I'm Now a Boat Builder

This has become my new life now. This picture was taken after midnight last night. Everything else has taken a back seat as we try to finish the sailboat. Only 17 days before we have to drive down to Florida, and there is still lots of epoxy, primer, and painting, and much miscellaneous needed before it's finished. It's going to be so tight, as these all need curing and sanding before the next step. We're already starting to take short cuts (and an occasional day or afternoon off from work). I won't be surprised if Alan and Paul will be adding the hardware and rigging on the beach, we've certainly run out of time to do any trials on the water.

My training was doing pretty well, until this past week. Too many late nights on the boat this week to get in most of my workouts. I just cancelled today's planned 40 mile bike ride, and only managed one run, swim, bike each all this week. I didn't even get in any paddling this weekend. I'd hoped to paddle Friday night and camp with Kristen, but was asked to help paint masts and varnish sprits and thwarts instead. I've done less paddle training for the EC this year than any of my previous years, it could be a painful challenge.

We ran out of time to make the oars and yulogh, so we've ordered them unfinished, I'll be varnishing them early next week when they arrive. All these costs are really starting to add up. We even got a call from our credit card company, worrying there could be a problem because they noticed an unusual pattern and suspicious credits being made.

One of the things that's getting me through all this stress is the fact that I know Alan will not be able to build "another" boat for next years EC. He likely won't even be able to participate, as school will finally have gotten the better of him with required senior projects. That said, I'm still not sure this aeronuatical engeener will ever really be building airplanes in his future. So much of his passion seem to now be about boating.