Captain’s log
Dateline: 20.04.2022

Inspection hatches

Crawled into bow compartments, found two inspection hatches that lead to crash bulkheads in front of each of the hulls. The hatches are not mounted properly, they’re glued to a circle of rubber that’s glued to the wall of that bulkhead, and the hole is smaller than the hatch itself. Unless I’m not getting something obvious here, it’s another small thing that wasn’t properly done when the boat was constructed. And the hatch on the starboard side was detached and simply laying next to the hole.

I’m thinking of either sealing those compartments completely, or buying new inspection hatches. Really aiming at making that thing never leak even if the boat flips upside down — extra boyancy is so nice to have while you’re waiting to be rescued.

Oh, and the model is R205 by RWO, discontinued long ago. I’m probably going to stick with plastic as well, just need to pick something really thick and sturdy.

Captain’s log
Dateline: 21.04.2022

USCG Documentation

Today my vessel was registered with USCG. Now I need to get documentation plaque and put new name and hailing port on my transom.

Primary vessel number: 1325176.

I didn’t like the original name so gave her a new one: Curious Cat. Let’s see how many lives she’s got left.

My other naming options were:

  • Catanic
  • Catbus
  • Stimpy
  • Stifler’s Mom
  • Purr Some Sugar On Me
  • Stormy
  • Sunshine
  • Octocat
  • Kittana
  • Catharsis
  • Cataclysmic Apawcalypse
  • Purrfect Apawcalypse
  • Catfish
  • Purr Pressure
  • Fat Cat
  • Win-win
  • Catch-44
  • Purr Purr
  • Double Trouble
  • Cat Touch This

Captain’s log
Dateline: 22.04.2022

Jim

Met a guy named Jim today.

He was passing my boat in his small motorized fiberglass kanoe on his way to a local bar. He asked if this is the boat that used to be at Bob & Annie’s, I said yes, he then told me that he used to skipper my boat years ago. I let him aboard.

Turned out Jim used to work at Bob & Annie’s boatyard back when this boat still had big windows and only one prior owner. He knows the vessel well, told me that the bottom part of the hull is made out of waffle veawe Kevlar. Confirmed that the resin is epoxy, but I still need to get that gas spectrometry done just to be sure it’s not vinyl ester.

He said he wanted to buy this boat for 15 years, but never got the money to do so. Jim lives on a trimaran anchored not far from here.

Things learned

  • And The Sea Will Tell is worth reading or watching
  • Northern Bounty was originally used for Canadian Wilderness program, angry German teenagers used to learn how to sail on it (which still appears to be the case to this day)
  • Capsized is a good book to read
  • Cayo Costa State Park is a good place to visit
  • Fast 5200 to repair holes left from screws, then use scotch pad to hold it there while it cures
  • Use Liquid Weld to mount screws into the hull

Books recommended: Movies recommended: Places to visit recommended: Materials recommended: