Reloading Week and more

Boxes of tools, gear, and safety items....

This week has been the reloading week where we have been moving car loads of boxes and gear out of out 5' W x 4' D x 8' H storage rental and back onto the boat. It is a amazing how much storage there is on these Island Packet Yachts. We have a locker of tools, one for spare parts, one for safety, one for wine, another for gallons of oil, and another for hurricane dock lines! These all go into spaces that are not mainly used. Then we have tons more space for food and paper products. All of this was removed and boxed and stored for shipping the boat to and from the Island Packet Yachts factory for our refit.

Condo #3, Anna Maria Island

As we do these jobs, we have been lucky to use time share condos and sleep away from the boat, after a full day of working on the boat. We also have made sure that we get to the condo pool at the end of the day, and also get to the beach for the beautiful west coast Florida sunsets. We are really enjoying the West Coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to Bradenton Beach, to Sarasota Bay. The beaches of Siesta Key, as well as Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, are very beautiful. We are taking time to enjoy the beach every day around 5:30 pm which is sunset time. After that, we walk back to our condo and enjoy a relaxing dinner at "home."

Here are some photos showing the diversity of this time...

Condo #2 Siesta Key, 1 bedroom, kitchen, dining & 2 full baths

Our walk to the beach on Siesta Key

A wedding on Siesta Key, how romantic

Teak varnish coat #5, waiting to apply final coat #6

Radeen painted the lockers and also her HAIR as she was upside down in the bilge

Radeen is a Pisces,and love to SWIM....yes, we can go to the pool again!

Radeen with a post-swim Mohawk on the beach for sunset, FUN

IPY Friends, Kathy and Alan, IP-420 FLATLANDER, stopped by for a visit, very fun

Rebuilding the solar array with 4 panels, a junction box and wiring

Post sunset skies are most interesting to me

The storage locker nearly emptied, just pillows, blankets and seats, plus a 15hp Yamaha

How to make your own motor bracket support via Home Depot stuff

Plywood, paint, an aluminum kick plate for a door and snips
This will hold the Yamaha 15hp

New Motor Mount ready for our Yamaha 15 HP

Make your own outboard motor hoist at Home Depot with a conduit bender. Thank you!

So....we have been busy! It isa ton of work, but it has somehow been fun at the same time. Sure it is frustrating not having my shop or knowing the local area. Yes, I question rebuilding systems that were just fine like my solar array, but it still was worth it. We did under estimate the time and work of tear down and rebuild, but now Island Spirit is like a BRAND NEW boat, and that is really wonderful. More reloading and soon the MAST will go in....