Apr 27, 2026by: Curtis Hoff No Comments

BIG PRECISION – Janice Anne Wheeler, Sparring With Mother Nature

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Mother Nature reflects on the final finishings protecting STEADFAST’s rebuild. Stay aboard! Sometimes even I want to jump ship, don’t do it! We’re close to launching!

If you just found our very engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, .….it introduces my wonders and my wanders. ~J

BIG PRECISION

Relentless attention to detail and staying inside the lines

Janice Anne Wheeler

Apr 26

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I spent half an hour or so carefully wiping the dust off STEADFAST’s substantial port hull, having sanded all those square feet yesterday, taped seams and edges….does this sound familiar? If you absorbed last week’s edition, it could ring a bell, and since I went through that process twice more in the last few days, I thought, what the hell, you fine, patient, supportive people already have an unplanned blow-by-blow of wooden boat repair and since redundancy is a ridiculously large part of my STEADFAST-controlled world, why not share?!

Her substantial port side and the sandpaper to smooth it. Seriously.

I think my boat-dwelling on-land interlude can be/has been slow-moving and I’m trying as hard as my big heart will allow to keep all of this interesting, poignant, and personal, reaffirming that no matter what happens, life is a journey with unanticipated, challenging and marvelous ports of call with lots of adjectives.

On the West Slope of Colorado I owned a custom catering business supplied by an organic garden (LONG before it was trendy), and most people didn’t realize I was the sole guru; marketer, planner, procurement, farmer, chef, baker, employer, QA manager, cleanup crew and accountant. Because I understood the importance and interdependence of every aspect, after fifteen years, I was very good at what I did. When I baked my brilliant cheesecake, not a single ingredient was overlooked, substituted or rushed. Not one…and they all have to be added in a particular order, then manipulated perfectly, transformed into the finished product, and relished. My cheesecake was delish, and constantly reordered. Sometimes I baked three dozen of those cheesecakes at a time; big precision. We all do it in some aspect of our lives.

My current world couldn’t possibly be more different. My work here is done on a big scale, nearly all of it, but, like so many other professions, hobbies, crafts and trades, it takes relentless attention to particulars (as well as patience) in order to complete everything to the required standards.

Even with an inch of leeway, I didn’t stay inside the lines, which probably describes a large portion of my life. But that’s only with rough drafts; on the final product, we take the time for perfect, detailing every inch.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE INSIGHTS INTO BIG PRECISION—

Sighting with a laser level ensures that the waterline is true and straight.

The laser is utilized because not everything your eye tells you is actually true… the transom waterline is the blue line, which is actually level.

STEADFAST’s protective, original bronze Rub Rail was painted when we took stewardship, reclaimed with razor blades & grit. I pamper her bad-ass bronze.

Major milestone: the teak deck atop the replaced forward section is completed! Precise craftsmanship.

Attention to every angle– nothing on a boat is straight or square, gives her the strength to withstand Mother Nature’s occasional onslaught.

Over the course of the project, I’ve installed over 3500 plugs (bungs) to protect the fastenings. Each is created on a drill press, adhered with G-flex epoxy, secured, cured, cut off and sanded smooth. Aligning the grain is a standard.

Ultimately, all of these big details deter water ingress— after all, water is both our favorite medium and our most dire enemy. Since I have my Captain’s License and we can charter, more than our lives depend on the quality of what we are doing here. Until next week ~J

P.S. Maybe I should serve cheesecake…!

I’m so glad you’ve not jumped ship! If you want to learn a bit more about me and what I’ve produced, please visit my website. JaniceAnneWheeler.com; I’d be flattered.

*** Big news —my latest work is on the presses—you’re wondering, aren’t you, what interesting character I chose to draw out of the shadows? Stay aboard! ***

@YachtingSteadfast on Facebook & YouTube—here’s the latest.

Thanks so much for SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE! What crazy weather; she’s as riled up as the rest of the planet! Care to share a peaceful read with friends?