Moving On

Well, I'm officially unemployed. The government here won't approve my work permit and I suspect good old Chicago style politics. I think someone on the island got wind that Spice Island was going to begin offering woodworking to their customers and somebody didn't want that and perhaps that somebody has the ear of a government official. Oh well. Being from Chicago I'm used to this sort of thing. Being new here I didn't have the advantage of getting buddy buddy with an alderman or committeeman. But, as my brilliant daughter says, "Oh, too bad. Now you'll have to go to plan B: SAiLING AROUND THE FREAKING CARIBBEAN!

So, in that vein we now make plans to head north starting around April 1 and explore places we either missed or really liked and time it so as to return here in August. One big thing that has to happen is that we MUST get a new windlass. WHICH I ALREAD DID. Get this. I saw a guy in the tiki bar who was anchored by us who I noticed had a manual windlass. Since I know these are cheaper than the electric kind I asked him how he liked it. Well he loved it. He said all the boats he's ever owned have had this windlass and their great. It's a Tiger made by Simpson Lawrence (but no longer). Then the guy next to him who I know from being here for awhile says, "Hey, I have one of those stored in a locker that I'm no longer using and I'd be willing to sell it". What a strange coincidence! Long story short I am now the pround owner of said windlass. I got it for $250 whereas an install of a new electric windlass would be about $2500. Nice. And, just like I like no refrigeration, paper charts and so forth this just gets it's mechanical advantage the old fashion way: You use a long stick! It will need a couple coats of paint but it works great.

The more interesting part will be the installation of this thing. Windlasses should be installed so that the angle between the incoming chaing and the vertical drop in chain is less than or equal to 90 degrees. That was the problem with the old windlass. It was located IN the anchor locker a full foot below the deck level so that the chain came in at an angle much more than 90 degrees. This caused the chain to jump off the gypsy (I DO love that phrase) and ultimately ruin the motor. So, I'm raising this windlass to deck level. I'm cutting the triangular anchor locker door and mounting the windlass on the pointy part. Steel channel will go under this piece of lid and through holes in the walls of the anchor locker. That and some mounting plates and epoxy for the edges should complete the install. I'm really looking forward to trying this beast the first time. Anchors AWEIGH!

To celebrate being unemployed we bought some new cocktail glasses. Mismo of course still thinks she can hide in a thimble and crawled in to the empty box. Here she is thinking no one can FIND me! Yeah, except your head is out one end and your giant ass out the other! She is as always quite entertaining.