Amy had made the compass binnacle from some photographs about a year ago and I just recently designed a box to house the compass and engine controls. It is rather simple, but has a pair of cup holders in back with a cutout for binnoculars. I’ll probably put the engine controls on the right and might inset a small chartplotter and radio in the front. I ordered a 4.5″ Ritchie Navigator as the center piece and will build a small box for it after it shows up. The lumber yard it out of Honduran mahogony so I add to use African. It will probably be darker unfortunately, but was a lot cheaper. Anyway, I cut the pieces this weekend at Hop and Liz’s. Thanks!

Spent the weekend with my parents in South Carolina which was really nice since I had not seen my mom in a while. Didn’t get to work on the boat, but I did get to take my parent’s new Pennant dingy out sailing with my dad. We put in up the tidal creek and sailed for 2 hours with the current to my parent’s place, where we had to row the last 100 or so yards. The boat handled very well and would make an excellant tender for my schooner. Hint, hint.

Amy and I managed to finish assembling the engine room vents this weekend. Used a dremel to shape the center cuts to fit around the 5″ OD pipe I had, which took a long time, but it does fit well. Next I’ll make a little aluminum plate to seal off the holes in bad weather. Finished shaping the handles for the engine room hatch, and got the last coat of varnish on. No drips! Yeah!

My mom and dad bought themselves a little 10′ Pennant sailing dingy this weekend. So now, I am not the only sailor in the family. However, I am the only sailor in the family that doesn’t have a boat in the water.