April 30 - New photo album uploaded

Sue has uploaded 47 new pictures in Thailand 5. Phuket, part 2. Enjoy!

April 27 - Refit update

We are very happy to report that Infini's refit is, for the vast part, complete! As in all major projects, there are a few niggly items to address, but, overall, we are quite pleased. The purpose of this refit has been to address cosmetic details (paint and varnish), and Infini is now looking great above and below decks. We'll be putting together a more complete picture album of the last three months refit when we find the time to do so during our upcoming return trip to the States. Pictures: The interior picture shows part of the starboard salon area above the settee with new varnish applied as well as the new formica around the shelf and cabinet area. You know you're nearing the end of the project when the boat name goes back on!

April 22 - A visit to Wat Chalong

Not much new and exciting to report on the refit. This past week has seen more fitting out of stuff below deck, as well as the application of more varnish to handrails, dorades and some other items (cockpit table, etc). The "to do" list is definitely getting a bit shorter.
We did do some sight seeing and visited Wat Chalong and Rawai Beach. Considered the most important of the 29 buddhist temples of Phuket, there are claims that many miracles have happened here. Wat Chalong pays tribule to two highly venerable monks, Luang Pho Chaem (หลวงพ่อแช่ม) and Luang Pho Chuang (หลวงพ่อช่วง), who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured of a tin miners rebellion in 1876. The grounds are beautiful; a worthwhile visit if you find yourself in Phuket.
This special chedi, 61.39 meters high, houses a fragment of bone from the Lord Buddha.

April 13 - Happy Thai New Year!

Suk san wan songkran! Today is Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. It takes place from the 13th thru the 16th of April, and most businesses are closed. Per Wikipedia: "The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns (sometimes mixed with mentholated talc), or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbors, and monks. The Songkran festival is counted as a new life." So, most businesses in Boat Lagoon Marina are closed. We, on the other hand, worked today, as it was the first day we could get aboard without a bunch of workers scurrying around. It was good to go thru the boat and make notes of what needs attention, what was forgotten, and what looks great. The windlass and compass were installed, and we puttered around doing a bunch of little stuff until mid-afternoon, when we quit and went back to the house for a much deserved beer and shower. We have a couple more days to get stuff done with no one else around, then the crew will be back and work will start again. The intermittent rain has been heavy for the last few days, coming in the afternoon and lasting a few hours. Today was overcast with a few showers, but nothing too dramatic. The Thai year is 2556...and started with Buddha's death that many years ago! Another glimpse of life in the boatyard; we hope all of you outside Thailand enjoy a happy Songkran and that the New Year brings good things your way!
Pic: Enjoying the pool at our friends villa in Ao Po last week...thanks Alene & Bruce!

April 7 - Refit Update

The bootstripe was sprayed yesterday afternoon, so we can now declare the painting process finished! Varnishing is still going on down below, and there are still deck pieces to install, but overall, we can see the end game fast approaching. The hull bottom sanding should start this week in preparation for the application of Interlux InterProtect 2000E which will go on when we return from our visit to the States. Picture: the sprayed bootstripe and completed paint job. There's still lots of visquine and tenting over the deck. A chain of workers are passing some of the finished doors and locker covers from the shop to the guys on the scaffolding, then on up to the deck for installation below. There are three more workers on deck installing fittings and three below as well. At times, we've counted 8-10 guys working on the project.

April 4 - Refit Update

Today, although measurements had originally been taken from the caprail down to the bootstripe, it took about three hours to place the marking tape exactly as I wanted in an effort to ensure that the painting of the Awlgrip Oyster White color bootstripe would reflect a pleasing line that would be pretty much parallel to the waterline when bottom paint is applied. It's more complicated than one may think, as there are several ways to go about doing this and the line may be parallel or flare depending on one's likes and dislikes. In the shop, several handrails and the rubrail were fabricated, and varnish is being applied. Down below is a beehive of activity, and installation of winches and many fittings continues above decks.

April 3 - Refit Update

Things are moving along. The tent has been removed and most all the visquine is now gone. There's still some wrapped around the mainsail, headsail and solar panels, but essentially we're now open to the weather again. Talking about weather for a moment, we've been quite fortunate in that the weather has been hot and sunny, ideal for painting, sanding and varnishing. The transitional period is a bit late this year but should start soon, with daily rains and high humidity. In the shop, our doors, bin covers and floorboards, as well as the companionway stairs, are almost completed being refinished and varnished. Today, Mr Gig made an 'executive decision' to fabricate all new teak handrails instead of reinstalling our old ones, so there's some wood working projects going to occur over the next few days, including the fabrication of our new rubrail. On deck, plenty of Sikaflex 291 is being used, and everything is going back where it belongs, so that's a good thing! We're also quite pleased with the separate painting and spraying of the non-skid on the lazarette hatch, dodger and new hatch turtle. The finished main hatch and turtle were installed earlier today. It's wonderful to stand back and look at the newly painted hull; the Awlgrip Flag Blue combined with the Oyster White cove stripe is beautiful. The boot stripe should be completed over the next couple of days. It's been exciting around here....