So, it’s been a month since we last posted. Portland has definitely chilled down since November. You could say we have become the new arctic and yet we are still plugging away on Gypsy. Nothing major, nothing exciting, but progress is happening. Really. It’s been too cold to paint, glue or epoxy. What does that leave us? Wiring and hoses and ducts.


Whenever we think we are done with running wires, we discover we still have more gear to run wires to. One of the challenges in fitting a lot of wires in a tight space is to make sure there is some slack and that everything bundles neatly so that it doesn’t take over an entire small locker and that it is protected and out of the way. So you have three disparate goals. Try working that out on your boat.
Still to come: more lighting for the v-berth, running lights and the windlass controls. Those are just the wires coming from the front end of the boat to the control panel in the cabin. There are still more wires needed for other gear in the aft end of the boat.
We now have the starboard water tank connected to the deck fill. The vent hose for the tank has also been attached and we just need to screen the end so that once it gets warm and tropical in Portland, the bugs won’t invade the water tank.
All the foam for the refrigerator is in place and we have picked off most of the extra foam. We’re waiting for warm weather to put together the box. Our garage is less insulated than the boat and it’s too cold to cut wood or glue up anything out there right now.
Other projects we got done or started on but did not get photos of: the head vanity counter top was fitted with the bilge hose vented loop in place. Once it gets warm, we can glue on the Formica. Nina’s been working on patterns for ceiling panels in the main salon. All the easy ones without lights have been made. And cold or not, it’s time to get started on cushions.
Hope you two had a great xmas and new year 🎶. Charlie
Respectfully, Charles Needles
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I realize that you already have a plan for deck fills for the fresh water, but here is one vote for filling them thru a screw-out access plate on the tank top. Our boat was built for this, and while it seemed unusual when we bought it over 20 years ago we quickly grew to like it a lot. Just lift up a cushion, tilt up the settee cover plate and “add water”. Never a concern about deck fill O-rings or fill-hose problems, Being able to see inside and wipe it down every year keeps the water drinkable too.
I sure admire your new wiring and hose runs! It’s wonderful to have access to all that stuff as part of the rebuild planning.
As soon as you get done I want to trade boats with you for a season while you refurbish our boat next…. !!
Happy New Year.
Loren
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