So the winter proceeds as does the work on the Columbia III. We work constantly during the winter and much of the work is unphotogenic and not all that exciting to write about! Filters are changed, small innovations added, and components are dissembled, overhauled and returned to service. I am a “systems guy” so I always have a wish list of changes for the boat, from the tiny to the major. One pet peeve was the lack of good storage in our engine room so I have chipped away at the “problem” over the winter.

The aft bulk head in the engine room was relatively under-utilized, so I stripped it bare to take the opportunity to give it a coat of paint.

And then after rerouting a “few” wires and “things” I made a new set of shelves for the bulkhead (wall).

Then there was the “pressing matter” of my supply of filter spares. . . one can never have too many spare . . . well, spare EVERYTHING would be nice . .. so, on top a needlessly blank area of the engine room , , ,

I made a mahogony box for holding spare filters:

Then I tried my hand at “louvers” for a small vent. It turned out acceptably for a “louver novice”.

And once again, just when I SHOULD be working, on one of my several thousand trips between the shop and the boat, I spy some transient orcas . . . . and off we go for a few more ID shots! The picture isn’t great and I had to crop it in Photoshop, but it was just a “point and shoot” camera at dusk . . . I think you will get the gist of the situation though!

Oh yes, where was I . . . . ahhh, on storage for the engine room.
I was able to squeeze one more shelf in the engine room above the new gensets (of the winter of 07/08). This shelf now holds spare pumps for us.

Heady stuff, really. Well, maybe I SHOULD get out more. But after the design, building, painting, varnishing and installation of these small projects I have to tell someone who cares!