Don Tiffin on Sabbatical

Don Tiffin on Sabbatical
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

24 January 2005

PARADISE VILLAGE MARINA, Nayarit, Mexico -- The order, er, request, came through yesterday afternoon from the Office of the Admiralty in Sacramento -- return to base.
And given that early next week, a crew of 10 painters is about to attack the above-decks area of Sabbatical with scrapers, sandpaper and eventually with a compressor and spray paint, I'm happy to comply and run for cover, even if the temperature might not be as inviting in northern climes.

The boat will be in good hands while I'm back in Sacramento conferring with Admiral Fox about our plans. Our friend (and the former owner and builder of Sabbatical) Don Tiffin will arrive this week to take his month in the sun and oversee the painting project. Don lives in Victoria, B.C., not noted for much boating (or nice weather) in January.

In the photo with this entry, Don is attempting to loosen the clamps on our Honda outboard motor last season when he came down and helped us with the four-day haulout of Sabbatical at the boatyard. The clamps had seized tight over the summer and Don worked for two weeks to get our outboard operational.

While I await Don's arrival, my list of cleanup/fixup items is keeping me busy. Today's major project is to clean the engine room so I can take some photos of it for the broker. When the broker saw it, he said it was immaculate compared to anything he had ever seen. He never saw it when Don owned Sabbatical (then called Ocean Girl). I have to get the engine and area cleaned back to Don's standard. (Ever cleaned an engine with a toothbrush?)

Somehow in the cleaning of the boat, I've misplaced my coveralls. Well, it's too hot to put them on for the job anyway, but where is that Colgate toothbrush?

mjf