We are adjusting quite well to life back in the boatyard. One of the up's, is I don't cook lunch and often not dinner because the boat is still in such a state. This is our lunch hang-out. It's just up the road from the marina...and, yes, that is a urinal just out front of the restaurant/store. And, yes, there are tables all around the urinal!
This is lunch, plus a bowl of soup we've already consumed. Today is fried chicken, some rice, "white" salad, and fried plantain. There are usually beans too.
To begin with, in January, tables were set up across the street too. But now (March) the sun is too high and there is no shade.
Here we are enjoying lunch with Fred, from California. His boat is in the yard and he's heading off for a couple of months. As I write this, he has returned and his boat is back in the yard. He's gone home and we're still here.
Looking up the street, from the restaurant, the fellows from some or other company in the area are resting over lunch.
The restaurant is called Maicol's (Michael's) and this is one of Maicol's sons.
This is the gate to the boatyard, and our "home away from home".
There's Maicol's on the left.
This is also a store/lunch spot two doors closer to the marina. I think they're cheaper but the fact that the first time we were there the owner/server was wearing no shirt and barely done up pants, was a bit of an appetite killer!
We are very happy with our hull gelcoat. But, when we left Cartagena, the topsides were not completed. The concern was matching the colour as Flavit had no gelcoat left to complete the job. We are also not happy with the sand embedded finish in the gelcoat around the new hatches.
It's a bit hard to see, but the entire deck behind the new propane box hasn't been gelcoated yet, and the colour of the propane box doesn't match the rest of the boat; it's much yellower. In fact, we have several different colours of cream on our topsides because they didn't mix well enough. Small wonder as they just used some stick they found in the yard!
After three unsuccessful tries at colour matching, they had to repaint all the topsides save the top of the main cabin.
All the nonskid had to be covered, as well as all hardware and wood. What a pain, since the first time much of that had been removed. It made for a much better, neater and easier job.
Getting ready to paint. We told them they had to use a drill mixer, no if's, and's, or but's.
Note the container...not sure what was in that before. Again, the guess by golly method of making a colour we'd like...a little of this, a little of that!
A break for lunch...always hungry street dogs in every Latin American country.
Sometimes cats too!
Urinal peek-a-boo!!
Since we have a lunch, that's more of a dinner, this would be a dinner aboard that's more of a lunch! But, Maicol's doesn't serve wine!!
This is a view of the boatyard taken by Ralph up the mast.
Fortuitous from on high.
Meanwhile, trying to work inside. We needed to re-varnish our cabin sole because of overspray last season (they didn't cover properly when spraying the mast). So, Ralph had to lift out the companionway stairs so I could varnish...they fell apart!! Another job. We were actually using waterbased urethane. Thank God we were, because I spilled part of the can just as i finished the second coat!!! !!!****&&^^&&!!! It mopped up and all was OK. This would not have been the case if it were oil based!
Here's the finished product! Still, annoying because it shouldn't have had to have been done. They were careless so I had more work to do.
So, painting all done and the boys are removing the tape. It was a hot day and they found our gerry can covers and, first thing you know, they have hats!!
This is lunch, plus a bowl of soup we've already consumed. Today is fried chicken, some rice, "white" salad, and fried plantain. There are usually beans too. 
To begin with, in January, tables were set up across the street too. But now (March) the sun is too high and there is no shade. 
Here we are enjoying lunch with Fred, from California. His boat is in the yard and he's heading off for a couple of months. As I write this, he has returned and his boat is back in the yard. He's gone home and we're still here. 
Looking up the street, from the restaurant, the fellows from some or other company in the area are resting over lunch. 
The restaurant is called Maicol's (Michael's) and this is one of Maicol's sons. 
This is the gate to the boatyard, and our "home away from home". 
There's Maicol's on the left. 
This is also a store/lunch spot two doors closer to the marina. I think they're cheaper but the fact that the first time we were there the owner/server was wearing no shirt and barely done up pants, was a bit of an appetite killer! 
We are very happy with our hull gelcoat. But, when we left Cartagena, the topsides were not completed. The concern was matching the colour as Flavit had no gelcoat left to complete the job. We are also not happy with the sand embedded finish in the gelcoat around the new hatches. 
It's a bit hard to see, but the entire deck behind the new propane box hasn't been gelcoated yet, and the colour of the propane box doesn't match the rest of the boat; it's much yellower. In fact, we have several different colours of cream on our topsides because they didn't mix well enough. Small wonder as they just used some stick they found in the yard! 
After three unsuccessful tries at colour matching, they had to repaint all the topsides save the top of the main cabin.
All the nonskid had to be covered, as well as all hardware and wood. What a pain, since the first time much of that had been removed. It made for a much better, neater and easier job. 
Getting ready to paint. We told them they had to use a drill mixer, no if's, and's, or but's. 
Note the container...not sure what was in that before. Again, the guess by golly method of making a colour we'd like...a little of this, a little of that! 
A break for lunch...always hungry street dogs in every Latin American country. 
Sometimes cats too! 
Urinal peek-a-boo!! 
Since we have a lunch, that's more of a dinner, this would be a dinner aboard that's more of a lunch! But, Maicol's doesn't serve wine!! 
This is a view of the boatyard taken by Ralph up the mast. 
Fortuitous from on high. 
Meanwhile, trying to work inside. We needed to re-varnish our cabin sole because of overspray last season (they didn't cover properly when spraying the mast). So, Ralph had to lift out the companionway stairs so I could varnish...they fell apart!! Another job. We were actually using waterbased urethane. Thank God we were, because I spilled part of the can just as i finished the second coat!!! !!!****&&^^&&!!! It mopped up and all was OK. This would not have been the case if it were oil based! 
Here's the finished product! Still, annoying because it shouldn't have had to have been done. They were careless so I had more work to do. 
So, painting all done and the boys are removing the tape. It was a hot day and they found our gerry can covers and, first thing you know, they have hats!! 
1 comment:
Ralph,
What a beautiful boat! You should plan to swing by Brazil and visit sometime. It is my dream to travel this way. Hope life is treating you well.
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