Mar 1, 2026by: Curtis Hoff No Comments

PROGRESS – Janice Anne Wheeler, Sparring With Mother Nature

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I know! I know I promised Galapágos tails and tales, BUT, true to my try-to-capture nature, I took WAY too many photos and videos to filter, choose and share this week, having just returned on a 33-hour, four-flight mini-marathon —worth every second—late Thursday afternoon. All characters were captivating and so are the impressions they left on me; looking forward to the share. It’s worth the wait ‘til next time. Promise. ~J

If you’ve just joined our engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, my introductory piece.….it introduces my wonders an my wanders.

PROGRESS

Plumbing, propulsion & putting STEADFAST back together

Janice Anne Wheeler

Mar 1

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I did a little whoop-dance heart-skip after taking a good, hard look at all the projects that have come to conclusion at the beginning of 2026. I wanted to create this short photographic journey through the last few weeks because, well, —after months and months—she looks like a liveable, trustworthy, seagoing vessel! Did I say that loud enough? I hope so.

Sometimes it’s hardest to realize what’s closest to you, right? We all do that, so I stepped away and upon my return I realized that even more hard, complex work had been tackled and tamed, bringing STEADFAST to the final stretch of our long, windy tunnel, discussed so many times on these weekly pages. There is a light, and I can see it. We’re not done, but the end is (REALLY) (pretty) near.

Please feast your eyes on these examples; they are the most striking to me.

Entire bottom protected with fiberglass, engine propulsion refit & ready, 14′ drive shaft, 32″ Luke prop before & after reconditioning.

Her 1934, 300-pound rudder remains solid, but required new upper straps. We continue to find original signatures from the builders; here, on the rudder shoe. Wheeler Shipyard custom Silicon Bronze.

STEADFAST’s bow was see-through– now even her decorative mahogany fascia board is completed.

Galley salt water washdown, an essential in life aboard.

All thru-hulls redrilled, replaced, refit and/or eliminated, new hoses and refreshed plumbing; where that toilet sits there was access to new frames, all new planking, and the outside world. So many layers, so much complexity required to be self-sufficient. AND it’s a tad stressful to saw holes in the bottom after all that work!