small steps in roughly the right direction

Two main things have marked progress towards my goal of getting tiny boat cruising. 

Daily I've been working on ex-Jacaranda, my old 15ft clinker sailboat when I bought her from the neighbour of the son of the guy that built her, the onboard engine had been removed. That was good of course, but the disadvantage of this was that the engine box which doubled as seating had been removed. Jaca' effectively had only a place in the stern to sit. In lovely conditions, you either stood leaning against the coaming or squatted on a round beanbag cum pouffe that I picked up along the roadside. Over recent weeks I've built seats, with storage under, along either side of the cockpit. Happy with the look, I ripped out the cabin sole boards which were made of some horrid chipboard material & were not secured. These were replaced with what I call duckboards, four separate grids that I've get to secure. The umderseat constructions have been sealed & painted on bright grey paint, as have the bilges. She looks fabulous. Her future remains uncertain, I think she could pull a few thousand dollars or remain as a cheap knockabout for river work of exploring new waters. 

The other major step I've taken is I,bought a tow vehicle. My new car is a Subaru Forrester, although she has 190k on the clock, she looks & drives nicely & has a faultless service record. She is by far my best car & with her economical diesel engine will easily retrieve Selkie from interstate. I had arranged with her owner to arrive on 3 weeks, but of of wasn't for heatwave conditions on Central Australia, I'd be leaving sooner. 

I am renovating the house, so that will occupy me as I transition way from Jaca's refit. 

Each day I keep up with good diet & exercise & devour all the reading materials on cruising. Se of these books I first read nearly forty years ago.