Launched

After countless cold wintry days spent working on our boat Orion's Wake. She has emerged from her cocoon and is floating proudly in her home waters.

Over the next few weeks I will share some of the more exciting changes that took place while she was hidden beneath her silvery tarp of a chrysalis.

Today we'll start with her exterior. Along with a complete cleaning, polishing and waxing, she now has her name emblazoned on both her starboard and port aft. Aft is the sailing term for, towards the back of the boat.  

Inspired by her name, we fancied up her back side with an artsy rendering of the Orion constellation. And just in case we forgot where we came from, our port of call is there on the back. Not to be outdone by the back of the boat, the front of the boat got a makeover with new state identification numbers on both starboard and port sides of the bow.

You might have noticed the new ladder off the back, that's an important safety item. You know, so when you fall off the boat, you can get back on. I'm guessing it's going to get more action as a swim ladder than a man overboard ladder, at least I hope so.

There is also a new gas engine back there. Now we won't run out of batteries like we did last fall while using the electric motor to try and get to our anchorage spot before it was too dark to see where we were going, ugg.

Lets see, there is also the new fenders. To keep her from slamming into the dock when the winds pick up. I'm told there a bit large for this size of boat, but bigger is better. Right? 

Let's see, there is a new bag for the head sail that keeps the sail of the deck.  

What you can't really see, are the new lines that we added for safer control over the boat in higher wind conditions.  Which we all know, equals more fun!

And yes, that is a solar panel you see upon her cabin hatch. But you'll have to wait till later to get the skinny on that.

~J~