Get ready.... It is about to finally happen!!!

This coming Monday we are planning to launch!

Scott Hyland of Hyland Marine is finalizing the electrical equipment installations and the wiring of the Master Helm station in the salon area.  Scott has almost finished the replacement of all engines hoses, systems piping, fuel lines, water lines, plus the fuel filtration and transfer systems. Scott and Ben Hicks have worked all throughout the holiday to get this work done.  We really appreciate their efforts to finally get us in the water and under way. Scott finished the DC to AC inverter installation and wiring.  The AC panel with AC/DC surge protector is now installed and ready.  The ships water systems are also completed.

Tony Van de Wal of AVFM, LLC. has completed all he can do regarding the rebuilding, fiberglass and painting. The hull is now completed with its red anti-fouling paint bottom.  Tony's next step, no in significant project, is to haul the boat to the marina under the watchful escort of the sheriff's department.

Matt Anthony, Ships Carpenter, is finalizing the trim work.  His list is getting smaller and smaller all of the time.  Matt is waiting on some trim hardware for stateroom cabinet doors, some glass for the dinette table top, a custom cut mirror for the head, among a few other minor items.

Dinky, the one sole that has been there regularly, day in and day out, helping with whatever needed to get done, has tested the new backup, fuel transfer pump.  Dinky transfered all of the old diesel fuel off of the Gliding Gander into Tony's shop heating oil tank.  This will assure only fresh, clean fuel to begin our sea trial and voyage.

Kevin, among helping his wife out with their new baby girl, is ready to help launch and install the flybridge and canopy.

Dave Miller of Miller Fabrication in North East , MD. is prepared to come to the Gliding Gander after we get her new flybridge and canopy installed.  He will design and manufacture a custom handrail system around the flybridge and upper deck.

Interestingly enough, we have to launch the boat to get the flybridge and canopy installed using the travel crane.  Then we have to take the boat back out of the water and, using the travel crane, we will have to haul the assembled boat to the marina's shop for access to the 50 amp electrical service required of Dave's welding machine.  The design, welding, complete fabrication process and installation of the custom hand rails should take a day.  About Thursday, we antiscipate re-launching the boat and completing final engine preparations for sea trialing hopefully on Friday.

The weather report calls for extremely cold weather this coming week.  We are hoping the water will not freeze over.  It would not be good to have ice scraping the Gliding Gander's new paint off of the bottom.  If all goes well, I have my fingers crossed, we may get the Gliding Gander home to Lea's pier Saturday!  This is when the cleaning up and oiling of the custom oak fence board floors, counters and trim work will be done. [I will have an interesting story about the fence boards in the coming week or two.]  After the boat is throughly cleaned, and the woodwork is oiled we will begin provisioning the boat for the sea trials which will include overnight adventures.

Lea and I are hoping to have friend's stop by the pier to see the Gliding Gander.  I am hoping to assemble all the persons involved in the life and times of this old boat.  We will be inviting the original builder, Mr. Lippincott; Mr. Butch Trainer, the first owner; Mr. Tyree, the second owner, and a few other persons for a Gliding Gander reunion.

On Monday, the next time I post pictures, you will see the new red bottom and finished paint job.  I hope you will get to see the launch pictures plus the flybridge and canopy top installations.