Odalisque - April 12, 2006 Log

Log 2006 - April 9th

Sunday April 9.

I am always amazed at how little I get accomplished in an afternoon preparing the boat for bottom painting and general Spring re-commissioning rituals. I have always been amazed that it all gets done, even if my arms and legs feel tired yet stronger.
I inspected the water pump impeller, as up close and personal as it could be, considering the location of said device. Said device, which was replaced by me in its entirety, two seasons ago, before Donald and I took Odalisque from Hempstead Harbor around to Huntington Bay, is in fine shape. It was easier than I thought to get the 4 screws out of the backing plate. Then I was able to determine that the water pump should work like a champ. But it was very difficult to replace the backing plate and four screws with only one arm inside the engine compartment. Sometimes the things you think will be easy turn out to be hard and the things you think are difficult end up being a snap.
Hand sanded the hull. I put a first coat of epoxy on the propeller and vacuumed out the aft storage compartments. Progress, if undeniably visibly slow.
The hull will be painted this week as the weather is expected to warm up and our boat yard is empty of the poor working stiffs who show up on weekends to do their work. Some seem to come just to socialize and drink beer. When I get tired of working on the hull I always tell myself that: “The hull is not going to paint itself.”
We are scheduled to launch Saturday 4/15.

— Caleb Davison