The Home Stretch II

Busy days with Peter K., Darrell, Steffey, Mike Smith, JP, Dad and my 10 year old brother, Toby, all checking off their final lists of work. Actually, Toby discovered Need for Speed on the computer and keeps sneaking off to play!

The engine is in and has been checked off by Yanmar for the warranty inspection. Mike Smith has returned to complete the installation and coordination of all things electrical. Dad is dealing with all the loose ends and Toby is cleaning up after us again. Poor bugger!

Computers are installed and getting their software and driver updates via Mike. MarineNav has sponsored me with their Leviathan computer. It can provide incredible processing power and tons of hard drive storage space for navigation software, charts, music, and video. Plus it is compact and draws very little power. Installed at this point are: Clear Point Weather - weather forecasting softeware which will be received via Sat Phone, Maxsea navigation software, various nautical publications including - Flags of the World, Sailing Directions, Pilot Charts, and Bowditch (glad I don't have to pack that one!).
By the way, for all you kids out there, one of my favorite books as a kid was the story Carry on Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham. It is the story of Nathaniel Bowditch who lived during the time of the American Revolution. He was from a big family that was so poor they were forced to sell him as an indentured servant (ie slave) at the age of 12 to a boat chandlery in town. It is the story of how he works all day and then studies at night. When he finishes his servanthood he goes to sea and discovers that the navigational equations being used are full of errors. While at sea he recalculates the information. He also invents new ways of doing celestial navigation and teaches it to the common sailors on board to keep them out of trouble. There is more to the story but you'll have to read it to find out!

We are right on schedule to move Intrepid to Burton Chace Park for the Marina del Rey Boat Show that begins Thursday the 12th and ends on Sunday the 15th. I will be taking off from there at about 1:00 on Saturday the 14th. Everyone from the Show has been great. I am really looking forward to hearing Mike Harker speak on Friday night. He just completed a year-long solo circumnavigation and will be speaking on his adventure. Good guy to know!

I see that the archives are working on the blog again and the RSS feed will be set up sometime tonight or tomorrow. It looks like I can post photos to the blog as well.

Additions to the web site are in process. There just isn't a lot of time these days for computer work. I'll try to write everyday this week if possible but for sure when I head out on Saturday.

Cheers,
Zac