LIFE is a ROLLER COASTER

LIFE is a ROLLER COASTER

Flash back to the other day when we were still in our ‘honeymoon’ home buying phase, all priorities checked off our wish list.  Add to that an excellent home inspector’s report…then a not so excellent septic report….then the sound of the other shoe dropping. Water report: unacceptable.  More than good reason to terminate our contract.  We felt comfortable to walk away and start our search anew.  Moderately disappointing but who wants to take on a hornet’s nest of other’s problems?

Fast forward to present time.  The seller is willing to replace the septic system at their expense which means it will have to be done by today’s standards, engineer designed and Nova Scotia Environment certified which means also the correct distance from the well.

What shall we do?!?!

We went back to our original thoughts, our original list, our original impressions.  We added extra criteria.  Do we see ourselves here in ten years, twenty years or longer?  Do I see myself here if anything should happen to Francois?  Then a bigger question that gave Francois reason to stop and think.  Would he be happy here if anything should happen to me?  Good question, he said.  After he thought for a while he said that yes, he could see himself living here without me but it would feel empty.  Now I said, remove me from the equation. Pretend I’m not here (I know it’s hard to do, haha).  Would you accept the new offer?  I would, he said.

This septic and water issue had put a cloud over the whole deal not too dissimilar to when we first bought R.E.D., brought her home, splashed her, spent the first night onboard to awaken to 3″ of water in the cabin.  More than one person advised us to return her.  You can get so much more boat for that price they said.  There were tears, sleepless nights and so much doubt.  We lost faith in her integrity.  But once the problems were remedied she regained our trust.  With each issue encountered – and there were many – we fixed it, seeing it as a way to get to know our boat more intimately.  We look back now and think we wouldn’t have changed a thing.  We stuck with R.E.D. and she has given us five years of unforgettable adventures…and there will be more.

Saguenay 2016

There is no perfect…ever. The idea of utopia keeps us all looking forward, seeking the sometimes unattainable.  There will always be something better.  Always a sweeter deal around the next corner.    We are trying hard not to get caught up in chasing the ‘more’, the ‘better’, the ‘bigger’, the endless ‘what if’s’.  But we don’t want to settle either.  This little RED by the SEA is certainly not perfect.  She comes with her own flaws, however charming.  She’s old.  She has stairs we will need to climb and should we become disabled this could present an issue.  The view of the sea will diminish with time as the trees grow taller.

We sat here this morning with our first coffee revisitng the discussion of what to do.  We tried really hard to come up with more than just two concerns. Then we sat in silence for a while, thinking.  A question my daughter asked yesterday brought the discussion to a close. ‘Is this your dream home?’  Francois’ immediate answer, we’ll make it our dream home!

Coming Home

 The clarity of hindsight will eventually show us the wisdom of our decision, a decision we are looking forward to living with, whatever may come.

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

Water supply onboard R.E.D.has always been an issue…not just in amount available but in ease of access…one hand washed at a time. Last year the original faucet started giving us problems during our trip away.  Francois did his best to fix it but by the end of the season it was clear the poor thing wouldn’t last much longer(story here).

We’ve put a lot into our little chalet on the water to make her safer for this year’s adventure and galley improvements were not on our list of upgrades.  A simple and inexpensive solution was to replace our two 2.5 gallon water jugs with three 5 gallon jugs, add a length of tubing so we could run water from the rear bilge back to the galley sink.  Problem was the old faucet wouldn’t hold the prime.  Could be all those little black bits that kept falling out of it was the reason.  So I made an executive decision and ordered a new faucet.  Still hand pump version but that upgrade will have to wait till next year.

Attaching the New Faucet

Attaching the New Faucet

Out with the old and in with the new was an easy fix.

 

Through the Galley

Through the Galley

The 10 feet of tubing was run through the existing access made for the AC/DC Dometic converter.

 

Cropped Jug Tap

Cropped Jug Tap

 

Francois cut off the tap top of the jug cap so we could run the tubing through.

 

Adjusting the Length

Adjusting the Length

Electrical tape marks the right depth for the tubing inside the jug…

 

Taped Snug Fit

Taped Snug Fit

…and also acts to tighten the seal once the cap is in place.

 

Port Side Rear Bilge

Port Side Rear Bilge

 

Now all three jugs have a secure place port side just behind the companionway stairs.

Photo-20160510155448516.jpg

Free Flowing

Fifteen gallons of free flowing water.  Faucet holds it’s prime.  All is good in the galley. It’s not the perfect solution but for now it will give us a better water supply for this boating season.  I still dream of the day when I can wash both hands at once.

 

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE
Ingredients
  • Valterra RP800 faucet
  • 3 x 5 gallon jugs
  • 10′ x 5/8″ BPA free tubing
  • 1 hose clamp
  • plumber’s tape
  • electrical tape
Instructions

 

MODIFICATIONS: a good start

MODIFICATIONS: a good start

This is the first of what will no doubt be a long line of boat mods…
Our floating chalet has minimal but adequate galley comforts but the existing ‘plumbing’ had to be adjusted
The original water source for the galley sink was basically a collapsable camping jug with a hose to the sink that kept twisting…
and collapsing…
So after a visit to our local hardware store and a little more than $10 later, François had made a change that worked really well….
…a more solid container…
not red but I can live with this improvement…
… a good brass fitting

 

…a good tight seal

 

wrapped with marine fusion tape
(am becoming a huge fan of this stuff – and it comes in red too)

 

…jug filled and back under the sink
Voila!….a steady stream of water