Sunday, June 23, 2019

IT IS SUMMER . . . BUT NOT FOR ME!

     Yes,"astronomically" it is summer. "Atmospherically" it is summer. But for me, summer was/has/is always when the boat goes in the water. Sadly, ABISHAG is high and dry. Pretty much  the myriad of little jobs and task have been completed. Somethings that I have been putting off for years have been done. Indeed, the only major piece of work that needs doing is painting the bottom and I'll probably do that tomorrow afternoon after my launch shift at TYC.

     The holdup in the engine, the problem that goes back to last August. Eric the Mechanic, who has a excellent reputation, has been stymied by the engine. It is an English piece of work, a FORD Transit and the problem has been getting information. It is a foreign engine, it is 40 years old and there is no manual for it. Eric has narrowed the problem to the injector pump but that's as far as he has gotten.  You just can't wing it without some sort of direction. Luckily today he discovered a rusty, oil-and-dirt covered manufacturer's plate  which gave him a serial number, a designation, and other bits of information that will now allow him to go online and get the rest of what he needs. Once he gets the info, it should be too long. Hopefully, it will be a simple fix. We'll see.

      Of course, once the engine is running correctly and ABISHAG is launched, SOUND RIGGING gets its shot. They will be replacing the halyards for the Main and Jib. Hopefully, that will be that. There is an issue with the main halyard; raising the main has become a real task. It could be something as simple as the main halyard, because of its age and wear, kinking making the main hard to raise. Of course, it also could be that the sheaves at the top of the mast are galled or broken or something that will require repairs. That won't be cheap either.

      SO I continue to work in the loft on those days I am not running the launch and the money comes in and goes out rapidly.  AH! the joy of boat ownership.