Two Tikis, Two Good Friends
It’s been a while since my last post, sorry about that. Truth be told there didn’t seem to be a lot to tell you about. We had a spell of wet and windy weather that pretty much bought progress to a grinding halt and when the weather improved I seemed to be tatting about all day without a great deal to show.
To be honest I’ve been through a bit of a low patch, I’d thought that we might be sailing by the end of June but once again I wildly underestimated the amount of work needed to make that happen. I should know better than set targets but without them I’m afraid things might drift too much. My new target is the end of July, that should be doable and it needs to be, Summer here is all too short, the longest day has passed, if we’ve got three good months we’ll be doing well.
The last few days have been better, I’ve made some progress and I’ve decided to work on the three major outstanding groups of work in sequence. First the engines and controls, second the steering system and last the running rigging. If I can get the first two cracked over the next few weeks then we have the opportunity to get ‘Gleda’ out of the mud basin around the 14th/15th Spring tides. I really want to get ‘Gleda’ out on the mooring and properly afloat.
I’ve got no reason to complain though, Gail and I are happily living aboard our boat in a beautiful location and with the freedom to follow our dreams. I know there are many out there who would love to be in the same position.
I’ve also been reminded once again that there are some generous supportive friends out there helping us along. This week two gifts arrived in the post from different places but with the exact same thought. The first was from Jake Woodnutt on Alderney, it was a beautiful little Tiki pendant and as Jake said “every Tiki should have a Tiki aboard to bring good luck”.
Today another package arrived, this time from Olivier Roux in Geneva and inside was another Tiki! Apart from building a Tiki 38 Olivier is also a skilled artist and engraver and the Tiki he sent was made and engraved by him…. wow!
What’s even more impressive is that Olivier even used the same font for the word ‘Gleda’on the reverse side. Have a look at some of his other work on his blog HERE.
I’m incredibly grateful to both Jake and Olivier for these thoughtful gifts. I’ll treasure them always and ‘Gleda’ and her crew are now assured of good luck and protection wherever they may roam.
Today I’ve been fairly productive and got the engine control well in the pod finished as well as all the blocks and cordage in the starboard engine well. These Tikis are working well already 🙂
Interesting macrame in the engine well……….. shame about the toes in shot !!
glad you’re progressing
As someone who manages construction projects of various sizes all the time, Don’t get to frustrated with the timetable changes. Deadlines are often put aside to assure the quality of the product and are completely justified. Just readjust your mindset and handle the progression as logically as you can. You are on the doorstep of making your dream a reality. There are so very few of us who get to do that. You are to be commended.
On a personal note, I have broached the idea of buiklding a Tiki 38 to the wife and she was majorly receptive to the idea. Give me a couple years to get some home issues wrapped up, and cunstruction may well begin in my backyard. To that end, I am currently enclosing my back pation as a workshop and installing enough evaporative cooling to effective cool a connected construction tent in the yard. I do believe this may be my first step. I would be remise if I did not take the time to say that a major part of the inspiration for this has come from following your blog. I thank you very much for rekindling the flame, Neil. Fair winds and following seas.
remiss dammit-not remise
Well, hell, I just re-read my post and it is full of errors. Let’s put it down to excitement, shall we?