delay = more prepping

To depart as planned..? Yeah right!

My intended departure is pushed 1 week. .. many reasons. Weather wasnt that favorable.. been raining all 3 days this week.

There are some pluses for this delay tho. I get to look over the anchoring system and the “depth sounder” over this weekend, to put things away neatly.. in a organized manner… Plus I will get to sail in the night with a full moon, hopefully better weather…   The tides may be a bit of a problem tho. .. fast moving and maybe rough around some of the points .. we’ll see…

Sticky’s new product! Iron On Decal

Just what I wanted! Kitty on my back

I am so excited about this new thing. Its just so great! I can have my own most unique T-shirt! Look! I always wanted a cat on my back.

Decal cut and ready for ironing

I have had some queries from my sticker customers for T-shirt printing.. which I didnt use to do.. and this is still not the same as printing. Its IRON-ON!

Ironing with a translucent paper.

1st, cut the decal on a thermal vinyl decal material. This material is different from the sticker vinyl that I usually use. .. but its really the same in a way. The machine for making these decals is the same.. and they are both vinyl…

Peel off the clear backing sheet, decal is now on the fabric

Place the decal, plastic side up, on the fabric (polyester and cotton blends only). Place a thin sheet of translucent paper (comes with new T-shirts) on the decal, or another thin T-shirt fabric will do just fine.

Decal is now on the T-shirt. Dun worry about the square residue, it washes off.

Iron for 15seconds, highest heat you can get. Let cool for 30 seconds, it okay to peel off the backing clear plastic when still warm.

You may see a slight residue of the sticky residue from the backing plastic on the fabric, but no worries, it washes off. .. so tada! thats it. you got it!

Now you can order your very own personalized custom decal from me! Write to me at sticky.business@yahoo.com and check out my other blog, http://coolvinyldecals.wordpress.com  for more designs.

Preparing for my adventure of the year

I have been so involved in our moving away from our last berthing … and almost had to let go of my plans to sail this year to Tioman. .. I think I am not so ready to go, but hey, I have to try… maybe I can get myself ready in the next 10 days or so…

Taking the motor apart, getting to the gear shift knob

1st off, make a list of must do actions, then a list of must haves on this trip…. then actually going out and work on those actions.

bad corrosion on the aluminium shift rod, not too bad elsewhere.

This is the time of the season that wind may be slight… I be counting on my motor to get me there, maybe a slight breeze in the afternoon but usually windless nights.

I had been struggling with the frozen gear shift lever for my last 2 trips, this will be the 1st item to fix. For this trip in this season, no motor means no going!

Gearshift knob is being pushed out from the inside.

We worked all morning on the gearshift.. until we were so pooped! The knob that wont shift, wont come out either! We had to engineer a way to make it come out, using a system of bolts and nuts, pushing it thread by thread! Finally! And the conclusion is…. O-ring failure causing corrosion on the aluminium that was holding the knob in place, resulting in the expansion of the aluminium surface that gripped onto the black plastic material that is between the 2 O-rings.

Chipped O-ring! Thats why!

Well, we clean up the aluminium with a mini wire brush run on a Dremel and apply plenty of that “Never seize” compound. Seems to work for now…

Even I am hoping not to anchor… I better be prepared with my anchors. Old ropes deteriorated much by the UV, needs replacing. Am bringing 3 anchors… a bruce, a danforth and a little fold up one (my little good luck anchor 🙂 )

Okay, whats next? Sails (checked), motor(checked), anchors(checked), life jackets(checked), flares(expired but hope 1 out of 6 works).. .. hmm… oh yes! The gadgets! Charge batteries for my little VHF, GPS and nav light. And yes, am going to buy some of those chemical reaction light sticks… emergency use 🙂 and maybe decorative use…

The essential shopping trip! Provisioning is a major subject in going cruising.. 🙂 Always overstock on water, then food, then snacks.

… hmm… ok, am I ready to go..? I guess so…