September 25, 2009-Wet Day In Phuket

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Wet Day In Phuket

Wings' project is going fine even if we have had a lot of rain. (Check back later for photos.)

The primer for the new paint is 50% on (rain delay). Hull looks very fair. Rudder is back, R&R completed to spec. Windvane renewed completely, looking like a work of art; invoice was 50% of my estimate. Sails ordered, very low price and service is great; Sailmaker Ket on the boat today to validate all of my measurements. Engine to be put back together Monday, hydraulics rebuild still in progress but the report is good. Many small projects completed.

We like these projects where a dozen people are working every day while we get to sleep in and then we go down to the boatyard and do a walk around inspection, work for an hour ourselves, then go to lunch. Afternoon: a nap. How come we never thought of this approach for that last 30 years? Jing Loey!

On sunny days we go to the pool for a swim before bfst.

We went to Singapore to see Sherry, Judy's long lost niece, and our trip was great; we had a chance to catch up with Sherry after 30 years. WOW! How time flies. And also had some time with our other friends Marco and Tessa and Tara in SG and put them all together & got Sherry onto a SG mobile phone (GSM, Wot's that?), did some camera shopping (unproductive, but we did break down and buy a new Prolink cellular modem).

The Jurong BIRD PARK was great but not too many photos.

So, all is well.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Phuket

September 15, 2009-Boat Work

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Wings Without Paint

Work is progressing nicely on Wings these days and Judy & I are enjoying our lives in Phuket. We have lazy mornings at the apartment at Boat Lagoon and usually this includes a few laps at the 50 meter swimming pool then after breakfast we go over to the Royal Phuket Marina Boat Yard to see what Khun Oot and his boys have gotten done since yesterday. Right now they have taken all the paint off and are doing a great job filling the cracks and dents in Wings' sides prior to putting on new paint.

Today we also drove down to the engineering shop where the rudder and windvane are being repaired. We found that work to be going well there too.

Haven't heard from the hydraulics guy or the engine man but we suspect that they are doing what they said they would do and will be bringing the parts back this week for re-installation on Wings.

As for us we do a little each day ourselves. Today we fixed the deck around the rudder tube where some of the balsa core had gotten soft by inserting new hardwood core and re-glassing the deck over it and we made a short stainless steel splash board for the wall behind the galley sink. Both of these projects benefited from the supplies and materials we had in the lazerette which we have been digging through lately. It's nice to have some useful stuff but we should not have been carting around all this junk for years just to avoid a trip to the hardware store once in a decade.

Progress is so good right now that we think the work here will be done and we will be going to Malaysia in early November. Of course there are still several potential snags so we will see.

Stay tuned for the next Boat Yard report.

Click here for a couple more photos.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Phuket

September 5, 2009-Saying Good Bye to Bangkok

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Moving Out

We worked in Bangkok for three years.

This week we quit our jobs and moved out of our apartment in the Silom district and left Bangkok for good.

Bangkok
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Bangkok Restaurant
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We loved this city but it is time for a change and we have new projects to do and new adventures to find.

Surat Thani Workboats
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On Monday we drove to Surat Thani.

On Tuesday we drove our rented SUV, stuffed with bags, the rest of the way to Phuket.

Click here and here to see more photos of Bangkok & Surat Thani

By Thursday we had packed up Wings and set sail for the Royal Phuket Marina in Phuket Town where we had arranged a haul-out and the next morning the staff there lifted Wings out of the water.

Hauling Out at Royal Phuket
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Removing the tiller
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We have a big project to finish at Royal Phuket including repainting, rudder work, engine work, hydraulics rebuild, upholstery, and other items. We expect it to take up to two months; the weather may be the biggest factor since this is the rainy season in Phuket and that will slow the painting portion of the project. We got right to work.

While this work is being done we will live nearby in an apartment at Boat Lagoon. We are set-up here to do more work in our professions but we will be very choosey about which offers we accept.

After this refit at Royal Phuket we will sail to Malaysia for further work. Stay tuned for progress updates.

Click here for more photos of our hauling out experience.

Flowers at Royal Phuket
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Click here for some more shots Judy took of these flowers growing at the Royal Phuket Marina resort.


Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Phuket