Captain’s Log — October 17, 2025: The Wet, The Mold, and The Reset

Blind River, Ontario — Rain, 12°C (feels like 9°C)

Rain today, and too cold to pretend otherwise. Nothing’s getting done — except making damn sure no more water’s sneaking in where it doesn’t belong. The Clear Skies is hauled out, sitting on the trailer, waiting for a break in the weather.

Next clear day, we climb back up the ladder and start hauling the rest of our home out of her. Everything goes into cleaned and sealed totes — most of it already is, thankfully. Dry storage is the only thing keeping this project from turning into a full-blown swamp reclamation.

This boat hasn’t seen an update since she left the builder’s yard in 1978.
Everything that’s been touched since? Torn out, not replaced. Cabin electrical — gone. Plumbing — prehistoric. Alcohol stove — still bolted in like a museum exhibit.

At this point, what’s left:

• Hull
• Bulkheads
• Original Volvo Penta (rebuilt two years ago)
• Transmission (rebuilt, still solid)

Everything else is on the hit list.

Next Steps:

1. Strip to bare hull and clean out every trace of rot and mold.
2. Inspect the bilge, keel bolts, and structural members.
3. Remove the stove and clean the galley down to fiberglass.
4. Build a new electrical system from scratch — 12V compatible with both solar and shore power.
5. Redo plumbing with proper marine-grade components.
6. Rebuild the interior with marine ply, proper ventilation, and no shortcuts.
7. Rewire and re-rig the mast when weather allows.
8. Seal the deck fittings, hatches, and hardware before spring.

The engine’s solid, the hull’s sound, and the mold problem’s dead. The rest is just time, tools, and stubbornness.

She’s lighter now — in weight and in spirit. This winter’s the clean slate.

Spring’s for the comeback.

So, what now? Well, that's the kicker. We may have a week or two at most on her unless we trailer her somewhere else. However, that means no power, no water, and limited access to a bathroom & shower. Not exactly an ideal situation. We have food but without a stove or water, very little ability to cook it.

I'm sure we'll work around this.