We are making progress on boat refit.  Just finished building battery box and installing four new Trojan 12v, Grp31 Overdrive 102Ah batteries and rewire.  Three for house and one for engine.

Refit items completed so far are:

• Self-steering Hydrovane unit
• New double stern rail with boarding ladder
• Solid fuel Cubic Mini stove for heating
• New bimini with side curtains and screens
• New vee berth cushions
• New 27 gal waste holding and 40 gal water tank
• New Lofrans manual windless
• Replace old seacocks with Groco BV seacocks with backing plates
• Installed Cruise RO water maker
• New lifelines
• New AIS, WiFi Extender
• Various safety equipment (EPIRB, LifeSling, MOB strobe, gas/fumes monitor, damage control equipment, and fire extinguishers)

Items left is new bottom job (barrier coat and antifouling), new standing (upgrade to ¼ inch) and running rigging upgrade (halyards, sheet lines), new roller furler and headsail, and half tower to place solar panels.  We are going to have this work done in Pensacola Ship Yard by the following vendors:

•  Shurr Sail, Hunter
• Zern Rigging, Rick
• Perdido Sailor, Brandon
• Blue Coral Sport Fishing Towers, Roland

Galley Storage

I have planned galley food storage for our short jaunts on Lake Superior.  But I am new to living aboard a 30 foot sailboat and so I have tried to research this subject as much as possible, looking for all the tips I can find.  Boat Galley has been a great resource and I have purchased many of the kitchen tools she suggested.  I will be leaving my microwave, Kitchen Aid Mixer, food processor, etc, etc, at home.  When I consider a kitchen tool for my galley it must be multi use.   I have thermal cooking to take the place of my slow cooker, which also doubles to keep foods warm.  I have nesting pots and pans which will double as mixing bowls.  Our French Press will take the place of the automatic coffee maker.  My hand egg beater, potato ricer and Danish dough hook take the place of my mixer.  Back to the basics for plates, cups and silverware, four piece settings.   I look forward to the challenge, 81 more days but who’s counting, right?
Hope it all works out.  Any suggestions?