Cleaning & Provisioning Mystic

Boy, do we have our work cut out for us here in St. Augustine. Mystic has been on the hard for 18 months. She needs a good cleaning, inside and out. All systems must be tested and evaluated, and we need to provision for at least the first five weeks of cruising. Imagine planning food for five weeks, knowing you may not have the opportunity to drop into a grocery store for forgotten items! We hope to explore remote islands rather than stay in the tourist stops, so we'll need a variety and quantity of food aboard. We cannot take fresh fruits and vegetables with us. I'll have to be creative!

We started our cleaning with a power wash to the deck and hull. Our starboard side had a pile of little round things that looked suspiciously like bird droppings. They were bathed in a red claylike dirt. After closer inspection we realize that we were looking at seeds; possibly pooped seeds but seeds all the same. We have no idea where the red clay came from. I imagine a Wizard of Oz type wind carrying them from afar and dumping them on Mystic's gunnel for us to find and muse over.

Beth armed with power wash wand

I've always been fond of the teak on Mystic. We've put a lot of time and attention into keeping it beautifully varnished. The long stay in the South has been hard on Mystic. We found the teak blackened and peeling in places. The power wash blasted away the mildew and revealed the beautiful golden glow underneath but the wood will need a new finish to protect it. I won't have time to varnish before we leave so I rubbed it with linseed oil instead. I promise myself I'd take care of her with multiple coats of varnish when we complete our journey. Mystic left Minnesota dressed for the Oscars. Now she looks like a Jimmy Buffet groupie.

Swim ladder after sanding varnish off
and rubbing oil on.

No peeling varnish when using linseed oil

I learned an important lesson while using Linseed Oil. When I was finished using the microfiber towels to rub the oil into the teak, I folded them into a small pile to reuse later and stored them below on the boat. After a short while we began smelling a strong odor. Soon our eyes were watering. We couldn't figure out what was going on. Finally, Dave asked where I put my dirty Linseed oil towels. I grabbed the pile and immediately knew something was wrong. They were very HOT. Dave took them from me and ran on deck. He unfolded the pile and the whole thing ignited and burst into flames. He tossed them overboard into a rain puddle. Luckily the fire went out. I had no idea that Linseed Oil is flammable. I was lucky...the thought of a fire onboard is terrifying. I won't forget this mistake. I will be sure to air out ALL stain, oil and varnish rags for a couple days until they are dry, before disposing of them properly. Yes, I feel like an idiot!!!

Burned Linseed Oil Towels

It took several days to clean the interior of our boat. I washed the wood with a vinegar solution then with Murphy's Oil soap. Once this was dry, I rubbed teak oil into the finish which brought out the beautiful amber color. It reminds me of a good red ale. Mystic smells much better with each layer of cleaning.

Mystic is beginning to feel like home again. Our next task is to move on to a full systems check. Each step brings us closer to launch day and cruising again!