Well 9:07pm and just quitting for the day.  Just got in after playing with wiring and mast lights in the dark…….still nothing…….Uugghh!

Finished our new Sparta logo and designed the new Sparta cards.

 
G’Night World

Tonight was my lovely wife’s birthday!  We still worked on the boat all day, cleaned ourselves up then went out for a quiet dinner.  She gets more beautiful each year 😉

Love You Lots!

XOXO

We are in the middle of a major refit on Sparta.  After the refit we will depart Annapolis Maryland sometime in November and hopefully after hurricane season!  So we will be continually updating the site as we progress with all kinds of new content.  Plugging away all day, then dinner, then evenings on the computer (if we aren’t to tired).  So keep popping in and hope to see you back!

Bruce & Angel

S/V Sparta

  So, one of those days.  I guess its easier to use the blog.

Some days it seems you have been going hard all day and at the end of the day you haven’t left the starting line.

Rain, Wind, High Water and 1000 things to organize.

So little time, so much to do!

  Here we are once again back in Arnold, MD.  We arrived August 27th, this time short crew.  With just Angel and I the uphill battle continues.  Donavan chose to stay behind and take on his new role as assistant manager of the company alongside his big brother.  Donavan and Morgan are at home and Spencer is now residing in Victoria BC.  All 3 of the boys beginning their lives with dreams, goals and aspirations of a bright future of success.  Mom and dad are off fending for themselves on what is undoubtedly the biggest challenge they have ever faced.

Since our last update much has taken place.  Giving the marina the go ahead on many, many, many system upgrades and replacements.  New engine and driveline, new electrical panels, new fuel system, new fuel polishing system, new water system, new windlass, new dual refrigeration systems, new navigation and new autopilot etc.  This new refit is scheduled for completion by October 20th and the task seems daunting.  The workshop will be updated as time allows.  Our list of things to do is  now pages long and it doesn’t seem to be shrinking.  Only this time we don’t have the kids to use as cheap labour  All joking aside I wish our boys were here with us.  It seems strange as one gets older we wait for our kids to move out and on with their lives but then after they are gone you wish they were back.  Life is far to short to take ANY of it for granted.

There are days when we wonder how or why we ever took on such an endeavor and some days of complete satisfaction.  Each day we have to remember  how fortunate we are, regardless of how bad we may think things may be and have to remind ourselves that others are far less fortunate and because of trials we have personally experienced and continue to experience,  this has become the sum of those trials.

Some tell us it will all be worth it, others think we are completely off our rocker and to be honest I’m not even sure which is more accurate.  This is a dream of ours, and it is one we will see through!  If our bank account had the same stamina as our determination things would definitely be much simpler.

I would rather attempt to do something great and fail……….Than do nothing and succeed!

I know it’s been awhile but a lot has happened.

If it wasn’t for bad luck, we wouldn’t have any luck at all.  Thankfully, we don’t believe in luck!

After yet again another delay thanks to hurricane Sandy, we finally launched Sparta, and set a departure date  of Friday Nov 9th.  After spending a couple of days trying to get her old 4 cylinder Westerbeke diesel engine running a couple more problems were discovered.  No fuel, injector problems and a high pressure fuel pump that would not work.  This would cost approximately 3500.00 to correct.  Then after doing a compression check we discovered that although we had 100psi consistently for each cylinder, this would not be enough to get the old girl running again without more tear down and troubleshooting and of course more $.  This engine should have at least 400psi or more.  Back to the proverbial problem solving high counsel (Me, Donavan and Angel).  Putting this much money in what could continue to be an unreliable engine, was not a smart decision.  A new engine and repower would be in order.  This will be be another 20,000 and we have run out of time as well.  So, pull Sparta back out and run for the Canadian border home again.  We will have to take care of these issues over the winter and leave in the spring, even though this is not what we want to do.  Hurricane season runs from June to November but we will have to come up with a new plan of attack.  Plan our work…….work our plan.

Angel’s Company will continue to work hard and Bruce’s Company will do what it does best, move snow for the winter.   Good intentions definitely won’t keep the wallets topped up!

We are a little disheartened but definitely not giving up!

So bear with us yet again and we will keep updates going and upload more photos soon as time allows.

Yes we survived the hurricane.  We are out of the hotel and back at the marina. The boat is scheduled to be dunked on Monday morning. Our Internet is sporadic so bare with us and we will post more soon!