...and the masterpiece that is Serenity continues...

Yup, still at it folks.  Even though the world is in shock at the devastation in Japan, life as we know it here continues as usual (thank goodness).  Now that I'm an official boater, my heart sank as I watched beautiful boats tossed about like toys, very expensive toys representing the loss of millions of dollars.  My sympathy goes out to all.

On a lighter note, work on Serenity continues.  The electronics installation is still underway.  I have some photos showing the lengths to which the technicians are going to ensure a beautiful installation.  When they're done, no one (not even us) will know where the myriad of wires have been hidden.

The next photo is my favorite....it shows the wiring for the flybridge sound system!  That translates into music for dancing my friends!

In my previous post, I mentioned how handy the radar arch was for antennae and domes.  This is one of the smaller data domes for WiFi and other neat devices.

After the last post, I received several emails complaining that I didn't provide enough specific information about the electronics.  I know you'll find it hard to believe, but those complaints came from the gentlemen.  Two ladies are anxious to see the interior and could care less about the 15" Garmin screens.  Can't please everyone, but I try.  I asked the captain to provide some more information on the electronics package he selected (remember I was selecting the flybridge cushion fabric while this was going on).  So for all you techno-wizards out there, here's a rundown of the package highlights:
The system is all Garmin and contains:
4 7215 chart plotters (GPS) - 2 on the flybridge; 2 in the pilothouse
2 300 series VHF radios
multi-gauge autopilot, depth sounder, sonar, 404 open array radar, satellite TV and weather, Sirius XM radio, WiFi, weather station for wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, water temperature
Other features:
AIS
Closed circuit TV for engine room and stern; video input to GPS and closed circuit TV
6 man Viking life raft
Class 1 EPIRB
Spotlight
BOSE surround sound base system with remote control, zoned audio output also with remote control in stern, salon, pilot house and flybridge
This boat has a fire suppression system in the engine room, a fuel polishing system, Reverso oil change system and all the other bells and whistles one would expect to find in a boat of this size and caliber.

Although commissioning is a careful and thoughtful process, the KKY folks have made it a fun and exciting experience - even though we're a few miles away.  The daily emails with accompanying photos keep Tom and I going when the days seem too long.  Now that our trip is only 11 days away, our project manager and I are having fun counting down the days and hours.  The staff is helping us plan Serenity's christening, which will occur on Wednesday, March 23rd.  We've invited the KKY team to join us in naming our newest family member and wishing her well with some excellent champagne.  What more perfect way to celebrate such a momentous event?  Those folks helped turn our dream into reality!

Another aspect of the commissioning process is the unbelievable process of selecting a name.  Once that hurdle is mastered, then comes the decision of how to apply that name to the boat: decal vs. paint.  We chose the decal route since it worked so well on For Us.  In fact, the same husband-wife team who worked on For Us was invited to work on Serenity - they are artists!  So what's so tough about choosing a decal you ask?  About a gazillion different scripts, fonts, finishes, colors, etc.  - that's what!  We chose a 24 carat gold leaf for the background of the name, and added navy blue shadowing.  The script was eventually selected from about 36 different fonts - 36 because the couple already knew our preferences from our other boat.  Believe it or not, this process took a bit over 2 weeks.

 Hold on there, we're not done yet!  Serenity has name boards! Beautiful varnished, teak name boards, one on each side of the boat.  So back to the drawing board for the font, size, color, etc we went.  This choice was a bit easier since the size of the name boards limited our choices somewhat.  If you look closely at the name on the stern, you'll see a little blue star in the swirl of the "y".  That swirl and star are actually part of our signature design.  Tom designed a decal for the bow that truly is exquisite.  Though he designed it for our other boat, we decided to carry it onto Serenity.  This scroll appears not only on the bow.....

....but on the name boards as well.

Tom and I couldn't be happier with our selections to date.  Though we didn't go overboard (no pun intended), we did select the highest quality we could manage.  With the solid guidance of the KKY team, we put the most essential items first on our list, were helped to establish priorities and were never steered to purchase one particular item over another - we were given choices every step of the way.  As previous Krogen owners, we knew from experience that both the vendors and equipment brands suggested were top notch - we haven't been disappointed.  Believe me, the captain is not an easy man to please when things are not going according to plan - and he has been delighted.  If there are any doubts about our state of bliss, take a look at this smile (photo taken in January, our first day aboard Serenity while she was out of the water).