Made a bunch more modifications to the Nordvika yesterday.

[Mariner]

I've really got to get better at taking pictures of this stuff. For some reason I'm always forgetting when I'm down on the boat.

Yesterday was the big preparation day for the summer trip in the San Juans. Today (or maybe first thing tomorrow) the real owners (my parents) are leaving and will spend two weeks in the San Juan Islands and Canadian Gulf Islands. Before leaving, I guess my dad felt it was time to do all those projects he'd been talking about since buying the boat back in October.

First we added a stainless support post for the cockpit roof. It runs the load from the center of the roof down to the transom. I think we need to install a backing plate on the roof to spread the load a bit, but for now it should work fine.

Then we set about making chocks for the dinghy. What we made was temporary but functional so that it could be tested and worked out while on this trip before we put a bunch of time into fabricating and varnishing something permanent. But the concept was there. We started by running a mahogany strip across the aft end of the roof, about two feet forward of the very edge. This 1x2 strip gives us the flexibility lash down a dinghy and two kayaks without cluttering up the deck. For the fiberglass rowing/sailing dinghy we then made a couple blocks for the stern that hold it upright. and keep it in place. We put several stainless eyes around the edge of the roof to provide tie down points for the dinghy, kayaks, crab pots. or whatever else we decide we may want to store up there. After we return I will make some custom shaped chocks for the dinghy out of mahogany, varnish them (along with the strip at the stern) and top them with either rubber or polyurethane pads. Since this arrangement stores the dinghy in the upright position (as opposed to upside down), I needed to install a drain plug in the bottom of it. This boat is somewhat bowl shaped and so the drain plug is smack in the middle of the boat, alongside the keel. I haven't tested it in the water yet. I had to wait for the 5200 to cure. I doubt I'll have time before they leave. I sure hope it works.

We added a backup anchor to the equipment list. It's a pretty large (not sure exactly) Danforth, with 200' of rope and chain. Finding a place to store such a large and awkward anchor was difficult. I ended up putting it down in the midship enginerring space (I call it "the hold") where the water and waste tanks are. We cut out some plywood planks to fit in the ridge where the keel meets the hull so that we could more easily move around in the hull as well as store some stuff down there on a flat surface. I coiled the anchor rode into a plastic milk crate and put it right down in the center of this space. I figure this makes it at least somewhat easy to access. Although, the backup anchor would be quite a chore to get out of there. I know it was a pain to get in there.

This boat has lots of storage space, but so much of it is difficult to use and access. Some shelves would help a lot.

[jcollins]

Mariner,
You HAVE to give us some pictures on your handy-work. It sounds perfect.
I too carry a spare Danforth. I keep mine in the fish box for now. Still thinking about a better place.