Archive for March, 2009

Electricity on The Boat Studio

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

Lotus — the freshiest boat studio this side of the marina — is now hhhhhheeee-lectritfied. Zzzst! A short circuit blew the last of my three janky working switch panel fuses. So little fuses, so little time.

Solar will power her recording studio daily.. Add a wind generator and all of her (yes, refrigerator included) will work on free (cheaper than zero) hhhhhhhhhhhhheee-nergy.

Colin built a re-arrangeable, stowable, stand-up-able shelving system in the middle of the room which is now being occupied by my recording studio.

Tomorrow I must build a box to protect the switchboard, circuit isolator, busbars, circuit breaker, voltmeter and ammeter. That’s all the stuff we shall need to get her lights to turn on. (The old system was tits down, my friends.)

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Boat Head Mosaic

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Today, the sound of hammers busting tile will lull over the marina’s still and a tad stagnant waters. That unstoppable force “Lotus!” busts out (in exactly reverse order) a notched laptop post, a mortared tile mosaic, a ninja-bolt head and freshly-ran intake plumbing.

Boat Head Mosaic
Boat head mosaic!

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Installing a Propane BBQ on the Boat Studio

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Like a kid on the skip, I smile at the hardware storeman, showing him a picture of my BBQ’s (actually broken) propane connector. Buying all the things I think I need — including a large, semi-transparent, fiberglass, propane tank, hose and regulator — I skip away lighter of pocket and heavier of load.

Back at the boat! Cognition sets in. I need one more part (the afore-mentioned broken connector)..

Back at the store! I almost buy a huge $60 mechanical and electrical guidebook and a hatch clasp fastener..

Back at the boat! I put it all together and grin gettin’ ‘er lit! Here marks my hiatus from Coleman grills.

Installing a Propane BBQ on the Boat Studio
My days of Coleman grill stoving it are over

Inside Lotus, the Boat Studio (#1)
Work in progress (the boat studio Flux)

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Buying a Bigger Boat at Auction

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

My purpose being to acquire the ability to simply stand like a pole in my musical studio, I search the Craigslist for bigger boats. My existing 1969 26-foot sloop — may she sail onward in the family, else she die a melodramatic death at my friend’s boatyard, chopped for the lead (need the cash.. don’t we?) — isn’t massaging my salami. Catch my drift?

When all of the sudden.. my boatyard friend calls, recording such a message:

‘Nat! Lien sale tomorrow, 10:30 am, here’s the number for the marina.’

Now I’m bidding half the minimum amount — lucky, the only bidder is yours truly, henceforth, ‘your luck’ — on a 1970 Luhrs 32-foot powerboat. This thing has space!

I like that I can stand up tall!!

I like singing with a mic stand, hanging my guitars on the walls, imagining a drummer here, a bassist right here, a guitarist here..

Imagining a loft, killer batteries, new wiring, engines, systems, solar panels, new head, wind generator, paint, sanded wood, stain, carpet, propane BBQ, I rock to sleep like a kid on these waves.

1970 Luhrs Powerboat
1970 Luhrs Powerboat or Floating Studio?

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