Shins + Boats ≠ Friends

I know it has been a few weeks since I have done an in depth post.  The reason is because I spent 2 weekends working on car problems, followed by having to buy a new vehicle.  It was also USA Thanksgiving recently, so that made work on the boat go on hold. 

First, I have to talk about my truck.  It is a wonderful vehicle, and a wonderful replacement for the Outback I had.  When I transferred the "essentials" that I generally keep in my vehicle from a station wagon to a regular cab Toyota Tacoma pickup, it was an exercise in downsizing.  I still don't have it all worked out.  I generally carry a toolbox (mostly because I have had cheap, unreliable vehicles so tools were a necessity), jumper cables, extra oil, windshield washer fluid, ice and snow scrapers (yes, even in the summer, because you never know!!!).  There is generally a lot of other junk that accumulates in my vehicles because there has been space for it.  In the Tacoma, there is not.  My toolbox occupies the space where a passenger's feet would be, and the other "essentials" are tucked into whatever space I could make them fit into.  There were also many things that could not fit, because there is so little space in the cab.  You might be asking yourself, "Why don't you use the bed, since it is a pickup truck, after all?"  Here is why:  I live in a small city with many homeless, transient, impoverished people.  Anything thing that is not locked will disappear.  A cap for the truck isn't in the budget at the moment either.  That means if I can't fit it in the cab, it goes into the apartment.  Also, even though it hasn't been acting like it, it is winter here in Maine.  That means that its raining/snowing/sleeting/etc. on a regular basis.  Those are not good conditions to keep things out in.  With those things being said, I do have to say that I think that the truck is going to be a better solution to schlepping my stuff around, since in 4 months or so, I will be putting the boat in the water, and therefore moving boat stands, sails, dingy, moving out of my apartment, etc.  The pickup just makes sense.  Plus, having a rear wheel drive, standard transmission vehicle in the winter is a lot of fun!! 

Meet Yoda, the Toyota.  ;)

Hatches in the bed, moving them to the shop for rebuilds

Sandbags in the back for weight 

Now, on to boat related things.  This weekend I was able to take a quick trip to the boat and remove 4 out of 5 hatches to take them to the shop so they can be rebuilt.  All of the hatches are junk, and have to be rebuilt.  I was also able to clean up a bunch of junk left by the previous owners that I have no use for/don't know what it's use was.  I have not decided what I am going to do for all of the hatches, but I have a few ideas.  I know that I would like the forward hatch to have a clear Lexan (name-brand composite material used for windows, portholes, display cases, etc) cover to let light into the v-berth.  I will have to see what the budget looks like to see if that will happen.  I might also make the lazarettes (hatch) in the cockpit out of foam and fiberglass, but again, we will see. 

This brings me to tomorrow.  SPOILER ALERT!!!!  Because the weather is supposed to be 45 and sunny, I can do some epoxy work on the hull and glass over the through hull holes in the head.  I thought that for certain I was going to have to wait til spring for that to happen.  Who knows what else I might get accomplished tomorrow as well.

I will finish with an explanation of my title.  Anyone who has sailed knows what I mean without explanation.  I spent four years racing dingies on the college level.  During the sailing season, I was black and blue from knee to ankle.  Several years later, my shins still bear the bumps from the 420's I spent so much of my college sailing career in.  I also remember as a child going out on my dad's boat.  We all ended up with inexplicable bruises on our shins.  Apparently it is just a part of sailing.  Over the weekend, I was getting off the boat, and tripped on something, nailing my shin on a ladder.  My shins have taken so much abuse from college sailing, it did not hurt so much, but ended up with a pretty substantial bruise.  Even without racing, being around the boat gives me bruises.  This is why shins and boats will never be friends!