You haven’t seen a lot of postings here from us for the past several weeks. We have been BUSY. This has been the most intense (and expensive!) maintenance and project stopover we have yet had on Harmonie. She is getting older (like us) and needs more TLC (like us!) and some things were just unlucky timing with several big projects that needed doing at the same time.

There are almost no maintenance or repair projects we postpone while we are here in Fort Lauderdale. The supply and service infrastructure here is better than anywhere else we go, so it makes sense to fix EVERYTHING that needs fixing, or is showing signs of age. Most of these are things we had on our card before we arrived, but there are always extra things that come up when you start taking a boat apart. Then there are the “Surprise!” events–like needing to find a new insurance company–that just add to the fun.

Here for your reading pleasure(?) is what I am sure is an incomplete list of the projects we have been working on since we arrived here in Florida. Not all of these are finished (yet), but it will give you an idea how we have been spending the last 9 weeks. Projects with a (*) preceding them are ones we farmed out to local contractors. Everything else we have done ourselves. I am sure in the time left, we will add a few more. So… in no special order….

1. Change oil and seals in bow thruster.
2. Change oil and seals in “C-Drive”
3. Disassemble, and re-grease prop.
4. New rudder zincs
5. (*)New bottom paint
6. (*)Buff and wax topsides
7. (*)Rebuild turbocharger on drive engine
8. New exhaust elbow on drive engine
9. New transmission on drive engine
10. New exhaust elbow on generator
11. Fix raw water leak on generator
12. Install back up bilge pump.
13. Replace failing main saloon air conditioner
14. (*)Insurance survey
15. New fixed ports in all cabins, and repair sun damaged interior wood
16. New thermostats for both freezers
17. New level gauge for aft head holding tank
18. Replace packing on rudder shaft.
19. Replace battery in PLB EPRIB
20. New Main Epirb
21. Repair cockpit speaker for VHF radio
22. Change zincs on engine and generator
23. Update radio registrations and licenses
24. Renew HMS permit for offshore fishing
25. Replace thru-hull for aft holding tank vent
26. Rebed lens in forward cabin hatch
27. Realign door on fridge.
28. New hatch, screen and blinds for main saloon
29. New secondary anchor
30. Repair steaming light
31. Refinish forward head hatch frame
32. New main traveler control line
33. (*)Various sail repairs
34. Canvas repairs to dodger
35. New propane hose for stove
36. (*)New standing rigging
37. (*)Major deck repair
38. (*)Liferaft service.
39. Annual review of abandon ship ditch bag
40. New LED screen on autopilot
41. Replace various hoses and belts on engines.
42. Improvements to anchor chain lead to winch.
43. Repair/replace water speed transducer.
44. Repair mount of aft cabin space heater
45. Add CO/smoke alarms to each cabin

It is interesting what is NOT on the list. Almost no electrical repairs or upgrades. No significant repairs or upgrades to deck hardware. Almost nothing that we have upgraded or repaired before. It’s nice to see projects and upgrades we have done in the past are holding up and working as they should.

Pretty much as we expected, the survey in support of the new insurance came back with just a few trival recommendations, so that added nothing to our project backlog. Having that in hand means we can move ahead with the last of the insurance quotes and make a decision on that front.

While being productive and improving our boat is a good and rewarding thing, we are very much itching to get out of here. While we do like the local area, the scenery at the boatyard is NOT what we want to be looking at from the deck of Harmonie. A remote and lonely anchorage in the islands is the much preferred choice. Soon. Very soon!