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Sitrep 12

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B Log Entry...09JAN2012 HAPPY NEW YEAR! The holidays are over and the boat continues to take shape. It has been two years to the day since Joann and I had our first look at the Willard Vega Horizon rotting away at the Patrick AFB marina. We actually purchased it on January 22 and had it hauled a few weeks later, but it was on January 9th that we took that first step into the twilight zone and certain bankruptcy. However, since that first day on board, we have not had any second thoughts about taking on our “project boat”. It has been a very interesting two years.

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Sitrep 11

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B Log Entry...12SEP2011 It sure has been awhile since our last B-Log entry...sorry about that. We would have written more but how many B-Logs about sanding can you take. That is pretty much all we have been doing over the past several months. To be fair, we have been traveling a lot since May and when we are in town the weather has not been entirely cooperative. With summer in Florida comes afternoon storms and this summer has been no exception. As soon as the Nida end-of-day whistle blows the lightening, thunder and downpours begin.

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Sitrep 10

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B Log Entry...01MAY2011 Ahoy mateys! Shiver your timbers and prepare for some GREAT news...MSV Travels-ingly speaking. The fuel tanks are IN! Strike up the band and; can I get a "High Five". Yes, one of the reasons for pulling the boat out of the water in the first place has finally been completed. Following an interesting exchange of emails with Florida Marine Tanks (actually located in North Carolina?) to verify dimensions and tank angles we finally gave them the go ahead to build the tanks.

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Sitrep 9

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B Log Entry...21FEB2011 Hello all and Happy President's Day. I am working an aviation competition in Las Vegas this week while Joann is home repainting the kitchen, den, and utility room from top to bottom. Well, actually, she is supervising the job. Nida's element of the competition (aircraft power distribution system troubleshooting event) is all set up at the convention center which gives me a couple of minutes to catch everyone up on the latest Travels news.

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Sitrep 8

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B Log Entry...28DEC2010 Tomorrow it will be exactly one year since we first set eyes on Travels (had no name then). In the past year we have had many adventures on the boat despite the fact that we have logged zero hours (or minutes for that matter) of sailing or motoring under her own power. We have had a fire, pulled the boat from the water, set her "on the hard", and stripped her almost completely. I am very happy to report that as of December 17, 2010, we have disassembled the boat down as far as it will go.

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Sitrep 7

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B Log Entry...15NOV2010 Just when we had lost all hope of ever getting the 650 pound Perkins diesel out of the back of the boat... Well, let me back up a bit. If you recall from SITREP 3, we had removed the boat's motor from the engine room (small compartment under the pilot house sole) and scooted it on 2X6 planks through the cabin and out the aft hatch. It has been sitting, somewhat in the way, on the aft deck since March.

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Sitrep 6

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B Log Entry...22OCT2010 Can you believe that it is almost Halloween already? It has been a long time since I have provided a B Log entry so I thought I would take some time and catch everyone up on the steady (but slow) process of renovating Travels. In the last B Log we had stripped the deck of hardware, removed the pilot house steering console, and began working on the decks. Working topsides in the Florida summer heat is challenging. Working inside is like working in an oven...or visiting Arizona.

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Sitrep 5

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B Log Entry...23JUL2010  Welcome to another installment of the MSV Travels B Log. While Joann and I were traveling the mid-west supporting our aviation community and the National SkillsUSA contest in Kansas City, Rich & Beth arrived in Melbourne from the Caribbean. Richard thought that he missed going over our project boat with him; however, sitting on the dining room table was a two page list of questions.

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Sitrep 4

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B Log Entry...02JUN2010 It has been way too long since we have been able to update you on the continuing boat restoration project of Travels. Unfortunately, April and May were heavy travel months for me so I was not able to get too much accomplished on the boat. However, here is a quick email to bring you up-to-date.

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Sitrep 3

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B Log Entry...31MAR2010   It is lunch here at Nida and I realized that I had not provided a B Log Entry since mid-February. Actually, I was reminded of that fact by a special dinner guest we had over last night; my favorite brother, Shaughn. He came over from a conference in Orlando to feast his eyes on our "work in progress"...and to feast (I think his per diem ran out) I guess it was good for him to see the boat in its current condition because I hope that this will be the low point in the overhaul cycle. Next time he sees it there should be much improvement.

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