CLOSURE

I'm usually more the perfectionist than the quit-while-you're-ahead type, but after my recent catastrophies, I decided to call a truce with the varnish gods and move on.

This morning I grabbed the shiny drop boards and oh-so carefully stepped across from the dock to the boat without incident. They slid nicely into place and I went below to get the gorgeous bronze latch Chip polished. Four screws and I'd be done.

The first one was tight but I put it in most of the way, backing it out and back in a few times. Same with the second and third. The last one was really tight. Just as I was about three turns from the end, I heard a pop and the screwdriver spun.

The screw head broke off.

BWAHAHAHA

The varnish gods sleep. The bronze gods have risen and had their coffee.

I took the three good screws back out and removed the latch. There was a tiny little nub of broken screw sticking out, just enough to grab with the pliers and crank back out -- without any damage to the varnish.

By the way, nobody on the beach sells bronze screws.

No latch, but shiny boards. That photo shows up the charm, eh? Plenty of charm.

Charm's a bitch, and I hate her.

UPDATE:
--Our first actual boat looker came last night -- from Tennessee. Somebody looking for a live-aboard to sail on the river.
--The house appraiser is coming Monday.
--We're going to Coinjock to have dinner with a friend, a captain, who's bringing a yacht through. It's power, but it's a boat.
--Sanded out the soft spots Chip repaired. Ready to paint.
--Waxed my car. Hey, we have to sell those cars soon too.