I have to admit that I am getting tired of owning a boat that does not float! Farley Mowat wrote a book entitled The Boat who wouldn’t float. I never actually read it but the summary sounds all to familiar.
“It seemed like a good idea. Tired of everyday life ashore, Farley Mowat would find a sturdy boat in Newfoundland and roam the salt sea over, free as a bird. What he found was the worst boat in the world, and she nearly drove him mad. ”
I do not believe that we have the worst boat in the world, and I do not believe that Akupara is driving me mad, but there are a lot of similarities! Akupara as of right now is not ready to be launched, and the idea of being on a floating, sailing boat is starting to drive me mad.
We are about to round a new corner. A really expensive corner. We are very quickly approaching the high ticket items. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, rigging, cushions. Up until now it has been new plywood and lots of sandpaper and a few cans of paint and stain. Of course because it is all Marine Grade, it is still expensive but not like what is coming.
I do find myself drifting into the realm of well, that can be completed once we are afloat, which is a dangerous path to follow, but it is very hard not to. If she was in the water, we would at least feel her move a bit, and at least be out of the dirty boatyard.
I am thinking that I am going to re-prioritize our projects so that we can launch if we decide to at any point. So, that means the focus would shift to the hull. New seacocks, a few fiberglass repairs, and new bottom paint. After that would be the deck. Finish the sanding and hole filling and re coring. Once those items are complete, we would have a floating watertight boat. Of course she still would not be able to go anywhere under her own power so the rigging and the engine have to fall in there somewhere.
We can still use Akupara even if the odd drawer face is not sanded and stained. The electrical only needs to be able to start the engine and charge the batteries, after-all I like gimballed oil lamps, they are classy and we have a lot of flashlights. We have an icebox and new refrigeration can wait. Never had it on a boat before why do we need it now? And interior cushions are a luxury, we could always use cheap inflatable mattresses.
And that is how projects start to never be finished. And how a boat will never float. I don’t care if I re-arrange the order of the overall project list, but we need to Stay The Course, and get all of it done before Akupara hits the water. Well at least most of it anyway…
I need to stop looking at all of the beautiful photos of tropical island paradises posted by sailors on Instagram and Twitter.