woodflooring

new kitchen floor

While we've been sitting here, (not sailing) for the winter, I wanted to put wood flooring in Mehari. So that's the latest project, and it's been a doozy! Levi and I have travelled by bus back to Ashkelon for the last three weeks and have spent many hours on the project.
You know how you picture one thing in your mind how something might go together? Not So! It takes......we learned......about an hour per board! by the time you measure, measure again, make the first cuts. Then you see where you need to cut more, and then you try to fit it again, and again, and again. It takes an average of 4-5 trips to cut the board, and if you're lucky, you don't have to start over with a new one!  So, it's a long process to say the least, but the results will be much worth it. The boat will be cleaner and easier to keep clean. Using a vacuum at sea it not really an option and with Lily, Zoe and soon Miles eating over the carpet, the choice to do it was pretty simple!

Here's a photo of the progress and more when it's DONE!!

Electrical games

This week I spent a few days on the boat, changing and upgrading the wiring in a few critical areas.

We have a big 1300w inverter which changes our 12v battery bank to 220V for charging the computer, ipods, vaccuum, etc. THe inverter has never been working, so we're using a very small, one appliance at a time inverter (the kind you plug in your cigarette lighter) for EVERYTHING. Kind of a pain. 

So, we had it repaired last year in Turkey for the winter and have been hauling it around, because it is not a small job to run the large cables from the battery bank, through a 100A breaker and get it all in nice an neat! SO, with no on e on the boat, it was the perfect time to rip and tear into it. 

~Hems

"busted thumb" construction

While we've been here at For Zion's Sake, we've been able to start a remodeling project on some office space. The ministry here is consolidating and moving offices, so Levi and I have been working on framing, drywall, and some electrical. 

Who knows, maybe it's the seed of a construction business when this sailing adventure is all over? Levi likes working with his hands and he's soaking up whatever meager knowledge I have.

I thought some people might like to see what we've been up to since were off the boat for a bit, in Jerusalem. (In case you thought since we weren't sailing, we were just sitting around!)

Next project is to add a shower to a bathroom, so we'll see what kind of damage we can get into with that one! 

See you all later! 

~Hems