Getting the Covers off Ariel

We expect to sign the Purchase and Sale Agreement on our home on Monday, April 2, so we are really feeling the urgency to get Ariel ready to launch. We are both anxious to get the preparation work behind us and to have our new home available for us when we close. To that end this past weekend we removed the winter cover which was protecting Ariel. We were pretty efficient as this was the fifth winter we have used this cover. The day was perfect with temperatures in the 50's and a clear blue sky.

Each year at the end of May Defender Marine, a discount marine store, has a four day warehouse sale, which extends to the internet. They already have good prices, with no sales tax and reasonable shipping, so the sale is really nice. I have the patience each year to compile my list and wait for the sale. This year we ordered all of the electronic charts to cover from New England to the Bahamas. These are on tiny cards that slips into our chartplotter at the helm, or into a card reader attached to the laptop. We are able to do our route planning at the laptop and then transfer the cards, both the chart and a user card with our route plans to the chartplotter. We also ordered paper chartkits and guides for the same areas. These provide a broader view and most importantly backups to the electronic version.

We also purchased bottom paint and updated signal flares. These have expiration dates so they need to be replaced periodically. As soon as we get another nice weekend we will apply the bottom paint and then we will be ready for launch.

Last week we also ordered and received the last of our moving supplies. We added more moving blankets and a carpeted dolly to move heay furniture.