The high UV has been attacking the varnish as quick as I have been applying it and it has taken a lot of determination to keep on top of it. I'm still not sure who's winning. It's either to hot, midday, to dusty or raining!
I've lost count of the number of people have said we are mad to have a wooden boat in the tropics. Listening to people who live the cruisers life.....no boat is without it's faults and we have confidence in our wooden boat. She is sturdy and so far has kept us safe in often horrible weather conditions both on land and at sea.
Tristan has replaced the broken toe rail and capping piece with a lovely piece of 100 year old Trinny teak....it looks fantastic.
We worked out that our boat contains the following woods....
Pitch pine.....Scandinavia....bilge planking and garboards
Rock elm... Canada.........steam bent frames
Mahogany....Caribbean....keel laminated ring frames, hull planking
Teak......Burma......coach roof, deck, toe rail, combings
Iroko....Africa.....new floors in heads
Utile........Africa.....replacement planks in quarter
Oak.......Cornwall.....replacement frames, ceiling in interior
Purple Heart .....Guyana........mast step and mast step floors replacing bronze strap floors. Chocks for sheet anchor.
Yellow pine.....Canada....cockpit carlings and beams
Afromosia.........Africa....internal cabinetry.
Lignum vitae used for bearing while drilling out ballast keel hole in mast step floor, current use as a key fob.
1960's high grade plywood replaced with Robbins of Bristol finest marine ply.
The inside has been maintained as she was when we bought her and it's the character of Meriva that we love.
St Martin is also a good island to replace bits that have suffered wear and tear..... Hatch hinges, water pumps, alternators, stays and so it goes on with the money pit.
We have knuckled down to work and basically have only left the boatyard a few times since the hurricane. Our day out involves a trip to Budget marine, Island waterworld, Caribbean fastenings and Ace, and if I'm really lucky on the way home.....a trip to the cigar shop!
Our saving grace was a visit from our friends on Coromandal, Linda and Andy.
We all went on a 'stroll', originally to the forested slope of St Martin but the path was overgrown by vicious shrubs......we opted for plan B.
It was so good to see them and I enjoyed a bit of 'girlie' time. We both needed that!
We all went on a 'stroll', originally to the forested slope of St Martin but the path was overgrown by vicious shrubs......we opted for plan B.
It was so good to see them and I enjoyed a bit of 'girlie' time. We both needed that!
Tristan has sanded the old anti fouling off , recaulked and we applied four coats of anti fouling. It's not much fun balancing on oil drums and pallets to paint the top sides so as long as everything is protected from the damaging UV, pretty can come later from the dingy.
We splashed in December. Neither of us had been feeling well........then the Chickungunya hit! Me first!
It was so good to be back on the water and feel the boat move.
Christmas Eve was spent at Maison Flotantte in the lagoon........fantastic company and fantastic food. We spent a lot of time over Christmas resting and recouperating, then New Years Eve Tristan went down with chikungunya. It still didn't stop the midnight swim to welcome in 2015 with lovely friends.
Thank for the photos, Peter!
Needless to say New Year's Day was a right off.......and several days after, and several days after that. Tristan was ill for the first time since we met.
I have been enjoying a weekly walk with a fellow cruiser.......we made it up into the forest this week to see the butterflies but the highlight was vervet or green monkey's which crossed our path. That will be a challenge to photograph them!
We still have a few jobs to do but we are looking forward to visiting some of the places we never made it to last year and another shot at Antiqua Classics!
