Cruising  ~  The Cat’s Meow Style  ~  April & May 2005

TCM Improvements

 

 

April and May have seen many changes and improvements to The Cat’s Meow. Within the next few weeks, more changes will be made and more tasks will be completed. Martin and Robin feel good about the improvements and accomplishments that have been made on our home, our boat. Do keep checking back with us to see the latest and greatest improvements!

 

One of our good boating friends, Dick, of the SV Corazon de Acero, once again put his heart and soul into helping us with some big projects. Dick spent about a month of his life working on TCM. He fabricated a new fiberglass muffler for the new wet exhaust system.  Since the right pipes could not be found in the La Paz area to use for the exhaust system, Dick also fabricated those. Then, he and Martin worked together building the first of two new, larger water tanks. All of this was a very messy and time-consuming job. We thank Dick, and his patient wife Judi, for all of his expertise and help!!

 

                                      

                                                    Dick doing fiberglass work for water tank

 

 

Right before heading to the Loreto Fest, Martin removed the dry stack from TCM! The boat had been built with the dry exhaust system, which included a stack coming from the engine room, through the main salon, and up onto the top deck. Robin really enjoyed the look of the stack, and it was difficult for her to agree to this huge change in the workings of, and the looks of, the boat. Now that it is done, however, she agrees that the salon is roomier and lighter. Did you ever wonder what was inside one of those stacks???  Well, we found out:

 

                    

 Cutting the stack open                                                                   So that’s what’s in there!

 

 

                                            No more stack!

 

 

After the Loreto Fest, we hit the remodel hard once more. Things are finally starting to move along much faster now. We now have a working microwave, plus a working convection oven, and a nice new stove top! Once again, Robin can bake and do a lot more cooking!  (Is that a good thing….??) Where the stack once came through the main salon, Martin extended the galley countertop and that can serve as a small breakfast bar, and he made a handy cabinet underneath.

 

 New galley without the stack and with the new cabinet & stove top

 

 

 As long as he was making changes, he also removed one of the sides on our U-shaped dinette, making it an L-shaped area. This again has opened-up the entire salon area, giving us more room and ease of moving around, while also actually making it possible to seat more people comfortably around our table ~ which will get some leaf-additions ~ with stools and/or chairs. Lots of good stuff is happening to this ole boat!

 

 Dinette area opened up (view looking from bow-to-stern)

 

 

There had been a lot of damage to the exterior of the boat, too, from all of the pangas, dinghies, and barrels banging into the hull, and the nails pounded into the hull for the patches during the rescue. Besides all of that interior work, Robin has repaired the starboard side of the hull, and has the first couple coats of paint on it, making TCM look sharp once again!

Martin’s daughter Deb and her son Jake will be visiting us in June  ~  we hope that TCM will be ready for some cruising to the nearby islands during their visit.

 

Celebrate with us on May 24,2005 ~ the one-year anniversary of The Cat’s Meow coming up out of the water to stay up, and READY TO BEGIN AGAIN!!

Stay in touch, watch for more about our ongoing refit and improvements 

And, come back and join us for more Cruising ~ The Cat’s Meow Style!

 

                         

                    The Cat’s Meow on May 24th, 2004….. Ready to Begin Again!