Visual Progress

With any complex, multi-phase project the preparation of "infrastructure" and background tasks take the majority of the time.  It seems like forever before you can even think about the finish.  Until the prep work is finished, the boat is just awash in tools and equipment.  To start a task, the first need is to move all the "stuff" out of the way. 
As tasks are done, the "Stuff" that went into the task get installed and suddenly there's room!  I've moved beyond the jobs that brought me to the boatyard.  The thru-hulls are all in and plumbed, the bottom and cutless bearing are being done by pro's and I can't start to repaint the transom until all the bottom sanding is over.
So I've found a short window of time to let me do some of the "fun stuff".  Micky helped me pull in the wires, and yesterday I got to turn on the chartplotter, radar, AIS and XM systems.  Everything worked. 
Today we worked on the battery monitor and started the inverter installation.  The other project today was to finish the engine water feed.  The original system was necked way down to a 1/2 inch thru-hull and a really old Perko strainer.  The new rig is a real Groco bronze seacock in 3/4-inch feeding a Groco strainer.  I moved the strainer to the port side of the engine for access.  Before starting that work, the infrastructure demon had to be fed.  I've been working hard at de-rusting and painting the engine.  Today was the end of that job.  It is very satisfying to have the visual progress of a clean and shiny engine!