The END

Gosh I hate writing this post after reviewing the last one.

Luna Sea has SOLD...

We had embarked on the hunt for a larger boat back in January 2007 and finally found the one we wanted (sort of) and closed on it in August of 2007. Luna Sea was moved over to Triton's Yachts on August 5, 2007 to sell for us. That sort of ended the adventures on Luna Sea.

We closed on the new boat TEMPTATION -- a 42 foot 1991 Endeavour (the last one built) on August 8th. We brought it home here to NC bginning August 10th -- see BLOGS under:
http://quick-temptation.blogspot.com/

Luna Sea has been a GREAT boat. We have owned her since July of 1993 -- nearly 15 years. We have had so much enjoyment with that boat -- how do you say good bye.

I can't -- just like I couldn't write about her sitting over at Triton's waiting to be sold. The boat was perfect and ready for another cruise this last fall and I thought certainly someone would recognize that and snatch her up and go this last fall but that didn't happen. She just sat there being a good little "fender" for the Oriental racers who use the Triton dockage as their staging place for their little racer boats on the weekends.

She behaved admirably during this period of "abandonment" -- I felt terrible each time I went to visit. She stayed clean and dry the whole time and developed no seriou problems during this idle period. What more can you ask of a boat?


Fortunately an energetic buyer had a boat surveyed over at Sailcraft in late February and the deal fell through. He saw Luna Sea sitting there and made a deal on her. Her survey went very well -- especially since she has been in the water for 3+ years since last haulout and the deal was consumated. The paper work was finialized on March 15th. The check came today.. Luna Sea is not ours anymore.

Her new owner will be treating her to a vista that I probably never could. The new owner lives in Hamilton, Bermuda and will have Luna Sea sailed over to him shortly. WOW what a voyage and I unfortunately will not be aboard. I'll probably never see the boat again. That's tough.

Well anyway life goes on. We have been hard at work prepping our new to us boat Temptation -- so look for us on the water.

Look too for Luna Sea.

WOW -- Best Memorial Day Weekend EVER

Ohhh this had the makings of a great holiday weekend for boating. A week before the designated holiday the long range forecast was predicting great weather. Then three days before the trip I checked the tide tables and Ohhh BOY the currrent would be with us as we slipped down Adam's Creek and out Beaufort Inlet -- could it really come off like this???

Well IT DID.

We got to the Marina Thursday night. A nice pleasant drive down the back way (HWY 64-264-58-258). Stopping in New Bern for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant that Karen had noted on Glennburnie Rd. Good dinner. Then lots of good food at the Harris Teeter. The trunk was overflowing when we left and we wondered how we ever did this when we travelled with Andy and Kourtney.

I spent the evening getting the boat ready and checking the weather -- everything looked great.

We got to bed abou 11pm. I was up at 6:30 to listen to Chris Parker -- just out of habit. I got Karen up at 7am and we were away from the dock by 7:58am. We had a nice motoring to Adam's creek then a great ride down -- speeding with the current through the narrows at 7 kts over ground. The only real problem was when we reached the Morehead High Rise bridge. A DAMN dive boat was coming the other way. I had the current and I was closer but he pushed on under power and was going to meet me in the narrow opening. I aborted and spun around -- what a dick head!! It was one of the Discovery Dive dive boats from Beaufort.

We expected a rough transit of the inlet due to holiday boat traffic and it was there but not too bad. The trip out was okay averaging about 5.5kts Over ground. We had a nice moor sail into Lookout bight -- only 8 boats when we arrived.

We anchored easily and it was only 1:30pm!! Had a nice lunch.

We played around on the boat and watched others come in. HAd a nice trip to the beach and played on the sand. BAck on Luna Sea I flew my favorite kite from the deck. It was great..

By bed time maybe 20 boats were there. It was a beautiful clear nite and I got up often to look at the stars.

The next day we beach combed in the morning then after lunch I snorkeled on Luna Sea and cleaned the prop and the worst slime from the hull -- basically not bad for a 3 year old paint job.

We went back to the beack to fly kites but not enough wind. We just relaxed

In the late afternoon Wayne and Weezie from C'prompt came over for margaritas. We enjopyed talking to them and then about 5pm saw Jim and Barb and Alex come in. They anchored near us.

After dinner of pork roast cooked on grill we went over and visited with Jim and Barb -- they had additionally Joe and Cheryl -- they had to dinghy to the lighthouse to pick them up. We had a great evening.

The next morning I went to the beach early and had a nice walk and then after Karen had breakfeat we both went to the beach. A great lazy morning.

We pulled the anchor up about 1:30pm and headed back in. Again we had a favorable current going in the Inlet and up Adam's Creek. Again the only problem was a damn trawler that passed me under power to just get ahead of me to go under the Morehead City High Rise Bridge. Another real Dick Head. I'm 50 yards from the bridge and this jackass under power comes up, hails me, and announces he is passing me to port -- what a dick!!

We made Cedar Creek for the night about 4:30pm. Jim and Barb were supposed to meet us but didn't. They had engine trouble coming in the inlet -- clogged fuel filter. They made out okay -- spent the night at Morehead City Yacht basin.

We had a nice quiet evening in Cedar Creek. Then in the morning we went into the Marina, cleaned up and left about 12:30pm. We had to drive to Chapel Hill for a picinic at Marilynns house -- great picinic.

The weather was ABSOULUTELY perfect and Luna Sea ran GREAT. It does not get any better than this!!

Luna Sea Bites me!

Well there has been talk of replacing Luna Sea with a larger boat to more comfortably cruise in with Karen. I have been careful to not approach the subject while on-board but I think she has taken wind of it.

Saturday I was down visiting the boat and doing my usual winter inspections when I thought I should take some pictures of the interior since so much had already been cleared out.

I moved stuff from the main cabin into the V-berth and closed the door to get it out of the picture. I took the pictures and then wanted to move the items back into the main cabin. I grabbed the door knob on the door to the V-berth and it would not turn -- OH NO LOCKED!!! There is no key for this door. It can only be opened from inside the V-berth.. Aaaack!! My car keys, coat, cellular phone -- all locked away -- Aaaack!

Wait No problem -- I see screws on the outside of the handle assembly. Certainly if I remove the outside of the assembly I can unlock it. Well 10 minutes later it is still locked.. The locking mechanism is obviously on the inside. Oh boy. The door frame is very nice teak without a blemish. I don't want to break it.

I thought awhile and considered removing the hatch above the V-berth. Removing the spring loaded hinge might work but then the hole is too small for me to enter. I'll need someone else to go through it. I then thought to carefully wedge the door and frame apart about 1/4 inch. Then I got a small screw driver into that space and "picked at" the bolt until it released. Whew!!!

I recovered entry but I think Luna Sea knows now... Ohhh boy there is going to be hell to pay now! I better rethink this.

Earl J

Luna Sea Bites me!

Well there has been talk of replacing Luna Sea with a larger boat to more comfortably cruise in with Karen. I have been careful to not approach the subject while on-board but I think she has taken wind of it.

Saturday I was down visiting the boat and doing my usual winter inspections when I thought I should take some pictures of the interior since so much had already been cleared out.

I moved stuff from the main cabin into the V-berth and closed the door to get it out of the picture. I took the pictures and then wanted to move the items back into the main cabin. I grabbed the door knob on the door to the V-berth and it would not turn -- OH NO LOCKED!!! There is no key for this door. It can only be opened from inside the V-berth.. Aaaack!! My car keys, coat, cellular phone -- all locked away -- Aaaack!

Wait No problem -- I see screws on the outside of the handle assembly. Certainly if I remove the outside of the assembly I can unlock it. Well 10 minutes later it is still locked.. The locking mechanism is obviously on the inside. Oh boy. The door frame is very nice teak without a blemish. I don't want to break it.

I thought awhile and considered removing the hatch above the V-berth. Removing the spring loaded hinge might work but then the hole is too small for me to enter. I'll need someone else to go through it. I then thought to carefully wedge the door and frame apart about 1/4 inch. Then I got a small screw driver into that space and "picked at" the bolt until it released. Whew!!!

I recovered entry but I think Luna Sea knows now... Ohhh boy there is going to be hell to pay now! I better rethink this.

Earl J

Head Troubles

August 27, 2006

A sucker for advertisement..

This morning I had 2 projects planned. Re-bed the main hatch and put a rebuild kit into the hand pump for the head. Should finish by noon then be on my way to Cedar Creek for the evening.

Well there was still a heavy dew on the deck this morning so I thought about what to do. The little advertisement on the rebuild kit for the Groco Head said "easy installation -- 15 minutes". Well that was what I was going to do first.

The removal went easy enough. I pumped a gallon of clorox laden water through the mechanism first then closed the sea cocks and removed the pump. I tore the pump down and noticed a crack near both of the mounting ears for the Joker Valve. They looked deep and I wondered why it didn't leak there. Oh well -- I installed the replacement parts and re-installed the pump. I tested with clean water -- Ohh boy it was gushing out of the cracked area. Oh great!! I considered trying to repair it but thought it would be a wasted effort trying to seal that plastic under tension. I checked the West Marine catalog and saw there was an inexpensive Jabsco toilet but would require replumbing the hoses. I saw that my head was still being offered but at twice the price. Oh well I had 2 rebuild kits for that model and they were now $100 a piece. I bought the new head.

Installation was a breeze but after clean-up it was now 4pm... Arrgh the day was gone.

Buck and Craig wanted to go to dinner in Morehead that night so I abandoned my cruising plans and cleaned up to go to dinner at the Sanitary Restaurant.

So much for the plans but boy that head just GLEAMS now!!