March Madness

3 April – Newport Harbor, California

Lori and I arrived in Newport on 27 March to find Van Diemen at the Basin Marina in what looked like the middle of a complete refit.  There weren’t any lifeline stanchions or other fittings on deck.  The deck has been primed but not painted.  The mast had been installed the day before we arrived but the rig isn’t tuned yet.  There were no fittings on the boom.  The boat’s interior was in pieces.  It didn’t look like a boat that was getting ready to go to sea…  The boat was behind schedule due to all the rain this year that southern California rarely gets, but Rob has it organized and he hired Longy Schuster, an old friend of mine and boat commissioning expert extraordinaire, to manage the refit and get the  boat ready to go ASAP.  It is looking like we will be a week late or so on our departure, but I am confident that we will get it together.  Our new departure target is 12 April.

Lori and I had expected to be staying aboard the boat, but it is full of tools and parts, there aren’t any bunk cushions or doors on cabins or cabinets yet, and there are workers coming and going all day.  Rob and Renee have set us up in the guest bedroom in their home nearby in Corona Del Mar, and we are very comfortable there.  I have been spending my days attaching boom hardware, organizing charts, setting grommets in lee cloths, and building cabinets for Rob’s house because that is under construction too.

I’ve seen Rob only briefly twice since we last sailed together forty years ago, so we’ve been doing some catching up over our evening meals.  We’ve been getting to know Renee, who will likely join the boat in Tahiti, and Lori is gaining confidence that I will be safe and happy on this adventure.

We’ve carved out some time to spend two fun evenings with Ken and Melissa Corum and Andy and Ellen Fitzpatrick, pals of  Lori’s and mine from high school days that live in the area.  It is always great catching up with old friends.

This next week should be interesting as the boat is put back together, crew for the trip arrive from overseas, and we begin loading provisions and supplies for a nine month voyage.  Lori flies home tomorrow, so she will miss the fun.