Prep and Weather Hold

 The last of the maintenance is done.  Spent the day changing oils and such. Received my oil analyses for the engines and transmissions.  Everything looked great although they only had a 100 hours on them.  We spent last weekend at Sand Island OR.  Topped off fuel with almost 300 gallons.  Next stop for fuel will be Friday Harbor in the San Juans.

We are packed and are ready to go.  The last items are loaded on the boat.  The weather is nasty in the Pacific so we will stay at the winter dock.  Not a bad place to hold up while we have company, a river otter.  

UPDATE:  Looks like next Wednesday May 5th.

All packed up

Last of the wax on wax off

Nice and shiney

Ready to go, but on weather hold

Mr. Otter

Midnight Sun

It's just money

Missy and Rus Selene

 

Wax on-Wax Off

 The last wax and buff was over 2 years ago.  The hull was dirty and nasty, yet ASD was still somewhat shiny. It was sunny and warm.  I first used a hull cleaner to remove some bad marks and green stuff.  It has acid in it so gloves were a must.  Then I started with an orange pad to cut the dirt and grim.  It took all the black marks and makes it shiny.  I started on the port side.

Then with a red pad, I added Starbrite polish. and buffed until the surface was chalky.  Next with the with the buffer, I used a micro-cloth buffing pad to bring out the mirror shine.

Not bad for 34 year old boat!

No the bad news.  As I was adding polish, the buffer would not shut off.  The switch went bad. Unless I wanted to wait a week for a new switch, then an additional week polishing the starboard side, I went out on the internet to find a new buffer.  Found one in Seattle at Fisheries.   A 4 hour drive and an almost 6 hour drive back.  By then it was late.  Then Kay was flying out early the next morning so yesterday was a wash and lost sunny day.

Today, pouring down rain and 30mph wind.  No-Go today.

On The Hard

 After getting beat around in the marina for 2 days with 40+mph wind we finally get hauled out. At first look the bottom is not that bad.  I had to laugh as last year we hired a diver to change the zincs.  He left the old ones on.

This time out of the water will be to fix the swim step, wax and polish the hull.  Ilwaco has a new lift which is awesome. for not being out in 2 years she doesn't look that bad.  A good power wash and time to go to work.

With fuel tanks at 3/4 full, full water, ASD comes in at 48,000 pounds.

2021 Hualout

 Took off from ASD's winter dock and headed to Ilwaco WA for the annual haul out. I looked at the weather and moved the departure day back to Wednesday as there was some winds coming up Thursday Afternoon.

We left at 10 AM and had nice smooth run or 57.6 miles. As we pulled into Ilwaco marina the wind started and was blowing us away from the dock. Took 5 runs at the dock and finally had a bow line tied and was able to bring the stern around.

By 5 PM the we had a steady 25mph and it was going to get stronger over night. Well this sucks as I was adding additional lines. Good thing I did. By 10 PM we had gale winds blowing. Never seen white capes inside a marina. By 8 AM, the haul out was cancelled and they don't work on weekends. 11 AM on Monday is our new haul out.

Not much sleep last night with the howling of the wind and creaking of the lines. The winds pick up and we are having 42mph wind gust with 32mph steady.

So here ASD sits in the marina in the wind and rain. Winds are suppose to reduce later tonight. 

A few pics from the travel down river.

The Crew

Looking down river

Sharing the River

Old Pillar Rock Cannery

Astoria Bridge

Entrance to Ilwaco Marina

Our spot to observe the wind

ASD 2021 Preperations

 So the purpose of this thread is to share what ASD's crew is doing to prepare for a summer cruise to SE Alaska. We have a check list of items that need to be accomplish before Crossing the Columbia River Bar.

 While sitting on the dock yesterday, the Admiral and I started to run down the list of things we would have to do to get ASD ready. It's been a year since she has tasted salt water.

So what have we done so Far? Not much, but it is a start.

1. Received my 2021 Waggoner and Tides and Current

2. Payed the (extortion) annual tax for border patrol

3. Re-applied for my NEXUS Card. It was a good thing the Admiral brought this up as it expired in April.

4. I have arranged for an annual two week haul out at the end of March. Inspect and fix anything on the hull. Cut, buff and wax the hull.


Come March we start unloading storage and packing the boat. We will also run each system and update the navigation charts.

The chart updates are a spendy one, $100 per card. I have 3 Navionics cards and CE Canadian charts.

Not much to start, and lots of $$ but we are making the process.

We will keep everyone updated on our progress.

 

No posts for 2020

We are sitting on the winter dock as the Canadian/U.S. border is closed.  So no entries for this summer.

We will prepare for next summer.

2018 cruise up the Columbia

I just realized we did not post any blog for the 2018 voyage up the Columbia and Snake river.  Here it is on the Trawler Forum:

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/pairadice-asd-columbia-river-adventure-2018-a-38536.html