The Year of the Ratz

Arrived safely at st martin where I stored the boat for the hurricane season only to find the boat a complete mess.
I was having a new motor installed in the port side but somehow Rats got into the boat while the work was being done. And they created a mess. the Rats have chewed everything in sight and set up home in my little boat. they have chewed up any paper and plastic and shit everywhere. there is no area left untouched. So i set to work and started to get rid of my unwanted crewmates. The first night I caught 3 but there is no such thing as 3 rats. There are more. and you catch the dumb and easy ones first.
so i have been swarmed by flies, eaten alive by mosquitoes, stung by wasps, and I am sleeping with rats instead of chicks.
Thank god this is paradise or i would be starting to worry. living on land in a boat is not fun. but i am getting immune to the mosquitoes now, and some of those WASP chicks are quite cute anyway.
had problems with the electrical system and just getting it functioning. no refrigeration for a while so no fresh food. just tuna surprise, sardine surprise, any surprise.
but now that the fridge is working, and with my sucess at ratting, i can have fresh food. tonight its ratachoi. always eat what you catch. after all i read james clavell and
have some good recipies. and if its good enough for alice cooper, who am i to turn it down. maybe my singing will improve.
everything else is going good. picking off the problems one at a time and making progress.
another week until launching and all should be good. the dingy is in the water and running so i have transportation.



Theres more than one way to skin a dead rat

Ah the pitter patter of little feet running across the deck at night. enough to wake you bolt upright from that wonderfull dream you were having. then you grab for the flashlight to try and find them.
and there they are, peering down at you with their beady little eyes from the hatch right above you.
were they planning to drop in? such are those lovely little skinny tailed caribbean squirrels.
now how do you get them off your boat. these ones were too smart for traps. peanut butter and good french cheese just wouldnt entice them to stick their scrawny little necks out for the guillitene.
sticky boards worked on the dumb ones. and you catch them alive so you can put them on other boats and watch the fun.
poison pellets works on some but then you have to track down the dead bodies tucked away in the smallest holes and you only find them by the smell. lots of fun those decomposing rats.
but what worked well for me was to seal up the boat tight and only leave one hatch open for them to escape. then put on a good ann murray or celine dion cd and in about 15 minutes they cant stand it any more.
I had ear plugs so i was alright. then when they pop their little heads up out of the hatch you slap shot them with your hockey stick.
they launch great. Dave bring down your sand wedge and we can golf them at other boats. maybe you will get a hatch in one.
or else you can skeet shoot them in the air if you get a good loft.
the ratting proceeds.
all is well in squirrel paradise. weather is good and boat work proceeding well if at a slow pace. have the little
blighters cornered in one area now. nothing fights like a cornered rat.
hope to launch mid next week.



fair weather ratz

have launched the boat. it is now in the water. everything is great. life is wonderful. all is at peace with the world. except for the Ratz that are jumping ship.
Ratz desert a sinking ship dont they. are they telling me something. better check.
the last of the Ratz have left and the boat is now Ratz free. im going to miss those cuddly little creatures. they did keep me busy.
enclosed is a picture of the last two trophy Ratz just as they were leaving as they are off to a bigger boat. thats Isabella and Dianarah Ratzova, the two younger of the Ratzova sisters. you should have been down here Rob.
they like guys like you. but i prefer the older ones as you know. old like maryann and ginger but with a smoother complexion than your maryann and ginger. we will probably meet up with the Ratzovas again.




the king rat is all thats left.

all the nasty little intruders have left and the real alfa rat triumphed over all the scurrying little pretenders. and i can create a bigger mess than any of those little ones.
spent the weekend in Grand Cass on the french side. BBQ ribs and veggies $8.00 and worth it.beer $1 and good and cold. got lots of work done. very windy though. had gusts up to 40 knots and from the north. wide open. my anchor is 35 lbs and 10:1 chain rode wouldnt hold. the anchor plowed a furrow about 100 ft long overnight.
had my shakedown sail today in 30 knots of wind. thank goodness it was down wind and a reach. hit 9 knots on the surfs with just a double reefed main. 7 - 8 knots steady on the reach with a double reefed main and a big reef in the headsail. the new autopilot works well so i am happy. almost all is well. still some electrical problems to sort out.
my first guest arrives on thursday and all should be ready. looking forward to the company and finishing the majority of my boat work. the swimming is great and the water warm as always. now at simpson bay.
the folding props help with the boat speed. sails faster in light and heavy winds. we will be more competative for the heinekin regatta. or else we can carry more beer on board. havent got rid of any weight yet but am getting ready for it .
can still get rid of 2000 lbs for race mode.