Weather is holding us up. When we go is becoming an ever growing question.

For those of you that think Mat actually "lucks" his way through his work you are probably correct; however, as shown above, I did catch him actually measuring, squaring and calculating one of his last projects. Mat is building doors to access areas previously planned to be hatches.

Dinky making the washboards ready for priming.  Tony is hoping for good weather on Sunday so he can prime the washboards.

Flybrige dashboard being completed.

Dinghy turned upside down and being fitted for a dingy cradle.

Rough form for the dinghy cradle.

For those who were wondering why Dinky was working so hard in the other picture, the answer is that Dinky's real boss came onboard for an inspection of his work.  With the baby due in January, Tony and Mat decided to escort Laura on her tour.

The windows have finally arrived and painting has begun - so it won't be long now!

Beginning of new DC panel box

Lea distracting Scotty Hyland from other things he wants to be doing.

New fence board table with 2 x 4 temporary leg.  A future story about the fence boards will be coming upong completion of project.

Our new fence board overhead chart rack.

(You can double click on this picture to see the enlarged grains in the fence board wood.)

Trip overview

(You can double click on the chart picture to see an enlargement.)
We plan to leave Florida, and first travel throughout the Bahamas. We then plan to pass through the Tuks and Caico Islands on our way to the Dominican Republic. Our next stops will be Putero Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Bristish Virgin Islands, The Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Barbados, Tobago, Trinadad, Venezela, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, and then cross the Caribbean Sea going back to the Dominican Republic. Possible side trips could include Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

Sunday's break in the weather, from hurricane Ida, allows Tony to begin painting in the afternoon.

Tony - The mad chemist!!

Lenny - The mad assistant!!

The stern of Gliding Gander - The willing subject!!

Tony spraying the stern.

Tony spraying port cabin.

Starboard cabin partially primed

Port cabin partially primed.  Come on good weather please hang in here with us.  We planned to launch tomorrow.

Inky-Dinghy-Do  our dinghy will do!

Priming coat on flybrige and prepared hull.

Wall behind head where new port window will be installed very soon.

Bathroom counter top removed for replacement.

Hull sanded and waiting for weather to clear enough for a primer coat.  Hurricane IDA came the day before Tony wanted to start priming the hull.  Launch appears to be put back to just before Thanksgiving.

Flybridge seating turned upsaid down in shop.

Flybrige seating foreground and flybridge in background with first coat of paint on it.

Flybridge primed.

New mainstation dashboard addition being primed along with cover panel.  Flybrige in background.

Flybridge canopy and carpentry work beginning to near completion

 Port and starboard dashboards in top pictures. The floor in the head is below with the shower floor to the left made from old fence board veneering.  After the carpentry work gets finished there will be a story to come regarding the fence boards.

The flybridge canopy with its two rear stanchons in place being haulded from the fabricating shop then turned right side up before being lifted on top of boat.  Note the front stanchons are not yet installed.  They will be custom fabricated in place.  Dave Miller setup shop on the flybrige to custom cut and fit each piece of the fabrications.  Now, come on windows and door!!!!!!!!!!!

Gliding Gander strutting her stuff!

Because of past vibration issues we xrayed and checked the alignment on both shafts including the coupling facings.  We found a minor crack in the port shaft and replaced it for good insurance.  We also machined a few thousands off of the coupling faces so they could never chatter. We then checked the bronze single pole struts and found them to have wear around the bolt holes that mount the cutlass bearings.  Dick Wilson of Wilson Fabrication analized the situation.  Dick ended up making new, much improved, owesome looking, stainless steel struts that have a Vee design and superior strength with holes in them for mounting zincs.  Gliding Gander now has stronger and better jewerly underwater than ever before in her thirthy year old life. Note Gliding Ganders Keel in the bottom right picture.