Technological break
I finished edge encapsulation late at night (around 2). It was 0 degrees at night so the stove could keep only around 17 degrees in the shed. The day after, at 10 in the morning, the epoxy was dry to touch but fingernail test showed it still not fully cured.
I refilled kerosene and restarted the stove. During the day, with temperature round 15 degrees, the shed kept nice, steady 30 degrees.
I left Louve to fully cure and instead took advantage of the weather to “mess up with boats”. I took Nano for a ride.
Boat-walk to the harbor normally takes me 40 minutes. Today it was double that - many neighbors were out so I was stopping a few times for chit-chat.
Arriving at the ramp, Nano rides into water with ease.
There was moderate Southern wind so I rowed against it at steady pace. Bathing place already prepared for winter.
Upon reaching narrow part of the channel I had to fight strong wind and current. Choppy water was banging on Nano’s flat bottom, splashing a bit inside.
Finally reached a small bay on East side. I hide behind a big boulder which shields from wind and current.
Although coastal waters cannot be private in Sweden it is just a theory. This bay is considered by its owners to be theirs. Every time I am here and someone is around I get asked what the hell I’m doing here. Today was no different. Being friendly usually puts questions to end.
Today I wanted to investigate closer boat sheds around the bay so, of course, I got asked. Being honest helps so I just said that I write a book about such structures (which I do) and I was left alone.
It may not be exactly Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer climate but it’s as close as I can find in this rich country.
This type of “messing around” is my favorite and precisely the reason I sold Meritaten and build Louve. You just miss such small, shallow sanctuaries in big boats.
With eyes saturated by these climates I entered the middle of the channel and drifted with wind and current back into my harbor.
Calm ride, most motor launches are already on land, the sea is empty. Next year, if I finish Louve, I can launch my boat for calm autumn sailing. That would not be possible with Meritaten!