ANOTHER GEORGE ORWELL MOMENT ON BOARD

I had a frustrating few days on board recently. I ordered the new pressure switch for the boats washdown pump and it arrived in two days. I bought it to the boat and put it aside. When it came time to attempt the repair I could not find it. Then I had a sinking feeling that perhaps I had thrown the box with the part out with another empty box. I went through the trash bins at the boatyard and found the other box but, not the one with the pump part. I swore I threw out two boxes. Did someone see it and take it? Still not finding it on board despite looking everywhere from the cabin sole to the lockers. I finally gave up and ordered another forty dollar pressure switch kit. It arrived and I bought it on the boat determined not to lose like I did the last one. The next morning just after I woke up I noticed the box containing the original pressure switch was sitting on top of another box right under the table in the main cabin. Though I looked all over the cabin I never noticed it sitting on top of the empty inverter box. It was also no more than three inches from my knee when I was having dinner or using my laptop. As George Orwell said:

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." 

-George Orwell 

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ANOTHER "AHA" MOMENT ON BOARD: STORAGE

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." 

-George Orwell

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The other day I was hunkered down below in the cabin as the wind and a cold rain hit the deck. While nursing a cup of tea I had an "AHA!" moment as I thought about storage in the cabin, BIANKA has three storage lockers in the main cabin behind louvered doors like this one:

One is located amidships just aft of the galley area and is very accessible. It contains several items associated with the cooking and food serving and has done so since I purchased the boat fourteen years ago.  Items in the locker include a steamer (which I never used), paper plates, plastic utensils for guests (seldom on board) and spare storage containers:

The truth is I maybe open this locker once or twice a season. Meanwhile across the cabin and located in the aft end of the cabin behind the table is a locker I access weekly if not more. This locker contains my wiring and electrical tools as well as my ditty box for sail repair items :

Because it sits in the aft corner behind the table access is a bit of a pain. My "aha" moment came when I realized I should swap the contents of the two lockers. Once done I would have much easier access to the electrical and sail repair items I use weekly if not more often. It only took me fourteen years to come up with this plan. George Orwell was right!
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