Planing begins for next voyage

Yes, there is going to be a next voyage. Next month, sometime. The current plan is for my friend Major and I to trailer Ms. Bettencourt to Georgetown, SC, launch at some location to be determined, then go someplace interesting by water. It should be apparent in this narrative by now, that planning is not far advanced. But the commitment is firm.

Certain preparations have already been made. For example, I have ordered new carpet for the trailer bunks. Major is calling Georgetown to find out where we can launch and where to store the truck and trailer while we cruise. I  filled the boat with diesel fuel Saturday. The cruising gears are beginning to turn.

About words ...

Please recall that I found an old fiddle and installed it on Ms. Bettencourt last week and, at that time, pondered the derivation of the term fiddle to describe a doohicky designed to keep stuff from sliding around in a seaway. A couple of days ago I remembered a book I bought last winter on the recommendation of my friend Andy in Chapel Hill. The Sailor's Word Book, begun in 1858 by the late Admiral W.H. Smyth, RN, contains more than 14,000 nautical and naval terms. Here's what the admiral had to say about a fiddle:

FIDDLE. A contrivance to keep things from rolling off the table in bad weather. It takes its name from its resemblance to a fiddle, being made of small cords passed through wooden bridges, and hauled very taught.

This book is fascinating. Here's another timeless entry, selected at random:

BOX THE COMPASS, To. Not only to repeat the names of the 32 points in order and backwards, but also to be able to answer any and all questions respecting its divisions.

Perhaps learning how to box the compass would be a worthy personal development goal for the winter of 2012-2013?

The 744-page paperback book is available at a very reasonable $14.96 USD from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/8r7dkwq

...and painting

Back on Ms. Bettencourt, work continues to advance slowly. If it doesn't get too hot before I get motivated to go to work, the second and final touchup paint coat will be applied in the forward cabin today.

After that, all that remains to be done before the next voyage begins will be to neaten up a bit, move in the bedding, re-provision,  finalize cruise plans, inspect the safety gear, check for hurricanes, fix the trailer bunks, study on boxing the compass...

... and hit the road for Georgetown.