We fortunate few living here in the panhandle of Florida are enjoying dry weather in the low 70s for about a week - very warm for us. Perfect for exterior boat work, but you gotta be ready to take advantage of this kind of weather. You can't be too tangled up with other commitments or unprepared in such ways as having not sanding, painting, and varnishing materials handy. Anyway, I lucked out in all categories this week. I even managed to replace a laminated glass sliding window in the main cabin that was cracked about 18 years ago by a large butted fisherman. Getting some painting done too. I suppose my insurance rates reflect year-round use of the boat, but better that than having wood shrinkage in winter storage that shrinks the planks enough to allow coins to fall through the joints! Or worse, fighting off ice flows in ANY kind of boat. Tomorrow I may just sun bathe in the glare of my new white LPU! Wishing you all a profitable new year. Rich Gano CALYPSO (GB-42-295) Southport, FL (Panama City area) where it will get back to the usual REALLY ugly winter weax soon