Update
It is clear that fans of cupcakeafloat have been pining for the good feelings they get from this blog. The election season is depressing and exhausting. Coronavirus is depressing and exhausting. I could go on, but you don’t need more depression and exhaustion.
So instead, here’s the update: Cupcake is at her mooring in Freeport. She has been bullied by a group of wily osprey. They started their nasty tricks by perching on the lower spreaders and feasting on fish. Osprey are not tidy. They are messy and disgusting. We found fish heads, fish tails, fish spines scales eyes guts gills blood EVERYWHERE. Yuck yuck yuck.
The osprey left this on deck, and left another fish, twice as big, up on the spreader dripping blood. Moss volunteered to go up the mast to retrieve it. Yuck.
We managed to stop the birds from perching on the spreaders by stringing fishing line in a web above the spreaders. Now they don’t eat on the boat any more. But they have taken to perching on the top of the mast.
Last night we ate dinner aboard and found the windex broken and lying on the deck because the osprey knocked it off. I guess it was in the way and made it difficult to poop all over the deck and sail cover. When I picked the windex up to see if it could be salvaged, one of the ends caught on the lifeline and the windex slipped out of my hand and flipped into the water. Now we can add windexes to the list of items that sink.
We are planning to sail away for a little while next week. That means I get to head to Hamilton Marine for a new windex this weekend because I am unable to sail without something to tell me which way the wind is blowing. Thank goodness a part broke on the boat so I have something to putter with. Lately I’ve just been going out to Cupcake every few days to run the water maker.
The boat formerly known as Squander in the spa getting her beauty treatment. The hull in the background is Skimmer and we are slowly restoring her as well.
Simon and I have (slowly) been restoring his Dyer dinghy. It escaped a few years ago, fetched up on an island, got towed to a nearby town landing, and sat neglected all summer, We were reunited with the Dyer in October 2017 and are just now getting around to fixing her up to her former glory.
Moss also has a Dyer. Her boat, Moon Cracker, is super lightweight. I rebuilt her with all cedar so she is easy to put in a truck, drag up a beach, hoist onto deck. She has been our tender this season.
Cute little Moon Cracker.
The other big news about Cupcake is that we’ve listed her for sale. The Craigslist link is here: https://maine.craigslist.org/boa/d/bustins-island-fabulous-pearson-cruiser/7171333615.html if you know anyone who wants a big old girl let them know Cupcake is available.
Our reasons for selling her are pretty predictable: we have a boat outfitted for living aboard but we no longer live aboard. Don’t worry, we have plans, BIG plans, for further live aboard cruising. Just not right now.
Here’s a little bit of spring-commissioning boat porn: look at that paint job!
Ellen and I sanded the entire hull with 80 grit then laid down three coats of paint. Mmmmm.