Getting the Arch Back on Solid Footing

One of the boat projects this summer was to fix our arch, or rather figure out what was wrong with it. Last year an audible squeak developed near the starboard side deck mount. We tightened the bolts, but it kept returning. The arch also had more play in it as it came under load (some is normal, but this seemed to move more than it had in the past) and I kept thinking I could see the deck flex a little. Uh oh. 

Let me back up. We first put the arch on the boat in late 2011. It's a Beneteau factory arch, but for a 423 model. It mounts with two feet on the top deck and two on the transom, and uses four bolts on each foot. It was shimmed to fit the angle on our 393 model transom and made our boating life so much easier. We had to take it off/remount it in 2017 as part of a cross-country move. And it was probably fine until we started cruising full time, loading more crap into the dinghy while it was on the davits, and sailing in rougher conditions. We keep the dinghy with the engine on it on the davits for our little offshore hops, tying off the dinghy so it doesn't swing in seas. The issue started in the spring of 2020. 

By the end of this winter cruising season we knew we had to really look at it. Being at a dock this summer afforded us the opportunity to do the work ourselves (saving money and accepting a hard job!). First step was to remove the arch and see if we could identify an issue. This involved removing the solar panels so they wouldn't get damaged in the process and disconnecting a bunch of wires. With the arch off and dangling off the back of the boat, Frank was able to get in and see what was up. 

The 1st Mate helps out with lazarette boat yoga as much as she can while taking the arch off. Solar panels were stored on the foredeck throughout the project and we suspended the arch with the topping lift.

We did get some good news! Seeing a deck flex brings fears of a rotted core and a big, involved repair to get the mushy wood out, but the section of deck we are dealing with is actually solid fiberglass! Yay! And it wasn't cracked that we could see. Now we always knew where the bolts came through the deck was a little weird, with some bolts just going through the layer of deck and 3 of 8 total deck bolts going through a wood backer/other component of the deck structure. Removing the whole arch also revealed that where the bolts went through the deck the fiberglass was only 3/8" thick whereas where it was mounted on the stern the fiberglass was almost 1" thick. And we found that one of the 16 bolts that mounted the arch was bent. Sooooo....our issue was likely a combination of the thinner top deck, the heavy load in the dinghy, and maybe taking some big lateral loads in waves at some point. 

Since the deck was solid fiberglass we decided to reinforce and level the mounting surface for the deck feet. Frank started by building up fiberglass blocks that would be used to level out the deck mounting areas. This took a lot of layers of fiberglass, then cutting to shape, then more fiberglass to get them the right thickness.

Arts and Crafts time on Lehe Paine with! Building and shaping the blocks was a multi-day process, but it was worth it. 

And that was the easy part! Then he had to wedge himself into the lazarettes multiple times to place the fiberglass blocks and then coat the entire mounting area with layers of fiberglass to ensure it was one complete, solid structure. This whole process stretched over a few weeks with curing times, weather delays, and other fun. 

More boat yoga! We had some really hot days that made this task miserable; fitting the blocks.

When the deck was reinforced he went a step further and epoxied 1/4" G-10 fiberglass board as a backing plate at each of the four mounting locations for the arch. And because Frank doesn't underbuild anything he also went with beefier, longer bolts.

Trent drills through the new layers; the bolt upgrade; G-10 backer boards in place.

With the deck beefed up the guys drilled through the new layers of glass, we slapped some 3M 4200 sealant/adhesive all over the place and remounted the arch! Ok, it wasn't actually that easy...4200 got everywhere, I was terrified we would drop the shim in the water, the rubber mallet was used extensively to push bolts in, and a few of the bolts were actually too long to clear the arch legs as they were going in and had to be cut. But it is back on and better than ever! The deck mount actually looks way better and more flush than when the rigger put it on in 2017. Add in the many gelcoat cracks that Frank fixed as part of the project and it really looks fabulous! (FYI, spider cracks in gelcoat are common, especially on a boat that's as old as ours.   It's usually just a cosmetic issue.)

The "car" is back in the "garage" and the deck was SOLID!

We feel pretty confident that this should solve the issues we were having (or will rip the entire stern to pieces)...guess it's about time to head out and test it out on the ocean!

Solo trip to Greece!

Now that the jetlag has passed I can really dig through just what I did for the past few weeks! This trip was full of exploration, relaxing, reflecting, and eating. I hadn't been planning it for very long either so I kind of showed up and just figured out what felt right. Most days I would head out in the morning to do stuff, grab a late lunch and make my way back to the apartment for a shower/nap/reading, then head back out as the afternoon heat subsided.

Long trip=long account, but here it is...

Day 1: Sweet Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight and arrival in Athens--easy with QR code from COVID paperwork; took a 9€ metro train ride to Kolonaki neighborhood--super easy to buy ticket from machines or teller; checked in to my sweet AirBnB and unpacked my backpack; hiked some trails and to the top of Mount Lycabettus; explored the neighborhood on foot; had dinner at Mpirmpíli; hiked back up Mount Lycabettus again for sunset. I had slept a little on the flight and pushed to stay up late so I could be over jet lag...it pretty much worked! And right away I decided I had made a great choice on where to stay.

Day 2: Decided to play tourist! Bought a 5-day unlimited transit ticket for 8.20€ (I did this three times on this trip and it made getting around super easy and cheap); bought a 5-day ticket for access to seven cultural sites (I'll "*" those throughout so you can see which seven) online for 30€ and used e-tickets to access the sites; visited Hadrian’s Library*, the Roman Agora*, and Kerameikos*; discovered ruins in the Monastiraki metro station; tried to go to Observatory but it was closed so I walked around the hills of Muses, Pynx, and Nymphs before strolling through the Thissio neighborhood. It was super hot and I walked a lot so I had a lazy evening.

The ticket details and some shots of Hadrian's Library and the Roman Agora.

After a quick lunch I was off to Kerameikos and then on a lovely (hot!) hill walk with great views of the Acropolis.

Day 3: Visited the Acropolis* which includes the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion complex with its Porch of the Caryatids, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Monument of Agrippa, the Olive Tree of Pandroseion, and the Theater of Dionysus--so much to see that I spent hours slowly exploring the slopes; visited Hadrian’s Arch; stopped to check out lively Syntagma Square before grabbing a cheese pie from the local bakery; back to Kolonaki for an amazing dinner at Oikeio; went to the Benaki Museum which is free after 1800 on Thursdays (and it was Thursday!)!

This was amazing! Loved seeing the restoration work underway, too.

Hadrian's Arch, my first "real" Greek salad of the trip, and a free night at the museum! 

Day 4: Spent a long time exploring the Athenian Agora* which is hailed as the birthplace of democracy; found the Greek Orthodox church that is right in the middle of the road; tried the original loukoumades from Krinos bakery and freddo cappuccino; walked through the colorful Athens Central Market; hit my neighborhood grocery store; visited the Acropolis Museum (it's open late on Friday nights and the sunset from the top floor was AMAZING!).

Really enjoyed exploring the Athenian Agora and sampling treats in the Monastiraki neighborhood.

A trip highlight! This museum is really well done and sits atop a large excavation site. Sunset from the top floor, which features the friezes from the Parthenon, was stunning!

Day 5: Found the Roman baths by Syntagma metro; visited the Temple of Olympian Zeus*; went to the Panathenaic Stadium for a tour/workout (super fun!); visited the archaeological site of Aristotle's Lyceum*; hit the Athens Central Market to shop for fresh food and cooked a massive feast back at the apartment. 

Roman Baths, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the Panathenaic Stadium. The stadium, made entirely of marble, hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896. It was so much fun running the stairs and the track!

I love, love, LOVE markets! The Central Market is full of wonderful colors, smells, and sounds...and some amazing, cheap olives! It was fun to shop and cook a few times.

Day 6: Took a Sunday morning stroll through the National Garden; had breakfast in the touristy Plaka; strolled through the Anafiotika, a neighborhood with a Greek islands feel on the slopes of the Acropolis; went for a jog that criss-crossed the hills of Mount Lycabettus and Kolonaki. 

Loved the gardens! The Plaka felt a little touristy and the Anafiotika was cute but I felt like there were a ton of tourists crowding a peaceful neighborhood so I slid away. It's nice to have options!

Day 7: Beach day! I took the tram to the "Athenian Riviera" and had planned to go to the end of the tram line, but when all the yayas (older women) hopped off in Glyfada, I followed! I ended up on a public (free) beach with warm, clear water and nice rinse-off showers and changing stalls. I read, I swam, I napped...great day! 

Day 8: Time to leave Athens! Took a fast ferry for 23€ roundtrip from Pireaus to Aegina Island; took a bus to the Temple of Aphaia; walked down a mountain and through pistachio and olive groves to the village of Vagia where I stayed the night; swam at two different amazing beaches; had dinner at a local taverna. 

Love the fishing/boating vibe, but also the agriculture vibe on Aegina. It made for a great mix of history, dining, and relaxing.

Day 9: Sunrise swim in Vagia followed by a huge breakfast at my inn; bus back to the Port of Aegina; visited the Temple of Apollo; walked all over the seaside town; sampled and bought tons of pistachios and pistachio treats; had a fantastic meal of local octopus by the sea before catching the ferry back to Athens. Loved my time on Aegina Island!

Swimming at sunrise was one of my top experiences of this trip. But then there was more food and history to get to! Aegina is a proud grower of pistachios and a cooperative of growers sells them and treats made from them near the port--the pistachio baklava is AMAZING.

Day 10: My Birthday! Took an early morning hike up Mount Lycabettus and had a great workout; had brunch at Ante Post (complete with Prosecco); cooking class with Chef Stam at "The Artist"...ate dinner as the sun set with a beautiful view of the Acropolis...one of the couples in the class got me a glass of bubbly to celebrate...perfect birthday! 

A "me" day--great workout outside and cooking!!!

We made spanakopita, moussaka, tzatziki, Aegean salad, and galatopita (a milk pie dessert)--all Chef Stam's recipes and all absolutely delicious! The group, the food, the view...all amazing.

Day 11: Just walked more of my neighborhood that I hadn't gotten to yet and hit the Friday street market; tram to the coast for a sunset cruise (complete with swimming and dinner) on a catamaran down the Athenian coast (had to get out on a sailboat at least once!). 

Day 12: Up super early to watch the sunrise from Mount Lycabettus; walked from there to Hills of Muses, Pynx, and Nymphs and Philopappos Monument and all around them before walking back to my place in Kolonaki (that's a lot of walking!); visited the National Observatory for a tour (it was too cloudy to observe through the telescope, but still fun!); checked out the craziness of Monastiraki Square and Syntagma Square on a Saturday night (breakdancing, skateboarding, and tons of people!); walked through the book fair by the National Garden. 

From sunrise to way after sunset--it was a long day!

Day 13: Visited the Stavros Niarchos Foundations Cultural Center, home of the Greek National Library and Opera (moving news photo display, dancing fountains, manicured parks); walked around some of the old Olympic venues; bus broke down on the way back so I opted for a really long walk; found another awesome pita shop in Kolonaki!

Day 14: Time for my return COVID test (it was negative!); visited the National Archaeology Museum--loved the sculptures; walked through Exarcheia and Monastiraki neighborhoods; dinner back at Mpirmpíli (so good it deserved a revisit) 

The clay pots were interesting, but the sculptures were more my thing...such amazing detail and beautiful forms.

I love the edgy, eclectic vibe in the Exarchaia and Monastiraki neighborhoods.

Day 15: Wanted a beach day, but it was cool and windy so I went to Lake Vouliagmeni (a thermal lake) instead for a day of swimming, doctor fish spa, and relaxing in the sun; octopus dinner at Bourbonaki Kolonaki; went to a play, "The Frogs" by Aristophanes at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus...such an amazing experience in an ancient venue (and I met another solo traveling gal from Cali who lives in Spain at the show!). 

A spa in a natural thermal pool...not a bad day at all!

I don't think I can adequately describe how awesome it was to be in this venue!

Day 16: Finally hit highly-rated Kora Bakery for a breakfast bun; tried to walk through the National Garden and hills, but they were closed due to fire risk; hiked around and up Mount Lycabettus for what I thought would be the last time (oddly sentimental about this place...I've loved having it so close to my place); final night dinner at Oikeio (because it was also so good that I just had to go again) followed by a walk downtown and around the Acropolis with a stop for ice cream...a fitting farewell! 

Just enjoying my neighborhood...I really have loved hikes up Mount Lycabettus.

A perfect farewell date-night!

Day 17: Not so fast! Got up early enough for one more sunrise jaunt up Mount Lycabettus; packed; took the metro to the airport; hit the duty free shop for a few souvenirs (Ouzo and olives!); departed.

I just had to do it one more time! :)

Wrapping it up...can't wait to return!

This trip was truly amazing. I got to explore a completely new-to-me place, its ancient cultural roots, its modern ways, and its delicious food. I reconnected with myself, learning more about what things make me happy in this chapter of my life. And I reconnected with my family and friends in a way that helped me better understand those relationships and how to nurture the positive ones (I know that can sound weird since I was thousands of miles away, but relationships have never been solely about geography for me).

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Am I happy to be back in my little floating home with my people? ABSOLUTELY!

Great to be back with my guys!

~Jo, 1st Mate (and occasional solo wanderer)

Impressions of Athens and some tips for Greece

While I’ve been in Greece for two and a half weeks, I’ve spent the majority of my time in and around Athens. I know there is so much more to discover here, but I’m saving that for a non-solo trip! So while I can’t speak to all of Greece, here are some bits from my time in Athens.

The room.

I like staying in AirBnB’s over hotels for most trips, especially a long one like this. Normally I would figure out a good neighborhood to stay in, then look for a place, but I locked in on this one early in my initial search around Athens due to its nice price and great reviews. After a little research into the neighborhood I decided to go for it and I definitely made a good choice! My apartment is in the Kolonaki neighborhood which is known for its posh shops and great dining. It’s also where many foreign embassies (including the U.S. one) and universities are. And what really sold me—I am surrounded by green! There is a small park right outside my gate, but I am also steps away from trails that wind up Mount Lycabettus. Add in the easy access to transit and this place fits me like Cinderella’s slipper. It’s a nice 1-bedroom with a garden patio, kitchen, fantastic shower, super cozy bed, and a washer. I am minutes away from coffee, bakeries, souvlaki, the grocer, fine dining…everything. And I feel safe here which is kind of important when traveling solo. 

That blue flag is my Athens home in Kolonaki! 

Sunset from Mount Lycabettus on my first night in Greece...I picked a GREAT place to stay!

Getting around.

I made my way around Athens mostly via metro, bus also via bus, tram, and ferry. All were foreigner-friendly, pretty clean, and reliable (except for one bus breakdown!). A lot of this infrastructure came about when they hosted the Olympics and seems to have been maintained well. In my time here, I’ve spent just under 45€ on getting around town the entire time, and that includes my 18€ to get to/from the airport on the metro (there is also an express airport bus that saves a few €, but I like the metro!). The pass I used afforded me unlimited rides across the transit system, so I didn’t really think about it much. I also spent 23€ on a fast ferry ticket to Aegina Island and 3.60€ on island busses while on the island. There are tons of taxis, but I didn’t use them as there just wasn't a need. Scooters and motorcycles rule the roads here—I was tempted to ask someone to zip me around town on the back of one, but figured that would be frowned upon by the hubs. Oh, and this isn’t the place to be glancing at your phone while trying to cross the road, even if it is “green” for pedestrians—cars want to turn and will, right along your thigh if they can! Also, when Google Maps says a walking route is "mostly flat" it's a lie--there are hills everywhere unless you're just walking straight down Kallirrois Street. I should have buns of steel after this trip (sadly, I left with buns of feta and spanakopita instead).

Ferries, trams, metro trains, busses, and my own two feet--it's easy to get around Athens!

So what are some things I learned about?

• Language--It's literally all Greek! A solid background in mathematics helped me with reading a bit, but the fact that the majority of the people around Athens, especially those with businesses, speak English to some degree really made my lack of fluency in Greek a non-issue.
• Toilets--Do not flush paper! The pipes are really old and narrow and just can't handle it. There is always a little bin right by the toilet for any paper to go in. Don't be grossed out—it's completely normal. We saw this in Central and South America as well, and it's even a practice here on Lehe Paine in the composting head for the ladies. 
• Are Greeks loud? You know, like in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding?" Maybe! But what that movie really got right was the food culture. Dining is a big, social, sharing event. This actually challenged me a little as a solo traveler as some places didn't have a lot of small plates so I had to order conservatively rather than getting the three or four things I really wanted. But it was so common for dinners to last hours (and start at 2100!) with people just sharing a bunch of dishes. I loved seeing that and can't wait to travel with my peeps so we can eat all the food together! And lots of places bring a shot of liquor and some sweets at the end of the meal and you won’t see it on your bill. 

There may have to be a post dedicated to this amazing food!

• While I'm on food...coffee. Greeks love their coffee! In my neighborhood there was one block with four cafes in a row, all packed and all serving up yummy pastries and coffee to clientele that would take away to work or linger in seats on the sidewalk for an hour or so. Freddo cappuccino was my favorite choice when out, but I also had a sweet Nespresso machine in my apartment so that I could make a morning cup and head right back to bed for some reading. 
  
• Grabbing a cheese pie or spinach pie (spanakopita) is easy on about every block. And so good. And for 0.50€ you can grab a koulouri, a bread ring loaded with sesame, from a street vendor, bakery, or cafe. 
• And for the love of all things holy, PLEASE stop mispronouncing gyro! It's like "YEE-roh" folks. Roll those r's and order a delicious pork gyro pita! 
• "Wolt" is like Uber Eats in Athens. I didn't use it because I didn't have a need to, but saw these guys everywhere on scooters and bikes. 



So much good coffee and take away!



• Corner convenience stands—You can get the newspaper, crisps, candy, ice cream, a razor, deodorant, beer, soda, pretty much anything at these little convenience kiosks that are all over the city. 
  
• Subway ruins—It’s said that you can’t put a shovel in the ground without hitting something of archaeological importance here. In the case of the subway system, they seem to have celebrated that and many have excavation features and displays showing what part of the ancient city you are in.



Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Evangelismos Metro stations were just a few of a the highlights.



• Smoking--Lots of people smoke, like a lot more than in the U.S. Ashtrays are on the tables and since I sat outside all the time it wasn't a big deal for me, but if that's going to get your panties in a bunch it's probably not a place for you to visit.
• Body image--I had forgotten how confident and amazing European women are! Women of all ages were baring their bellies during the heat wave and when I went to the beach I was wearing the most fabric out of the female beachgoers in the 40-60 age bracket...pretty impressive considering I had my daughter's bikini on. I am going to try to embrace my curves and lumps from here on out!
• Tattoos--I saw so many great tattoos! Mostly on the under 40 crowd and most all of them were really nice blackwork. It was a little hard to resist getting my own little souvenir!
• Trash—Rather than placing your residential bin out on the corner in Athens, there are pairs of dumpsters (one for trash, one for recycling) on just about every block. Folks just take their stuff down to them, step on the handy foot pedal to pop the top, and toss their trash in. Combine that with trash cans along the street and I thought it was all pretty clean. 



I just loved this concept for some reason!



• COVID--Can't travel globally without mentioning this. I thought COVID measures were handled well in the areas I visited. Masks were required on all public transportation and at some cultural events, and security did enforce it. Masks were also required inside businesses. That got a little tricky as so many are mostly open to the outdoors. Outdoor dining is the norm this time of year, and I don't think they really spaced the tables out any differently than normal. I didn't personally eat in any of the super packed tourist cafes and when I went out I picked a table or seat away from the main pedestrian path so I always felt comfortable. A lot of the locals wore masks out on the sidewalks and in the packed outdoor market, and I did as well. COVID testing to return to the U.S. was pretty easy to find and complete, and Greece has a country-wide max cost set on tests--60€ for PCR, 20€ for rapid antigen. 

So now that you know all of that, what does a solo gal do with 2+ weeks in Athens? I’ll get to that… 😉

~Jo, 1st Mate and solo wanderer