Color, color, color????

Lea made the observation that this boat might look great with a Flag Blue hull.  In this picture you will see dark gray primer on the hull which is not far off of Flag Blue.  What do you think?  Feel free to cast votes via our comments section.

Note, Lea and I wanted a Flag Blue hull from the very start.  The problem, as pointed out by Tony, is that the Flag Blue hull will hold so much more heat than the white hull that the fiberglass will blister if painted Flag Blue.  Tony promises that when we get home a Flag Blue hull will need many fiberglass repairs and a new paint job.  Question, is it worth getting the better looking boat and then fix it when it gets home?

Cast your vote quickly.  Let us hear your thoughts before it is too late for Lea and I to decide.

Enough is enough! The boat must be moved inside.

Lea appears on a rainy day to say lets move this boat inside guys.

So Tony gets out the four-wheel drive truck and large trailer.

Lea takes off time from chasing Scott to say back it in here boys.

Tony starts Lea's way with the boat.

Only problem was that because of the rain the four-wheels couldn't do the job so Tony puts the six-wheel drive truck to the task.

Six-wheels didn't work. So I came up with the idea of running a tow line through the back wall of the barn to my six-wheel drive truck to act as an assist.  My idea didn't work either.  So Dinky grabbed the four wheel drive tractor and pulled thru the barn - all to no avail.

The best this mottle crew could do in all of the mud was to get the boat part way into the barn.  Someone did notice that we were all doing OK until Joy, Matt's wife, showed up with her rum drink and beer for the boys.  Did I say boys?  One should have seen Lea dive into the case.  Joy, I want you to note it was not me that made the observation about your effect on the guys..

Lea and I resolved the boat will remain half in and half out of the barn for the rest of the night.

First light Tony borrowed a big eight-wheel drive tractor to put the boat in the barn. 

So the work begins.  Dinky and Kevin got started by sanding and preparing for more paint while the roof was drying.

And the first day inside was documented by an inspection by my life-long friend Dave Nestle.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Dave's brother Glenn who is very sick.

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!