along with the new microwave and dishwasher, I need a carpenter to make significant modifications to the galley cabinetry. The refrigerator is working, but is sitting on one side of the salon!

Tomorrow afternoon, I have a carpenter coming to size the job, and he is available next week to do the work, thank goodness!

At any rate, Lowes is crediting me for the installation fees they charged me. They are not high on my favorites list just now, or at least the manager of the Bradenton store isn't.

Good news is that Susan has shipped our household goods out from Arizona, and she will be back aboard with me on Tuesday! I really miss my sweetheart!

First Night Aboard

I slept like a baby last night, my first night aboard Kingdom. It could have been that I was exhausted. I've spent the last few days bringing aboard essential supplies and shopping for same. I had no idea how big a Wal-Mart really is...bigger even than Costco! It's one thing to know the layout of the store, but to wander around with your shopping list looking for a specific item is an exercise, and I do mean EXERCISE!
I've been familiarizing myself with the boat, too. For example, today I learned what a "pump-out" entails. No biggie...ya just ask the dockmaster to put you on the schedule, and a guy comes around with a long vacuum hose and swoosh! My blackwater tank is now empty. All part of the service. Actually, I was a bit worried that the tank had not been pumped for a long time, and might be full. I needn't have worried, the tank holds a couple of hundred gallons, and wasn't more than 20% of full. But I was afraid to take a shower until it was pumped. I then treated all 4 heads with a tank treatement chemical. All is now sweetness and light.
Speaking of showers - I was delighted! Great hot water supply, plenty of pressure. The master bath has a tub and shower, with a "shower massage" setting, no less.
Today I visited the West Marine Supply store. I bought needed tools, boat washing gear, flashlights, a US Flag, etc, etc.
At Lowes I bought an undersink Reverse Osmosis unit, which will be the final filter for our drinking water. So far, I've been drinking bottled water.
Today, I also treated the fresh water tanks with a half-cup of bleach per tank. Tomorrow, I will finish draining and re-filling them, and will treat them with baking soda as I re-fill them. There are two 200 gallon integral tanks, one on each side of the boat, outboard of the engines. The Marina water supply is good, potable water, but the wanter has been sitting in the tanks for quite a while. That's why I was advised by Jim Guin to treat them with bleach and baking soda.
I also explored a number of the electrical breaker boxes and finally figured out where all the light switches are and what they control. In this boat there are three DC (Direct Current) systems 12-volt, 24-volt, and 32-volt. In addition, there are 120-volt and 240-volt systems. Various equipment and devices require different voltages, and the current is routed through separate breaker boxes for each application. Thank God most of them are labelled, so it hasn't been as trying as it could have been.
Tonight I cooked my favorite microwave dinner, macaroni and cheese, and ate it out on the aft deck while watching a massive thunderstorm roll in. The storm was a relief from the sauna-like heat! I sat outside and watched the rain and lightning for a while, then I locked up and came below to work on email and our blog. The storm is still raging outside, but I am snug and cool inside.
All in all, a good, productive day!
Love to all,
Walt

We took possession of the boat TODAY!

We are no longer homeless!

We're now officially live-aboard cruisers. We finalized the transaction today, and we now have posession of our new home. Tomorrow morning, I will check out of the hotel, and move aboard with the few things I have here. Susan will join me in a couple of weeks, after arranging shipment of our household goods from Scottsdale, selling my car, and a number of other tasks at that end.

I want to express our profound gratitude to our buyers' broker, Jim Guin, of AAA Yacht Sales in Melbourne, Florida. His experience, expertise, wise guidance, vast knowledge, and patience have made our boat search productive and successful. He ensured that this transaction ran like clockwork. Some of the services he provided to us were:

• Helped us evaluate candidate boats
• Provided sound advice on equipment, engines, generators, navigation equipment, etc.
• Prepared offers and counter-offers to sellers' brokers, and negotiation skills
• Recommended marine surveyors
• Arranged survey logistics
• Arranged haul-out logistics with the boatyard on short notice
• Helped us evaluate the survey findings
• Prepared the transaction closing statement
• Recommended the Marine Insurance Carrier (Liability and hull coverage at great rates)
• Arranged final wire transfer to seller's broker

Jim Guin is not only an excellent yacht broker, he is a true gentlemen, and operates at the highest ethical standards in his industry. We will enthusiastically recommend him to anyone interested in engaging a buyer's or seller's broker!

I'm pooped, and hungry. Time to eat, and then to bed! Tomorrow is a big day!

We have a new HOME!

We've found our new home. It is a 58' Hatteras Long Range Cruiser, built in 1977, and in excellent condition. It is currently located in Bradenton, Florida.



Since our last update on July 18th, we've been on the move. We initially flew to Connecticut to check on a similar boat located in Norwalk. My sister Zayne was kind enough to let us stay at her home while we were in the area, so while the boat was a no-go (a mess), we at least were able to have a short visit with her.



Once we realized that the Norwalk boat was not "the one", we opened negotiations on the Florida boat. Once we had an accepted offer, we flew to Tampa on Monday, July 30. We were able to schedule sea trial and survey for the following day. So by Tuesday, August 1st (my birthday!), we knew we had found our new home.



I finally was able to load a picture of our boat, but here is a link to the website where the boat was listed for sale. It has about 25 pictures.
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatDetails.jsp?boat_id=1690446&checked_boats=1690446&ybw=&units=Feet¤cy=USD&access=Public&listing_id=20424&url=

Our plans seem to change daily. For example, Susan and I decided that I would stay here and complete the transaction on the boat, while she returns to Arizona August 2nd to wrap up our loose ends there. She has to get started with packing and moving her sister Dee out to California, then run an estate sale on the remaining stuff that is stored at Dee's house. Then she will initiate the sale of that property and the two others in Phoenix.


She will arrange to ship our personal goods here to me in Bradenton.


In the meantime, I will be here finalizing the boat purchase ahead of schedule, so I can proceed with the changes we want to make to the boat, mostly cosmetic (new appliances, bedding and soft goods, upgraded flooring) and some related to boat equipment upgrades (one new radar, new chart plotter, replacing old hoses, clamps, an air conditioner, etc.)


The sea trial and survey surfaced only very minor defects, which the seller is in the process of correcting. Since then, we've been shopping like mad, lining up suppliers and workmen to begin as soon as we close the financial transaction next week.

I won't be back to Phoenix now until late September or early October. My daughter Kara is due to deliver her baby boy in mid-September, and we promised to come a couple of weeks later.

We miss you all and look forward to our next get-together.