Getting ready in Earnest

Here we have 201 lbs of food stock for the trip.  How long do you think that will last? I'm thinking a lot longer than I'll be gone.  I'd say around 3 months give or take a few stops for incidentals.

I'm setting my sights low.  A good friend gave me some good advice.  It went something like this: " Take it in stages...30-40 days is what I have done... and finally.  Cedar Key to the Dry Tortugas is  one hell of a long trip for a small boat."

Actually I am leaving from Tarpon Springs, but I get the idea, and I agree.
My plan: somewhere about a month to six weeks.  Keep going if I am having fun.  Head back to Tarpon Springs where the truck is located and go home when I have had enough.  "Thank you Bill, for that sage advice," was my response to his words of wisdom.  Last trip, when the weather got so unbearable and I had a serious case of cabin fever, I bailed in 2 weeks.  That trip was supposed to be 3 months long.  Let me say, a short shakedown is in order when you have made major repairs and haven't sailed in three years. 
No harm, no fowl, I guess.  Just goes to show you that staying flexible is the key.  Every day is a day unto itself.  When the negatives kick in, stop while you're ahead.

I spent a lot of time getting the Little Tarheel II installed.  Trouble shooting the current vectors was a real nightmare.  I finally got rid of 200 pf of unwanted capacitance by bonding the solar panels and associated metalwork to the rest of the system. Finally, I came to realize that with the large aluminum structure of the trailer under the boat, the reactance (note  to spellchecker, reactance is spelled right!) is not going to respond to remediation.  I need that even pool of salt water under the hull. 

I spend a lot of time picking up after the trees!

Finally, I solved the pesky plumbing leaks.  I bought a 15-30 pound Jabsco low pressure pump to replace the high pressure RV type pump.  The nylon to plastic treads where bonded with Cyan o-acralate gel. Not the accumulator tank that keeps the pump from cycling.  A inline filter gives me pure fresh-tasting water.  And most of all, there are absolutely no leaks.  

I have 44 gallons of water and 24 gallons of non-ethanol fuel.  Most of my clothes and supplies are on-board.   

After the Stone Mountain ham fest, I am out-a here!