I fly out of Cartagena to the States on the 23rd.  My workers and I have been working every single day trying to make the boat whole again before I go.  Over the past three days we’ve installed the new fuel tanks, glassed them to the hull, replumbed the system to account for the new fittings, added new floor joists to repair the bracing we had to cut, and resecured the cabin sole (floor).  It is an amazing amount of work to get done in just a few days.  Overall, considering just how huge this project has been, I am very pleased with the final results.  If you don’t know where to look for the cuts in the sole you’d probably never see them.  Still, I’ll probably buy a run or two just so I don’t have to see them either.

Tomorrow my mechanic Elvis is going to meet me at the boat at 9:00 a.m. with my rebuilt engine.  I don’t know if we’ll get it completely installed tomorrow, but if we can get it and the transmission seated it will be a huge success and massive progress on making Jargo serviceable again.

With luck, I’ll be able to spend Saturday and Sunday cleaning, stowing, and generally getting the boat ready to live aboard.  I’ve been off the old girl for a month and I am ready to be home again.  Also, since I am heading north for four weeks Meg will need a place to call home, a comfortable home, while she lives on Jargo and takes care of the hairy one, Georgia.  I think Meg would kill me if she saw the boat in its current state of nastiness.

Speaking of home, I’ll be spending a week or more at my childhood home back in Springfield, Missouri catching up with family and old friends.  When I’ve had enough of that I think I am going to take my old truck for a road trip to see some more friends down in Texas.  After almost a year out here I am ready for the company of those I’ve known a long time.  New friends are always amazing, but I still can’t but help missing my old friends too.  If you are around Springfield, MO, Dallas/Fort Worth, or Clear Lake give me a shout.  I’ll be running the circuit.  Cheers everyone.  Here is to gearing up for the Pacific jump. 

Lee Winters
Skype: lee_winters

www.SailingForSOS.com