Settled

After weeks on the water, with not much idle time, you can imagine what the interior of SV Kelly Nicole looks like. After we docked, Deb trotted off to work, while I stayed on the boat and tried to get her in some order. The exterior is all cleaned up, and I even rubbed out some of the canal bruises I thought were permanent. The interior is another story. I have no idea where all this stuff is supposed to go! I can't even get into the V-berth.

Nicole and Jonathan are coming to visit today, and we're going to hit the beach for some lunch, or most likely dinner by the time they actually wake up and get here. Looking forward to the visit, as I have not seen my baby girl since May. Good times.

The short list of things I wish I had during our trip down. Not in any priority:

1. Auto Pilot. Amazed we did 2 hr shifts for the offshore. We were totally beat.
2. Tide and current tables handy. Deb had an app on the iPhone. The Raymarine software that comes with the E7 did not have it. It's a $199 upgrade per region. We would of had to buy  three regions. A$$holes. If I was any kind of mariner, I would have had all the tables in printed form.
3. Windlass. The manual worked well, but I was lucky the anchor held every time. Quite a workout. My heart was beating like a bunny rabbit a few times.
4. Instrument lighting. Ours is quite bad. The depth/speed came and went randomly, and the compass light crapped out. 
5. Washdown for the anchor chain. We picked up this black muck in one of the anchorages, and it got everywhere when I tried to use a bucket to wash it off. It later dried to a hard coal like substance, in small chunks. Still see some.
6. Dual fuel filters. I have them mounted, but not plumbed. My bad. Should have been done before we left. I can change one now in under a minute. Keep a small easy pour container of diesel handy to refill the Racor.

I'm sure there is more, but it's early in the morning and I've only had one cup of tea so far. The sun is coming up, and I need to go out and enjoy it in shorts and a T while I can. The next time I see it will be on a weekend in Rochester with a coat, gloves and ear muffs. Pants too, no shorts.

Cheers!
Paul