Timing is everything.

As you get older its usually your memory that starts going first so I somehow forgot about the upcoming holidays. So with this in mind we will be heading out on the first leg fo the journed in late Feb..
  Hopefully my motor will be done by then and the rest of the remodel and such will be completed. Work has picked up at the marina and extra cash will help as well.

Out with the old in with the new.

Rebellion was built in 1974 and the only thing that had been done to her was the cushions recovered. So not wanting to relive the 70's we started on the remodel.  First was the counter tops. The galley top was a tan color and badly stained. There was also a good sized hole in it where the cooktop had been and small cubbys were at the aft end of the counter where due to the distance to reach them was so awkward they were completely removed which now actually means a more open feeling galley.  The swing down table was a funky yellow and the bathroom was a pastel color probably not found anymore on any color pallate. So with this in mind a trip to Lowes insued.  With only 6 selection of 4 by 8 sheets of formica to choose from I decided on a fake marble which was almost $100 per sheet. this choice was made in my thinking that i didnt want to do this again for a long while and this was my home and I wanted it to be as comfortable and up to date as possible.
  The plywood was removed from the galley and used as a pattern to cut the new wood.  Once the cutout was completed after numerous re cuts it was secured in place. The hole for the was not recut.   A rough laminate cutout of the top was made from the completed ply top then was glued in place and edges routed and the filed. This process took a long day to complete. but when it was done I was able to step back and smile about a beautiful countertop and a job well done. Yet to be finished is the area where a sliding door cubby was located.  About twice the size of a breadbox.  This has bee given a wooden rail all the way to the rear and is about 3 inches in heigth and will receive a piece of tall decrative trim on top which will bring it it to roughly a six inch heigth and will sufficently keep items in place. The bottom and back of this area will receive ceramic tile.
  The swing down was not a problem at all.  It took longer to remove the old laminate than to install the new laminate but it definatelt is much better looking opposed to the old laminate.
  The head has yet to be started but fortunately wont be a necessity to begin the trip.

How it all came about.

 I started sailing as a form of therapy.  I was in my mid 30's and had a stroke which turned my life upside down.  The doc asked me if I was under alot of stress and my response was that if I was wound any tighter I could be a timex wrist watch. Two years of recovery and I needed something to take my mind off things so I browsed evilbay and bought my first sailboat.  Several years and 12 boats later I have a Pearson 30 that I am very comfortable with and it seems she with me.  I am the third owner of Rebellion.  She is a 1974 model pearson 30 which has quite a history about her.  She has was bought in Miami Fl. and has been sailed from Miami to Virginia and all the way back around and to Texas.  She has had one name change in her life which led to the second owner, who had changed the name to Lady Sharon, to change her back to Rebellion. 
  Im not a terrible terrible sailor nor am I a master at it.  I can get Rebellion out of the marina,in the main channel and go where I want to. Well usually if the wind gods are kind that is. The boat, my 2 feline companions and I have always made it back in one piece.  Now my seven year old son enters the picture and  visions of grand adventure togther start emerging in my mind. Yet our first journey ended after only one day.  We were headed from my home port of Browns Creek sailing marina in Guntersville Al to Scottsboro Al.  This is my first large boat so I have to keep remembering I have a large keel hanging under the boat.  The days of the swing keel were over.  We went to a state park where we were actually able to motor rite up to the dock, tie up and let Garrett play in the shallows for a while. After our romp in the water we headed for Scottsboro. Now I was just watching the depth sounder and trying to remind myself of the keel then comes the words that all parents hear. Dad im hungry!  So with this we started searching the banks for a marina, store anything where I could get some food in my little monster.  Of course he wanted nothing that I had in the boat.  We finally spotted a campgroung on the riverbank and a sign advertising a small country restaraunt. Slowly we started making our way towards the dock.  Even thought we were moving at a snails pace we still ran aground.  Stuck and hungry we did what any father son adventurers might do.  We dropped our anchor and jumped overboard which brough a huge smile to my sons face.  Dripping wet and pangs of hunger stull rumbling we start looking for the location of the adventised eating establishment. We walk in and are greeted with a smile from the young girl at the counter and were able to end our hunger. This is when things kinda started going south. The battery had run down on the laptop whichs ended my sons movie watching and the complaints started rolling in and to top it off we were still stuck in the shallows.  Luckily we found a gentleman that was able to pull us free with his pontoon boat.  The complaints got louder and more numerous so admitting defeat I headed back to our home port.  The whole trip took about 13 hours.