This week has continued to be busy. Thursday we did a lot of running around. We took seven port lights and four dorade vents to El Dorado Sandblasting in San Diego to get sandblasted and powder coated. Powder coat on the port lights will look much nicer than paint and have a longer lasting and more durable finish. After dropping the port lights off we made the trip up to the Ronco Plastic factory near Los Angeles to pick up the new holding tank. We showed up at the loading dock unannounced and say “I’d like a B158 tank.” They pulled the tank off the shelf and asked me what fittings I wanted and where and they drilled holes out for the inlet, outlet and vent.

It was neat seeing how fittings are installed. They drill a hole, then put the fitting on a drill and spin it in to the hole. The friction causes the plastic to melt and then become one piece. There are two inspection ports because I was afraid the first one might be inaccessible after installation. The list price was about $270 without fittings installed and I paid just under $200! It really pays to go to the factory.

On the way back to the marina Natalie and I stopped at Home Depot to get some things for projects. I bought new GFCI outlets, special zip ties with a screw hole for securing hose and wire, and wood to secure the tank.

When we got back I put the tank in the bilge and it fit just right. I breathed a big sigh of relief knowing that my mock up tank worked out right. There’s just enough room to put the supporting wood underneath and still leave clearance for the master berth above.

Friday I built a box out of ¾ inch plywood for the base and ½ inch by 4 inch for the sides. The holding tank will sit in the box and be supported on the bottom so the tank won’t crack. It was pretty simple carpentry, using the drill first to start screw holes. I’ll paint the box with Interlux Bilgekote in to protect from smell and liquid penetration in case there is ever a leak.

On Saturday I sanded and cleaned the bilge with denatured alcohol and then laid down a coat of Interlux Bilgekote. This will keep any residual smell contained and it makes the inside look much nicer. I’m going to paint another coat or two in case there are any future spills.

We sold our bed and made room in the storage unit. We filled the newly opened space up with boat cushions and other things off Astraea. It’s much easier to work on the boat without so much stuff in the way.

Today we got the boat ready for a storm. Natalie added extra duct tape to the plastic window coverings. We took all the stuff that was scattered about outside and made Astraea look more presentable.

I used the special zip ties to secure the plumbing in the head closet so the hose is much more presentable now.

The plan from here on is to paint another coat of Bilgekote and work on taking the varnish off the woodwork that was around the portlights. If the weather permits we’ll start preparing the outsides of the cabin for a fresh coat of paint. I want to have the sanitation system plumbed up and portlights back in before our guests arrive in April.