Two work weekends in a row

While everyone else was having a lot of fun on the Bay, Nathan and I spent the last two weekend working on the boat - I will add pictures to a separate post. Here's a quick update on the situation...

1- Electrical
* Nathan worked some miracles there: we have everything but the heavy duty NKE system (I think...) on a nice looking switch, a 3-way switch for the masthead light (so we can switch from tricolor navigation lights to anchor light, strobe will most likely remain unused). Also the GPS is now on a switch...and looks soooooooooo beautiful, with colors and everything...

* we bought yet another battery...just like masthead flies, I seem to attract bad luck with those. It is the second one that ends up totally toast after a few months of ownership. We received the big solar panel but we haven't tried it on yet

* I like to think that I worked some small miracle: I install two new LED dome lights in the main cabin. They have a 3-way switch: "off, white and red". Very nice and they should run all night really...

2- Communication and navigation
* We sealed the GPS antenna "in" connector and I clipped the GPS antenna cable along the starboard side of the cabin. Looks nice and neat

* We finished the celestial navigation course. I bought a star finder and the 2008 almanach

3- Deck hardware
* Arthur serviced all of the winches in the evening of the Vallejo race - they all work beautifully now

* We added a padeye on the foredeck to run a stronger foreguy system for offshore racing

* We added four cleats: two so that we can cleat off the spinnaker sheets from the cabin top winches (cool if we do any cross-winching) and two with a better angle so that we can release the spinnaker sheet from the regular winch from the driver's seat. Once, we rounded up on our way back from the lightship because I just couldn't do this, the angle was wrong!!!

* We replaced a broken winch handle holder

* I tried to strengthen the strobe holder as the strobe kept wanting to escape during our last ocean race

4- Emergency
* We are in the process of replacing worn out parts of the main bilge pump which kind of stopped pumping. This can be a problem for a pump

* We now have two additional lifelines for the inside of the cockpit and running from cleat to cleat at the stern

* We have found a way to just bungee up the 2nd extinguisher, that way no extra mount and it is easy to get to (close to the companionway) and easy to install just for offshore races. Note: the primary is on the port side, fore bulkhead.

* Hard and waterproof flare case

* Distress flag

5- Cosmetic
* I fixed a few rough spots on deck with 5200

* The new Elise logo is ON!!!! Looks pretty snazzy

6- Sails
* We finally have a proper sock bag for our dacron #3...the one we will take with us to the ocean.

7- Comfort
* We got a lighter for the stove (one of these long kitchen ones...), pretty cool :) and a regular lighter just in case!

8- Tools
* new drill and huge bit for the spare autohelm install
* new wire cutter and stripper
* new small Philips screwdrivers

And more work to come...