Well, we’ve decided. No Maine this summer.

Between the inevitable project creep and the demands on our calendar, getting north would likely mean that winter plans would get squashed. And as appealing as another cruise to New England is, not prepping the engine for possible freeze damage is even more appealing. Calypso is headed south to the islands on a good weather window sometime after the boat show in October.

Project creep. We came to Oak Harbor with the intention of getting Calypso’s bottom blasted to remove 30 years of bottom paint, plus finally being in the vicinity of an experienced stainless fabricator. While the bottom has been done, we’re still prepping for the fabricator (and adding more to that list too.) How do you prep to hire someone to make stainless hard rail, an anchor guard, a stanchion, and more? It’s a matter of installing things like the boom gallows, which means making new bases. It’s a matter of installing stanchion gates. It’s a matter of mocking up the new companionway slider so you can mock up the new sea hood so you can mock up the new hard top. Because it’s all interconnected.

And then there’s the forepeak redesign, involving storage and a shower sump and a shower-possible space. Jeremy sent me a photo today of his first mock ups of the new shelving up there. He’s been so busy with prepping for the fabricator he hasn’t had a chance to even look.

Plus (there’s more?) - that other boat. He’s built temporary hatches for Mischief, installed a brand new bilge pump, taken the alternator off for bench testing, and redone some engine wiring. I’ve chipped and scraped all of the failed epoxy barrier coat off - for some reason the blasting left it virtually intact.

Add in the fact that boat work takes five times as long as you ever think it will, and the extension of boatyard time makes sense.

Calendar demands. June has been busy, July will be busier still, and August is chock-full. I’m writing this blog from my parents’ living room in Middlebury, Vermont; I came north on Friday to attend my 35th high school reunion in Connecticut and couldn’t be this close and not come see Mom and Dad (and Bee too!). Next weekend we’re in Deltaville for a wedding. The big excitement is in July, when Julian returns from 2 years in France. August is all about family at the lake, culminating with driving to Utah with Julian to take him to school. Sure, we could have shoehorned a quick sail somewhere in the middle of all that (er, Nica, did you even read the bit above about project creep?), but then what. Leave the boat somewhere in the water during hurricane season while we gallivant around in the car? No, keeping the boat in the yard until we get back from Utah, likely the second week in September, made the most sense.

Once again, the need to be flexible and slow down has taken control of our immediate plans. It’s good we’ve got some practice!