So I went up to the boat yesterday, to try and bend the new fixed ports to fit the hull. Bought a box of #10-24 screws to use to draw them up to the hull. The box was full of #10-32 screws. And I was a half an hour away from the hardware store. GRR. So I drove on down to Hamilton; got new screws; got it done.

So now we have 3 contenders – a W40 from Bob Gerwig, A 4-108 from our friend Neil, or a possible W46, also from Neil. I think the SABB is out of the running. I wish we could just get past this!!

So I think I’ve sourced us some lead from Providence, RI – $0.75/lb. Not bad.

So we’re looking at a different engine now – a Norwegian lifeboat engine, a SABB (that’s SABB, not SAAB – just to be confusing). It’s only a 30HP engine, but very torquey – puts out those 30HP at 1900 RPM – and is couple to a variable-pitch propeller to make maximum use of that torque at different speeds and in different conditions. Interesting stuff. Hoping to have a mechanic take a look a it before we make a final decision.

“SABB

So last Saturday I went up to see how Myles was doing… it’s been a bit frustrating, with the painting of the interior taking SOOO LONG – but now there’s some actual progress to show – INSULATION!

“Interior

Bow to stern, down to the waterline, fire-resistant HandiFoam. Should make the boat a lot more comfortable and a lot quieter. Myles had some trouble getting it to stick under the deck, so there are some areas where we are going to use batts of blue foam or some such thing. But for the most part, she’s insulated! Next task? Putting all the lead back in.

“”

Once the lead is in, we can start putting the bulkheads, floors and tanks back in. But at least we’re putting the boat together now, not taking it apart!

“”

It’s been pretty cold lately – makes it hard to imagine that Norman could ever be headed to the tropics – but makes it seem all the more urgent, for sure!

“The

Davide has posted a bunch of GREAT pictures of the Muffin crossing the Atlantic at http://picasaweb.google.it/sacco.marco3/LAtlanticoConSeamuffin#

The new Muffin – if I can call her that – she’s really s/v Norman, after our dear sweet old man, F.P. Normous the Norwegian Forest Cat – is inside, heated, getting painted and insulated. Our new fuel tanks and hatches have arrived, and we’re about to order our new Lomatec engine from Australia. We’re going to make it. !!

Hi,
yes we finally getn azzorres.
We meet 2 hurrycanes and have had a lot of avarias.The engine, the radio, we were missing the rudder 2 times and I went under the boat to fix it.One time with big waves.We was no able to do working the selfsteering and the windvane so we steered 500 hours: 17 days.Very hard..Very unconfortable.We landed in the western island Flores without charts and books.But finally it has been all good.The boat mooved very well in rough weather and we are fine.It’s normal that in 20 days is not possible to prepare well a boat for a crossing.Overall a boat that didn’t navigate for a long time and I think didn’t do big navigations before.
For this year I leave the boat here for reparations and I’ll continue next year.
Now I’m going back italy.
Thanks for all and best regards.
Take care,
Davide

So we’re trying to figure out our “rush” budget – how much money we can spend on labor, on storage, on materials, and on the big items left to finish Norman. We need:

Engine – either rebuild what we have, or repower: $2000 – $10000

Refrigeration – primary and backup, because of my insulin dependence: $1000-$2000

Instruments: $1000

Dinghy: $2000

Windvane: $2600

Autopilot head: ?

Second roller-furling unit: $1000

Blooper: $1000?

Outboard: $800

Nice to haves:

Watermaker: $3000

Radar: $1500

I’ll update this post as I figure out more accurate numbers to put on all these items. Still, we’re looking at some serious money, even without the labor. Got to get earning some serious cheddar.

I’m starting on a weird project – posting everything I eat and my BG levels – I figured I needed a place to write them down, and why not online? typeonefreedom.wordpress.com – we’ll see how long I keep this up.