"Today is a Good Day to Drive!" .....Van-Go

We got the printer out and Will got his computer going to type up a letter to the USA Coast Guard regarding our boat; we are trying to get it licensed in the USA and there are lots of loops to jump through and forms to fill out and fees to pay.  One of the requirements for insurance is to have an out of the water surgery. We called Bill Stright from Pictou yesterday and he was able to come out today! Here is Bill in his uniform.  He crawled all around under the boat; we heard a lot of tapping and poking going on. After about an hour of so he showed us two area.  First here on the portside the hull is sort of bent where the barrel is; he said it is an area to watch. The second area is here at the stern where a few brace bars are rotting.  Nothing to be concerned with right away, but something to keep our eye on and be prepared to replace. Will and Bill talked about one of the forms for the Coast Guard requesting measurements of width, height and length.  They are...

It was a very productive day. The sun came out and although it was cold we were able to finish painting the hull. It is finished. Kathy got out on the bow and painted all the white around the windows and deck. We took apart the covers for the old engine cover; the material might come in handy and it matches the pillows we have. The salon is now cleaned out. We put all the wood under the boat or out back so to say. Will even started on cleaning all the electric terminals. And the chart table got a coat of paint too.

The weather here in Pictou Nova Scotia has been grey, cold and wet the last few days so our work energy is low. Will has spent time designing the navigation chart table in the pilot house. There were lots of angles to consider. But he did it all using some scrap lumber we had. Under the table there is a nice shelf for the printers and supplies. Next project: the back doors of the salon. After much discussion and design issues we decided to custom make the doors. There will be four doors, bi-folds, so we can open one or all. Kathy spent her days being domestic in the van. Sweeping and cleaning, cooking and organizing. She added pictures to the 2016 yearbook and worked on a special book for Layla. She enjoyed looking through the pictures of just a month ago.

Our friend Walt Perryman tells true stories. His shortest is called Miniature Horses. It goes like this: "Why". Kathy was out with her friend Darlene and they stopped at Darlene's Mom's house and she met two American Miniature show horses. One was just seven months old. The little one has baby blue eyes.

After we climb aboard we have to raise the back tarp; one day there will be french doors here.   Our two homes. The inside salon is clearing bit by bit; we can see the engine hood now. Kathy beat the rugs and put them down trimming all around so they fit just right.   Then she got all of the electronics put back in place. Will added more paint to the under hull, and worked on the stool storage box adding the hinges. And he replaced the broken compass.  The day turned cold and windy.  Kathy cuddled up in the van and Will went back to designing work.  Later we ended up at MacIntosh's for some hot tea and Will did a few loads of laundry.  Hope it warms up soon or at least that the sun comes out; no fun working in the cold. Kathy Martinelli-Zaun William G Bradley, JR visitvango@gmail.com Today is a good day to drive!

We had a very productive day. Will spent is day planning and redesigning and cutting wood for the navigation area. The chart table will be great! Storage will be well used. Between that job, Will painted antifauling paint on the hull below the water line. We went with a new can and kept the nice blue color instead of the watered down paint. Lesson learned: use a small amount and test before dumping in the paint thinner to make sure that the color doesn't change. Kathy meanwhile painted layers of paint on the footstool storage box and the Gordon box. Between that she cleared off the engine compartment lid putting things into the cupboards in the salon. She beat dirt out of all the rugs and put them in the v-birth and pilot house. It was after sunset when we were finished and headed to the van to relax watching a movie. Did anyone catch that red planet up there last night? What a beauty. That is the closest Mars has been to Earth in a long time.