Projects a plenty!!

We've been on our boat a little over three weeks now and we have been super busy tackling the project list! As you saw from the video I posted earlier this week, we have already started stripping the teak trim around the cockpit. Still have a lot more teak trim to refinish, but you gotta start somewhere and this is where we're starting. 

Slow & steady process

All sanded and ready for the next step...

Pretty & clean

Here hubs is applying the first coat of Awlwood primer/finish...

I've spent a lot of time getting to know our teak. And so far, I can say, I enjoy it!! Of course, this is my first time redoing it...I'm sure that will all change after the 6th or 7th time I have to do it. Who knows?!? Maybe not! 

Another improvement that we have had done is, we had four hatch covers made, as well as the companionway cover below. 

Canvas being installed

Next up on the continuing canvas projects will be, getting a new Bimini & dodger, and eventually interior cushions!!

We also wet sanded the old name off of the transom, in preparation of adding the new name to her! I wasn't able to get any photos of this job being done, because well, I had one hand on the boat for balance and the other hand holding wet sandpaper and sanding the boat, all while standing in a floating dinghy!!! I tried to convince Joe to take photos/video, but instead he jumped in the dinghy with me (almost making me fall into the water) and started helping me sand....good thing too, because painted on names are a pain to remove & I needed all the extra elbow grease I could get! 

Before w/old name

As you can see, it's still faintly visible! So, we'll have to do some work on that before the new name goes on. 

Old name {mostly} removed

One of these days, we will get ourselves a GoPro so we can fully document our projects. But for now, I hope you enjoy reading, because all these projects are using up every cent we have and there's no money left for fun things, like a fancy camera. ;)

Our boat is no longer nameless!

Bah badah dam........{clearly, I don't know how to type out a drum roll} but you get the picture! 

And speaking of pictures, here's a picture of our now *named* boat!!!! 

Okay, so we always knew what her name would be, it was just waiting eight frustrating weeks dealing with an unprofessional jerk to finally get the work done. But enough about that idiot {for now} there will be a thorough review somewhere on the Internet to warn others of my experience. [Yes, it was that bad!] Anways,  I think the quality of the graphics turned out really well!!! And if we could've dealt solely with the girl that actually installed it, we would've had a lot better experience....moving on, before my heart rate increases anymore! :/

This photo really shows how badly we need to wash the boat....try not to look too hard at that! :)

Yes, we stayed with the same name as our old boat {I hear the new owner is changing the name anyways (yay!)}. So, we'll be the only Irie again, at least at our marina. I'm sure there's another boat named Irie, somewhere out there. 

We went through numerous name ideas, but kept coming back to 'No Worries' {which is what Irie means}. We thought about actually naming her No Worries and then we thought about putting it in Afrikans because I grew up in South Africa. But the constant pronunciation assistance would be a pain... or we could go with Hakuna Matata, but everyone would've thought we had a weird fascination to The Lion King. So, that brought us back to No Worries or Irie.  Then my brother said, "you need a name that means something special to y'all." 

Our life afloat began in Kemah, TX on a boat named Irie and we have done our best to incorporate and live a 'no worries' lifestyle ever since. It wasn't hard to then decide that we would name this boat Irie as well and have our port of call be Kemah, Texas. 

Here's a closeup of the palm trees decal,  

I really like how well they turned out!! I wasn't so sure {at first} about the vines hanging down and wrapping around the trees, but it looks great on the boat!! 

So, there she is....what do you think?