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Date: 16 June 2020. Visiting Manatees (plus boatyard plans)

© janice142

It is good to be home. I missed my critters. Manatees come by often this time of the year. Usually they arrive at or near high tide. Last month there was a rather amorous male nearby. As an aside, monthly I have the bottom of Seaweed cleaned. In May the diver told me there was a male manatee trying to pin him between the boats. I didn't ask why.
 

The diver did return the next day incidentally.
 

Apparently that fellow (the frisky male manatee) gets around. Here is proof:


That shadow just off the starboard beam of the manatee mama is indeed a new baby.



 

A baby manatee is called a calf.



 

The manatee family has come by only twice
thus far. I am hopeful I will see this duo again.



If you have the opportunity to see a manatee up close, be sure to listen for the breathing. Their breaths are deeper and more prolonged than that of dolphin. Once you hear one, you will be able to differentiate between the two.
 

 

In the meantime I'm getting things together. I am scheduled for a haul-out shortly.
 

There are several items I need done, including:
 

  1. Haul out, pressure wash and paint the bottom of Seaweed. I will ask for additional coats of paint as I would like this job to last a while. I'm debating about adding a special propeller paint. Any advice?

  2. The old exhaust pipes will be welded shut. At present they are capped inside and outside. This is a major safety concern for me.

  3. Three L-brackets that hold up the swim platform will be removed. Said platform will be reinstalled on hinges, and raised. (Yes, I have waterline issues.)

    Mostly I am concerned about backing into something and having those stainless support brackets punch through my transom. That could be catastrophic.  I also want the ability to raise the swim platform to shorten Seaweed's overall length when paying dockage at marinas.
     

  4. Two cockpit  locker scuppers will be closed off.

  5. A new raised waterline will be painted or taped.

  6. If the boatyard has time I would also like the boat painted from the gunnels down, but I am not sure if that is affordable. The paintjobs I've seen there are Superior!

As a side note, #6 is a wish list item. It is not necessary nor was it a part of the initial list provided to the boatyard when scheduling. One of the neighbors here suggested painting might be a good idea to take care of now while Seaweed is out of the water.
 

It is the dead of summertime so my top priority will be to get in and out of the yard in a timely manner. Being on the hard in the heat of summer is brutal.

 

 

And that is life aboard Seaweed. I'm watching manatees, feeding my birds and reading a lot. The article on shaft keys is nearly done. As I'll be hauling shortly I can get a picture of the propeller shaft key then. That's when that article will go up.
 

Like many, I am staying busy. There have been several
boat-improvement tasks completed of late. I'll tell you about them soon.
 

Of course the birds still require attention, and hotdogs. Ella is hiding in the mangroves:

Ella is a great blue heron. She is named after Ella Fitzgerald who
 sang the blues. There are two blue herons that visit though never together.
 

In the meantime, thank you for reading. I appreciate that.


I'd love to hear what boatyard projects you're planning next.
And, have you any advice regarding using special paint on the propeller?
 

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