THE BIG CHOP

G'day All,Thyme 4 a mega blog update-With the current worx on Galley Cat the computer is disconnected and packed away! So 2nite I've uncovered the desk, reinstalled the Puta so I can let you know watz happening in SUNNY Qld!
This weekend just gone was supposed to be the big roof removal, however the boffins at the weather place said we might get rain so we delayed the cut til Monday. Which was most fortuitous as I recieved a call Sunday around noon asking me to harvest some mint from the rear deck gardens and head over to Breakwater marina for an afternoon of majito's(drinks) on the deck of a large yacht.

Upon arriving I soon found myself joining everyone on a trip to Magnetic Island.G'day 2 Richard ,Tania giny and everyone else.We set off into a stiff headwind which made the trip across slow. However we turned the corner at Orchid rocks and soon found ourselves sailing into Horseshoe bay. It was quickly decided that all crews would meet on the Monster catarmaran SOMERSET CAT, a magnificent Leppard Cat (not sure how big but by my stardards bloody HUGE) We had 18 people on the deck and it still wasn't crowded. It was here I met a Truly inspirational family. Adam  and Joanne Smith are the matriarch's of this amazing life loving family.

They are sailing North after selling up everything and taking to the ocean with the whole family including casper (the dog). It wasn't until later in the evening that Lauren (daughter) played a documentary she had made on the journey and the reasons behind it, that my eyes really opened. Aside from the fact that Lauren had put together a docco of mainstream media quality, their middle child Sam has Autism and really loves the ocean.As part of his therapy the family is now ocean bound and loving life! I urge you to visit"www.smithfamilysailing.com.au" Congrat's to an amazing family and bravo to Adam and Jo for their courage on what is obviously a positive life changing journey.G'day Mac(musician of the family)couldn't leave you out.
Upon my return to Townsville Monday, The BIG CHOP began.
The circular saw and reciprocating saw soon made short work of the YOT's roof and by late afternoon Galley Cat was a convertible!   Lotz of mess!

What a DIFFERENCE it's a totally new YOT!
The space,the headroom,the forward visibility and the practicality has left me wondering why this wasn't the first job we tackled. By Tuesday afternoon the basic framework was installed and the roof was placed back on top I can just reach the ceiling in the main saloon(lounge area) and I no longer have to stoop to enter or leave the rear doorway.There is still heaps of work 2 do but already the new lines of the cabin are visible and the once the  new windscreen is installed it'll be kind of watertite.Well from the front anyway!
The windscreen has more than doubled in height making forward vision possible (which is always good!) Tomorrow we will modify the old roof to fit

it to the new framework before building the new rear wall extensions,doorway frame and fitting the windscreen. All of this will then be removed while we fibreglass the framework ,seal all the wood and generally make everything permanent. This process will probably take a few weeks but already it is worth it. The weather is slowly beginning to warm up, which means the rains are not 2 far away! All this needz to be completed rather quickly as we cannot start construction on the fibreglass rear deck roof until the cabin is sealed and we know where our attachment points will be. Fingers crossed I'll get to go for a sail B4 we have to move into the shed for the construction phase of the rear roof, and after last weekend I'll be heading back to one of the slightly less populated bays of Magnetic Island for my first taste of life as a sail boat skipper. On the philosophical front I've realised that I'm not on my way towards my dream lifestyle, I'm already living it! each and every day is a new adventure that I wouldn't miss for all the money in the world. I may not be rich financially (and probably never will be) but in my current life I'm a multimillionaire! I simply have the slow down and smell the roses (or Herbs) every now and then.

On the culinary front I prepared breakfast for all aboard in Horseshoe Bay with Scrambled egg, fresh muffins, crispy bacon and grilled tomato and fresh fruit, last night found me at Ken's place 4 dinner,( my kitchen is covered in sawdust and fibreglass dust). I cooked a slow roasted bolar blade with a mustard and garlic crust, red wine sauce, cauliflower mornay, zuchinni provencale', hasslebacked potatoes boulangere and sweetcorn with parsley butter all of which went down a treat after a really busy day in the yard. The hydroponic system is slowly becoming a viable concern and after several more modifications(wkoa) I'm now sure the concept is going to work. I've also been for a fishing trip out near Maggie and caught Grunter, Shark and whiting along with many ,many Mudcrabs. There are lots of reports of mackeral just outside the harbour so I hope to be eating fresh spaniard before the end of the week.Itz birthday month within my family so HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mark, Andrew and Myself hears hoping life is good to everyone and we see each other soon. I was planning to visit Perth for the birthday period and 2 go on a fishing trip with Big Ash and Carl but unfortunately the timeline just proved to be unworkable with the new roof and canopy needing to be completed within the next couple of months B4 the monsoons arrive. I'm sure we'll all be fishing together soon and all going well it'll be aboard a completed Galley Cat.
That's all 4 now
Live life as if every day is your last I know I am!
Captain felix