Jim took a pattern off the bimini frame and then we were then able to reinstall the frame plus the new solar panel racks last week. Jim added 4 new diagonal braces to stiffen it up and it came out great. In the process Jim raised the height of the bimini a couple of inches so that now I’ll be able to stand up straight when I’m at the helm. Sometimes it the simple pleasures that are the most profound.
Thanks to Jim the racks came out better than I had hoped. We’ll wait until the boat is back in the water to install the new canvas and solar panels in order to protect them from any accidents that might happen at launching. Susan and I worked on the engine this past weekend and finally got our new alternator/water pump drive belt system straightened out. It took several trips to the marine store and then several more to various auto parts stores to find a matched pair if the right sized heavy-duty belts to complete the job. We also replaced our plastic sink faucet with a nice stainless steel one.
For me, completing the solar panels racks and sorting out the belt system on the diesel seem like an important milestone. It’s hard to say exactly but I feel that we’ve achieved the half waypoint in our preparations for cruising. 
Still, it’s cold here in New England, summer still seems miles away. 242 days...
