Keeping it cool or Poor Man's Air-conditioning

How do we deal with Florida heat and humidity without AC? This hatch chute is one big help. It is super effective in funneling wind into the boat. This particular chute came with the boat and it was an afterthought to include it in the on-board inventory, glad I did.

Engine Checked Out

After the major surgery on the shaft log, I was left with a vibration or cavitation coming from the area of the cutlass bearing.  It isn't terrible but I felt like I should finally have the whole engine installation looked over by a pro, it having been installed by a camera jockey.  Rick Myrick from RNR marine in Bradenton came out and had a look.  The vibration didn't concern him and he was extremely complementary about the installation, all things that I wanted to hear.  Because of Rick's ability to stroke my ego and make me feel so much better about the whole engine installation, and also his tremendous expertise, I give RNR Marine a  rating.

Spruce Love or Reefing Accomplished

When your boom is a log, albeit a pretty varnished spruce log that was designed for roller reefing, finding a slab reefing approach isn't obvious.  That being the case, I went super simple with two small Schaefer blocks that have a base that is curved to match the round boom.  The reefing line ties to the block, goes under the boom, through the reefing point on the sail, back through the block and to a cleat at the forward part of the boom.  I'm not sure if this was the best approach or not but it works.  Please let me know if you've seen a better solution with these old booms.  We have been thinking of replacing this boom with a lighter aluminum one, but for now we are so enchanted by it's classic beauty, we cannot.