Friends BoatShows Work

We are still re-building in the shed at Snead Island....

Broken B&G arrow
weighted tip

We have been having a great time with local boating friends, Island Packet Dealers, touring the local area, and working on the rebuilding. We are still going through the 650 photos taken at the wedding in Mexico and we will blog about that soon. Right now we are still in the middle of rebuilding this yacht and all the systems we tore apart for trucking. Soon, very soon, we will get the mast installed now that all the rigging is finished. Our B&G Wind Machine is broken and we are waiting for parts on that. If they do not arrive soon, we will raise the mast and climb up later to install the newly repaired wind instrument. We should have removed it from the boat for transport, bad idea to leave it inside the cabin.

We had both alternators rebuilt. 125 amp on left
50 amp orig 1993 on the right

Engine work is nearly completed with oil change and new filters and a rebuilt alternator. We are now working on a wiring glitch to the regulator, but that should be an easy fix. All the stainless steel rub rails are back on and so is the canvas and enclosure. The solar array has been rewired along with the various antennas. The sails are still below deck and are constantly in the way. The life raft has been repacked and needs to be picked up in St. Pete along with one boat buck$ for the service! The onboard network needs rebuilt and installed and we need to reset up the WiFi Bullet2hp rig. The stereo / DVD player died during trucking and needs to be replaced. We are shopping for a similar unit that will play DVDs, iPod, CDs, and Aux in for Satellite Radio. If you have any ideas, please comment and help out.

Radeen, Ed Whiteaker and Hayden

Ed and Debbie Whiteaker, owners of
www.WhiteakerYachtSales.com

We had a great time at the St. Pete BoatShow as we were invited to be guests of the new Island Packet Yachts Legacy Dealer here in the area. Whiteaker Yacht Sales has been named the new Island Packet Dealer for all of Florida and up to the Carolinas and more! Radeen and I were invited to spend a day with them at their booth and talk to IP owners and guests about sailing and cruising. WOW, that was really fun and we met several new IP owners. What a fun time and a gracious gesture by Ed and Debbie Whiteaker. We toured the show on Thursday and then we were with them all day Saturday. Thank you, we loved it!

Looking ahead this week, we are still hoping to get the mast installed, and then get some sails on and finish the wiring to the mast.

Willam, Ed, and Hayden
William is a Yacht Broker with Whiteaker Yacht Sales and owner of IP 37 Optimystique

Here are some great photos of the week.

Ed, Bob and Hayden visit at the Whiteaker Yacht Sales Booth
Bob is a good friend and IP Owner of IP380 Judith III

Eric Stone playing at the St. Pete Boat Show

Bob Bitchin, owner of www.CruisingOutpost.com,
hosted the Saturday Pizza and Beer party at the Boat Show

A visit to Burnt Store Marina to see good friends
Alan and Kathy of IP 420 Flatlander. Here are the girls in the beautiful kitchen.

Alan and Kathy's new home and pool deck

Bird of Paradise flowers around the pool deck at Alan and Kathy's place

Sunset at the boat on Sunday during a SNOW STORM in the Northeast

The final screws re-installing the stainless steel....in the dark

Radeen at the St. Pete Boat Show

Old Jib Sheet blocks....NEW Garhauer Blocks MADE IN USA

Our alternators rebuilt by B & E Electronics in Palmetto. Great job!
Now my spare will be onboard and not home in the garage!

8 loads of laundry, plus luggage from Mexico Wedding trip
What do we do with this on a sailboat? Toss it overboard?

Oil Change....done

Cooking eggs in motor oil.....NOT

Radeen, ocean sailor Girl.....if we ever get a mast installed.
I need to get the work done and motor out of this barn!

So there we are. Still working on da boat. Still rebuilding. The great aspect is that, as we said before, we have no schedule, no place to be but here, and no plans except whatever we do today. This is a great way to live, and we are loving it....

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