EX-TENDER-HULL!!

G'day All ,
This week haz kind of flown bye!

Itz the weekend again already and with Anzac Day falling on Thursday, the week is sort of one Big Long Weekend.
"Thanx Grandpa!"and the others!
In salute'
Friday Lunch became a Thursday
ANZAC FEAST!
With the flag flying half mast and just a little cre8tive spirit, I went  Ova the top with lunch. I figured
if we were going to be celebrating, it was only fitting to do somethink  special.
I chose the dessert as that special feature.
Firstly I roasted some muesli for a bed, then I put chunks of banana with skin 'on', into the tray after dipping the ends in cinnamon butter. This was then topped with an fresh muesli Anzac Cookie Crumble B4 being roasted on the B.B.Q and served with vanilla ice cream!
Of course we had other food as well with, Scotch eggs, new potatoes with chive creme and roasted sweet potato with a maple syrup based dressing, also a fresh coleslaw - all making their weigh to the table.
The main focus this week has been my ex tenda or dinghy.
Several options have opened! but at this stage my priorities are firmly focused on the weight of said future dinghy!
The new hull design will have 2B able to support the new dinghy, so the two R kind of linked.
And So the work is well undu weigh!

 The 1st stage planning haz begun with removal of the fishing platform then a mock outline being fitted to the Yot.
After a week of varied opinions and problem shooting we'll take a vereee' very  large saw to the back of Galleycat.
At first calculations the new pontoons should cre8 around 700lb's of lift
 (really under estimated).
This figure won't become truly clear until the final length and shape of the extensions are decided upon.

What is certain is- the new dinghy will clearly be able 2B hoisted aboard, the kitchen will double in "functionality" and the new rear fishing platform seats will be far more watertite than the previous hatch set up.
At no thyme, am I underestim8ing the size of the task ahead.
Without this yard and it'z occupants a task like this would simply not be possible or cost prohibitive at the very least.
Itz now Wednesday nite and none of the tasks look anything like nearing completion.

The Bathroom upgrade is turning out much more difficult than I first imagined with the re-routing of pipework and electrix needing 2B completed B4 I can begin to cut the lining sheets.This is well underway but not yet complete!
Once they R complete I then have the arduous task of removing them all, so the painting and lining can be fitted B4 I then re-install all the fixtures.
The yard is operating at full tilt with 2 yachts being launched at 1.45 am this morning then 2 more moving onto the cradles. So Galleycat is taking a back seat in the priorities at the moment.
We have a huge Govt contract to complete in just a few weex thyme so we are pushing the yachts through at an amazing pace in an effort to clear the big cradle for the Maritime safety boat to arrive.
The hull upgrade won't actually begin until all the materials arrive in the yard somethyme in the next couple of weex.
The new design and structural integrity plan seems to of passed every ones scrutiny for the thyme being. there are still lotz of final designs 2B completed but the basic structure is now finalized and the construction materials chosen.
Both the microwave oven and the gas burner have died this week and new ones have bean sourced.
You have to love Ebay!
The ability to purchase goods at less than half the retail cost makes the task of rebuilding a yacht just that much more affordable.
Already this week the new stoves for the rear kitchen have arrived ($60 each) along with 3 rolls of led lighting for the bathroom upgrade. At $12 for 5 meters of lights they are an absolute bargain.
Finga's crossed by the thyme the V8's set off around Barbagallo raceway this weekend the bathroom reno will be nearing completion.
On the uther side of the Island Mum and Dad's new house has itz first walls, with the bricklayers beginning work this week.
On the uther side of the world Miss Mermaid has been in touch, itz always great to hear from Amanda so far away.
The culinary front has been just a little subdued this week with No oven or gas burner and the Yot in total upheaval the meals have be basic salads and quick snacks between jobs.
Once again there is sawdust and fibreglass everywhere so itz not really conducive to cr8ing culinary masterpieces.
Friday lunch this week will follow with this trend and a simple platter of chicken caesar salad will be the offering.
I should have some more foto's in the next few days as work moves from construction to fittout stage in the bathroom but for now thatz the latest news from the Yot.
Enjoy this year because at the rate itz going it won't be here very much longer.

Captain felix

ITZ THYME TO FIXX IT!

G'day All,
A solid week haz now passed since my return  2 Townsville!
The funk of dayz gone bye have begun too clear and a sliver of a path is beginning 2 emerge!
The Answer is SIMPLE!
JUST FIXX IT !!!!
So with much reservation (no Indians involved) the mammoth task of repairs and upgrades has begun AGAIN!
The most relevant  thing to note is that itz a whole week later and I'm still finding water in places water "should not be" and items missing through storm activity.
The big wind generator is now functioning again, only it now needz to be manually monitored.
 I've spent 2day (Sunday) repairing what was left of a throw net we recovered from the banks of the Hinchinbrook Channel.
A small but significant task as it was more about "what I wanted to do not what I had to do!"
I sent the last of the visitors on their merry way with Lorenzo buying an unlicensed car to work on B4 setting off in the direction of WA. While Brandon has met a couple of travellers- 1 from Belgium and the other from Holland, they have set off in the direction of the Red Centre!
But not B4 a final Galleycat meal waz served with a few drinks to space out the prep thyme.
Smoked bbq ribs, fresh cod fillets, pesto pasta salad, baby chat spudz served with a sundried tomato and mustard creme and roasted balsamic asparagus spears.

After dinner a nite of deep conversation (wkoa) followed with everyone (except Lorenzo)  telling tails of their Homeland. Some tall some not so much!

I hope they enjoy their trip and keep an eye out for our Famous "dropbears". Only in FNQ!
That means U Brandon!

Brother Andrew has settled back into NT life with a weekend session chasing Barramundi!
Christopher scored his first ever Barra at just over legal size while Andrew as usual outdid him with a 900mm beast. And he wonders why people don't like to fish with him! (lucky Bastaard!)
Itz not for lack of effort though if there's water around you can guarantee Andrew has a line or trap in it.
I once knew a bloke just like him!
It seems I've lost my focus on just what is important along the weigh.

Every now and then something like this photo or a new contact snaps you back to "reality".
Today while I waz looking for a new Mudcrab recipe (but not just any recipe I was trying to crack the myth of the SMOKED MUDCRAB.)
I stumbled across a very "like minded blog" which I'll contact and see what Mikes story is.
I'll keep you posted, but he's about as fishing mad as I am or once was and rite into culinary stuff as well.
Itz these fotoz and contacts that put You back into perspective with the basic statement of "what a problem 2 have".
And so the work has begun again and it true galleycat style, I've begun lotz of jobs at once!
The yot haz been turned around in preparation (wkoa) for a major structural change (more details to follow), the bathroom has been gutted and several wiring systemz have been disconnected.
I'm working on the epitaph for my dinghy but in answer to Uncle Graemes' comment:
 the X =
S   18 39 287
E 146 28 685.
For those that understand only!!!!
The structural changes mentioned include little things like bolting the side hulls back together and cutting the back 2 metres off the Yot.
you know just small thingz.
Whereas the small task of rebuilding the bathroom has begun, the simple task of rebuilding this vitally important room on the Yot is sumthin' I've wanted to do for the last year but because it worked, the job was always put on the
 "more important things first" list.

As I stated B4 my priorities needed a small tap with a sledgehammer, this job will make visitors and my daily life 10 thymez easier.
 With simple operation of the toilet and shower facilities being the goal, while the room itself should have a small amount of WOW factor after the renovation (wkoa).
The materials for both this and the upcoming
freezer /refrigerator build have been in the yard for nearly a year now and both of these jobs are now at the top of the list for completion.
The hull will be repaired with the refitting of 24 stainless bolts 10mm x 250mm , 3 of which broke during our return journey. The rest are 30 year old stainless and that's a recipe this chef doesn't wan't to have to fix at sea.
While the rear end changes will finally fix the troublesome rudder tubes and floatation (wkoa) pods on the rear.
These showed themselves to be not only inadequate during our ruff trip home but they were actually dangerous! With nearly 1/2 a tonne of water filling the Stb tank while we were at Horseshoe Bay.  This in turn shorted the electrical system for the pumps which resulted in constantly flat batteries. All of which will be addressed during the upgrades.
The Yot itself will be nearly 1 meter longer than it is now while the deck area will increase by around 1/2 a meter making room for a
BIGGER KITCHEN! 4 Me. Yippee!!!!

As you can tell there's just a little work to do over the coming 3 - 4 months but I'm tied to the yard while Richard is on Holidays so I've got a definitive thymeline.
The loss of "the tinny" has had a far bigger effect on me than even I thort it wood!
The dinghy was freedom in a very real sense!
Whenever things weren't going rite I'd pack up the tinny and head away from the yard for a little sole searching thyme.

RIP 

This freedom is now removed and I do feel kind of trapped, which is why I've thrown myself into this upgrade.
Itz the motivation (wkoa) thatz lacking at this point in thyme but with the jobz started they must now be completed. Dinghy or no dinghy the work will go on until freedom once again returns.
The rear pontoon upgrades will mean the next dinghy will be able 2B safely secured aboard the Yot during ruff weather which should improve itz life expectancy, not that the last one lived a short life. When I last looked at the gps  track log it
showed just over 1700 nm travelled in the dinghy alone not including towing miles which would add another 10-15 thousand km and nm.
She was much loved, well used and served me well for many many years.
I have a foto of Cameron (my son) when he was 2 years old standing in my beloved tinny. Cameron will turn 13 this year!
Farewell my faithful freedom machine!
Captain Felix