"Frogwatch" wrote in message
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On Jan 16, 2:14 pm, "MMC" wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message

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I know the weather is bad for most of you and I know how much "cabin
fever" can make me "on edge" too. So, all you flamers, GO OUTSIDE,
even if it is ice fishing. Go skiing or snowshoeing, but get outside
for a couple of hours. Then come back and we'll talk boats.

=======

I've been working on my old Morgan 24. Got all the old rotted teak off and
have sanded about 30% in preparation for painting. Bought a gallon of
epoxy
primer (man has that crap gotten expensive!) to go along with the 3 quart
kits of Interlux Interthane plus I had on the shelf. Gelcoat is very bad
shape and that's why I went with the epoxy primer.
Got a couple new Beckson opening ports for the v-berth and will install
after the paint dries.
Decks and house will be Hatteras Off White and the hull a dark green (have
picked out a paint yet for this, probably go with Brightside).
Replacing the old teak with "Azek" fake lumber. About one 20th the cost of
teak, easy to work with and no sanding and varnishing later. I've made the
new hand rails and the look pretty good.
All outside stuff and you're right, being stuck inside makes people mean
as
snakes.

Getting older does produce improved judgement even if it is only a
form of natural selection against those with poor judgement,
consequently, I find myself less likely to do stuff I would have not
hesitated to do when younger. For example, we found a cave near Hole
in the Wall that looked really interesting but had an awful crawling
passage with a floor of knife-like coral. Looking at it, I said “No
effin way I’m crawlin down that passage” and I hear two of the guys
jokingly make “Meow” noises behind me. I reply, “I’m 54, you guys are
40, knock yourselves out doing it”. They did it and it went nowhere.
I have found that these days I no longer do extreme stuff but am very
happy to use caving as simply an excuse to go places I would otherwise
never visit even when I do little caving. For example, Hole in the
Wall is really stunning and wandering around on its cliffs looking for
sea caves is breathtaking and I refused to enter any of them. Without
some excuse to go there, I never would have seen this stuff. Getting
older gives me a license to wimp out and not feel bad about it.


For MMC:

Sounds like a fun winter project. A Morgan is a good old boat. I
believe I have had problems with one of my home built boats I epoxied
when it was too cold so make sure you heat your area.

=========

I'm finding other things to do when it's colder than about 60! Today would
have been a perfect day for painting if I had been ready.
Yeah, I like my old 1967 Morgan. Got it for $1k, fully rigged and included
96 6hp Johnson because it looked like crap and the center board didn't work.
I'll get the centerboard sorted out if I have the time when I get it hauled
to paint.
I know what you mean about not taking the risk we did when younger.
Everything seems to take longer to heal than it used to.