Finally time on the water after refitting

[SalishAire]

Hyacinth performed nicely on our first Spring trip from Olympia to Jarrell Cove State Park (Washington).

What we've learned:

• The Dog adapted to the noise of the Yanmar diesel with lots of cuddles and bacon bits
  Running at 2000 RPM moves us along at an acceptable clip and reduces the noise a lot.
  Our new navigation/radar suite integrates well and works nicely.
  Ham radio setup (VHF/UHF/HF still needs some tweeking (the tall HF whip is removed for travel).
  Our Wallas stove cooks nicely and with its thermostat function heated the cabin nicely overnight.
  We need an accumulator tank on the water system to keep the pump from pulsing so bad (having 120V/ engine heat for hot water is really a nice luxery).
  Our new PortaBote needs to be used more to stretch the plastic and make it easier to set up and the oars need some modification but folded it rides nicely on the arches as planned while towing to the launch site or underway. We will tow it behind the Albin tomorrow to check how the tow ring I added works (we have had several PortaBotes in the past so we are used to their quirks).
  We are REALLY pleased with the cockpit enclosure but may work to make side windows taller to make it easier to enter and exit (stainless work by Norman, fabric work by Clarice)
  Our Vitrifrigo "ice chest" doesn't like to operate on 12V - a phone call to the factory rep is planned for today.

[WillieC]

Nice to see you yesterday! Just the oomph to push us forward to ending the projects and launching das Boot.

[dkirsop]

Hyacinth is looking good! We enjoy our Wallas stove too - no flare ups or other adrenalin pumping hiccups that came with our former pressurized alcohol stove.

Splashed our boat on Sunday and the alternator failed on way to the dock. Have purchased a new one and I am presently installing it. Some minor tweaking required to align the drive pulley with the alternator pulley. Hope to get out on the water before the weekend.

[DesertAlbin736]

Splashed our boat on Sunday and the alternator failed on way to the dock.

Dave,

Always somethin' isn't there? Glad to hear both of you got your boats on the water.

Norman,
Like that dashboard set up! You lose the little "junk drawer" glove box space, but makes for a neater layout for switches & VHF. One of the differences between your later model & ours & dkirsop's besides the compression post pipe in the cabin is Albin made the floor between the settees part of the fiberglass pan with a small square access door whereas the early boats like ours there's a plywood floorboard there.

You got back up home just in time. We're looking at 101 deg F this coming weekend. But my pool water is up to 86 deg. Don't need the wetsuit anymore. I did my 30 laps with swim fins yesterday & 8.75 miles on my bicycle early this morning when our low was 70. We did our Cinco De Mayo 'season finale' with our sailing club over this past weekend. Didn't take any photos, but we had a great time, 11 boats rafted up in a straight line in 20 feet of water in a sheltered cove. Feasted on a shared taco bar & Margarita contest.
Listened to packs of coyotes yipping & herds of wild burros braying (descendants of burros escaped or turned loose by Old West prospectors in the 1800s still roam the desert around Lake Pleasant). Temps topped out a couple degrees above 90 & we came in to haul out early Sunday before wind kicked up to 20 knot gusts. Whatever we do this summer we're done with Lake Pleasant until late October.
Meanwhile I'm watching diesel fuel prices continue to climb, jumped another 10c to $5.499 today. At that rate our round trip truck fuel cost up to Blaine & back could exceed $1,650. As much as I hate to, we may have to re-think our plans this summer if it keeps up the way it's going.

Rick,
You remember Greg & Amanda. They were at the raft up with their "other" sailboat, a Tanzer 22 trailerable & said to say hi. Amanda won the Margarita contest (she cheated with store bought pre-mix). They're considering relocating the Alden 44 back to the US side later this year, maybe somewhere near Edmonds where their son lives. Getting to be too much hassle going back & forth.

[Dieselram94]

Speaking of fuel prices…
This picture is a few days old, and the price is higher now.

[SalishAire]

So back on topic: Hyacinth's interior is now fully painted and looks great! (This was my wife's project). The topsides are pretty much prepped (45 years of screw holes, etc. patched and ready for final fairing) and the paint is in the garage just waiting for a couple of days without rain (NO WE ARE NOT IN A DROUGHT HERE!!! AND WOULD LOVE FOR SPRING TO ARRIVE!!) Once the paint is on we will change her title from "project boat" to a boat getting ongoing upgrades. Currently my-in-the garage project is taking a surplus teak door and converting it to replace the Dutch Door to the aft companion way - so far the project is going well (except that I had to learn that Amazon sells lift-off hinges in sets of one left and one right when I needed two lefts for each half of the door).

[DesertAlbin736]

That's good to hear. So, obviously the May jump off date for Alaska has been pushed back? Looking more & more like we won't be coming up to PNW this year. Besides the high fuel prices there are other personal factors involved for staying home. Yes it'll be a long hot desert summer, but we have the pool & central A/C. And frozen Margaritas to drown our sorrows in of course.

[SalishAire]

Reality has hit like a hammer. My spinal stenosis symptoms are increasing at an alarming rate - meaning my PT wants me to use a walker (I have resorted to hiking poles full time). So long distance boating is out for now (a 3 hour run last week caused me severe pain when I tried to walk after sitting that long). Visit to the surgeon on Tuesday - prayers and well wishes welcome. We are still planning to fly to Sitka in a couple weeks to see friends and revisit the amazing countryside.