House sitting gig is over at Nuevo Vallarta, paddle boarding kennel - 2015

End of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
OK we have left the house and the dock!

Sailing South from La Cruz direct to Tenacatita - 2015

End of December 2015 - Anchored in Barra-Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon, Mexico

 We left LaCruz anchorage about 2 pm and sailed the afternoon thermal one tack for over three hours before the wind died. Then we motor sailed. The seas were a bit lumpy until we got to the light house about 3-5 km out. The seas picked up and were a bit gnarly at about 8-9 pm. We motor sailed with the main reefed and were surfing the waves at about 7 knots and the Garmin GHC 10 class A under deck autopilot was working hard. This was our first test of the Garmin autopilot repair we did this last summer. The Garmin GHC 10 class A under deck autopilot worked great! The wind picked up to over 20 knots and stayed that way past midnight. We were tired so we left the head sail furled and surfed the waves motor sailing. In the am then after we passed Ipala the waves laid down a bit and the wind died. The wind never picked up again all day for any sailing.

Anchored in La Cruz - Trailer Park Boys, m/v Aussie Made came by - 2015

Middle of December 2015 -Anchored in  La Cruz anchorage in Banderas Bay , Mexico


Hugh and Barb on m/v Aussie Made came by on their Grand 
Banks 42' trawler and snapped a picture of us and we like-wise.

Anchored In La Cruz anchorage - Magma Flopper stopper repair, zincs - 2015

Beginning of  December 2015 - La Cruz anchorage in Banderas BayMexico

So here we are sitting in LaCruz anchorage now for about 10 days or so since December first, 2015. We have been doing the usual things and getting the boat ready for our trip south and around Cape Corrientes. We hauled anchor and finished running our Garmin auto pilot wizards (GHC10 class A under deck auto pilott) and successfully I might add! We are getting ready to do another sail after fixing our reef lines the person who re-installed the main for us at the end of the summer messed up. Some other small things also and were hoping the weather cools off more down south. It finally broke here but late this year. Started getting hot early and stayed late!

Debbie put in switches for our two broken Bora 3-speed marine fans - 2015

End of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
More summer fun with electrical 😀


Note:
2018 - these thumb switches have worked out less than we would have liked. They are flimsy and are hard to switch. We did not leave enough chord to reach them easily. 
We have purchased some of these we will try out, they seem easier to turn on\off and are more robust.

Varnished Stateroom drawers and doors - done! - 2015

Middle of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
 
Before.

Nuevo Vallarta house sit - Debbie the chicken whisperer, hen house - 2015

End of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas BayMexico


 Debbie has made friends with the hens. Some even have names 😄 They have been treating us good all summer with fresh eggs. As you see, Debbie is holding one. Her favorite is the gray colored one. It is getting close to the time to say good by. We will be moving back on board s\v Elegant'sea soon then staying at the dock till the end of the month. Then this gig is over. We will continue to summer over at ParadiseVillage Marina.

Beta 38 hp diesel engine fuel and air filters found in Puerto Vallarta - 2015

Middle of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico

Debbie at the counter. The chicken-wire is for palm 
leaves that help keep the sun off the bus stop.

Galley/Force 10 - replaced bronze stove bar and replaced bronze towel hooks - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
The existing brass two-hook towel holder.
late summer idea was to re-do the stove bar...from brass to stainless steel.

Pressure Cooker beef stew + ingredients - 2015

This we made in the house,
We have been eating large! This week Debbie made Lasagne and the we made beef stew in the pressure cooker. This is Mexican friendly, meaning it is all available here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,

Voom, voom Beta Marine 38 hp diesel engine almost ready for another season - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico 
Looking good again and running smooth!

Achilles Dinghy oars got refurbished - 2015

 It might be hard to see but our oars are getting pitted in the aluminum and some white corrosion is all around the area. We scraped off the white stuff and sanded the area. First of course we moved the plastic or locks that go on the oars. 

Main sail up for the Winter season and ready to go - 2015

 Today was about getting the main sail up. Yesterday we removed the aft Shadetree boat awning for this main install. We had Jason of Argos Marine come over and re-install the main. We splurged and the price was right. I worked on re-installing the propane locker and got it finished off and the Force 10 stove  is operational again.

Helm seat upgrade to teak in Mezcales? - 2015

October 2015 - At a private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico

Here is the main shop area in Mezcales- his motorcycle is in the far back.

Bimini window covered from under side - very nice creature comfort - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico 

Closed.
As you can see we put our bmini back up. It got re-stitched and some dot fasteners installed and some modification made for better stern shade etc.

Cockpit teak grate washed and Teak Wondered 2015

Beginning of November 2015 At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
We used a piece of red Scotch Brite to wash the grates along with some Soft Scrub.. 
Air drying.
The next day we used Teak Wonder and a paper towel 
to apply one coat of the Teak Wonder
That's it, all done and ready to be put back in the cockpit. They have been stored in the tool room of the house we are staying in all summer.

Beta Marine 38 hp Diesel engine air filter cross reference numbers - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 -At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
Beta Marine 38 hp Diesel engine air filter cross reference numbers listed below.

One stateroom louvered door hung and all varnished! - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico 
Now the door varnish is complete, the aft hanging locker louvred door is hung.

Anchor snubber/chain hook re-visited - 5 of 6 - 2015

Beginning of November 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
Purchased this roller which is for a boat trailer from the Zaragoza Chandlery.

Ocean Kayak Malibu Two 8" hatch installed at Nuevo Vallarta house sit - 2015

End of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
We found this video on Youtube and followed the instructions plus the instructions that came with the Ocean KayakMalibu Two hatch for the Malibu Two.

Inside cover for bimini window to keep sun out - 2015

End of October 2015 - House sitting at private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
Finished product - here's the process!
The sewing projects continue! (That's the beauty of having a seamstress in the family and the wonderful Sailrite sewing machine!!)

Varnishing the stateroom louvered doors, yes lots os louvers! - 2015

End of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
This is the last can of gloss varnish for the season we had to buy - gloss.

Debbie made us a tool pouch for canvas tools - 2015

End of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
Debbie was feeling creative on Saturday after being cooped up after working hard at getting the boat hurricane-ready (see post about Hurricane Patricia) now that the threat has passed.  She made this handy "tool roll" for our snap/grommet tools.

Meet my new best friend Muriatex Alamo\Muriatic Acid acid 2015

 We were looking for ways to get rust stains out of the gel coat and found this video.
We have some rust stains on the bow and stern and up in the anchor locker etc we would like to remove. So here is what we found out.

Off to Honda dealer for outboard spin on oil filter - 2015

End of October 2015 -At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico

 We went to the Honda Puerto Vallarta dealer. Not the Honda car dealer but the motorcycle dealer. They also sell Honda generators there and 4-wheelers etc. They do not have Honda outboards on sale but do have and can get parts. We picked up a spin-on oil filter. We happen to be in the neighborhood.
www.comotohonda.mx

Re-furbished Magma Flopper-Stopper at Taler De Torno Gonzalez Machine shop - 2015

End of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico, house sitting

More "eye candy" all around - here are some motor boat parts, rudders or stabilizers!
We went to the Machine shop - SS welding to pick up the last of this years' welding projects.
Taler De Torno Gonzalez tel 322 224 0784

There went Hurricane Patricia! - biggest on record!big surge at marina - 2015

End of October 2015 At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas BayMexico

Chamela (Perula Bay) when we were anchored there in 2014.
The Sierra Madre mountain system of Mexico is on the edge of Puerto Vallarta and saved us from all but a heck-of-a-lot of rain from Hurricane Patricia.Boaters at the marina (and some tourists) were evacuated off property but the mountains saved us - just as the "old timers" predicted.

Polishing the hull - starboard side done! 3 of 4 2015

End of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico


A little touch up paint on the gel coat.


As it turned out we ended up cleaning a section of hull and then compounding it with White Shark compound. 
Doing this by hand did not remove much gel coat. We then put on the White Shark Selant wax and then the Past wax. Lots of rubbing.


Still smiling. Remember it is in the 90's and very humid!
The hull does look nice and clean now and will not chalk up, at least not till the wax wears off we hope.

Turists :)




Varnishing the trim again by the nav station and by the steps - 2015

Middle of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico

We got a coat of varnish on the trim here and the trim on both sides of the companionway stairs.

Nubee Temperature Gun - purchased

Middle of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico
 Found this old post that never got published?
We had a temperature laser type gun but it has an oddball battery. And it is not easy to use.

So when Morris and Debbie on s\v impulsive said they were going to sell their extra Nubee     Temperature Gun  at the La Cruz swap meet this month we grabbed it.
 This is simple to use and has a 9v battery. Easy to replace and find.
Note 2018: 
We have had this gun now for a few years and it still works good. This was a good purchase.

Dinghy 20' cable cleaned, Schlage cable locks purchased, paddles drilled etc - 2015

Middle of October 2015 - At private slip in Nuevo Vallarta in Banderas Bay, Mexico

  
We had this made up at Downwind Marine in San Diego.