Getting Prepared and more awesone sunsets!

It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Getting all the parts and upgrades bought and/or ordered.  Last Friday we went to Astoria and bought 550 feet of chain for the anchor.  Even with the discount it was $3.19 a foot.  Kay asked isn’t that stuff heavy?  I said yep.  She continues:  How are we going to get it to the boat.  Me:  One link at a time…..

We also found out that diesel had dropped to $2.17 a gallons at Kalama, so we filled up.  This fill up was half what it was last year.  It cost us $729 vs. $1600.  We felt good.

We also had visitors for the weekend, Bert and his girlfriend.  I was really nice to have them.

The nice weather we have had here (72 yesterday) has us wanting to go somewhere, but too much work to do.

This past weekend I started to install the water pipe and electrical for the washer/dryer combo, got that almost done and had to divert to the radar arch.  In order to lower it, I had to remove all the flybridge windows and canvas.  I removed the old radar unit on the arch which weighs about 80lbs.  I needed to find out how the wires are run down the arch.  When we tilted the arch back, all the wires run down the port side, then into a long raceway that goes forward to the flybridge.  One thing I hate doing is running wires, but this made it a little easier.

I have four things to install on the arch, new radar, satellite TV dome, Cell phone booster antenna and a AIS GPS antenna.  I am waiting on testing on my sat TV dome and I had to order a special mounting bracket, so all I could do is the two antennas.

AIS stands for Automatic Identification System.  It originally started as a collision avoidance system for big ships.  Now it is affordable for the recreational boater too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System 

Will be finishing up the washer/dryer combo later this week, but will also be heading up to MCYC for their St. Paddy’s day weekend party.  We always have fun at this event.

Kay enjoying the fire pit

The Northern Comfort, our riverboat

More sunsets

Hard to believe this was the first part of March

Spring is here!  We are seeing a lot of birds on their way north.  Swans

 

Kay sure does take great pics....

At the fuel dock

Running the fuel hose to both sides.  I have 4 tanks.  2 @ 250 gallons and 2 @ 50gallon ea for a total od 600 gallons.

 

$$$$

Last year it was $3.60

The green snake

At the fuel dock

Gull feeding on smely

Blue Bill Ducks taking flight

Eagle trolling for ducks

Longview Yacht Club

Testing out new Kayak

They say this a the 2 person model!  mmmm

Spring is here

March sunsets

Sunset reflection on the glass

Blow boats  at sunset

ASD at sunset!  Cool!!

Bert and his friend Mari

I waxed the stern, good sign of spring

Our new Dinghy, folds up in a bag.

Adjusting the motor

See the boat?

Boat heading into the sunst

Taking the arch down to remove the old radar and install two new antennas, AIS and Cell phone booster

Had to fold all the canvas forward

Wires go this end......

 

 

Running wires

Spring officially here!  The sun setting dead center of the river!