SHIPS LOG:
And for want of a shoe, a horse was lost, and for want of a horse, the battle was lost . . . In my case, it was a little, little plastic piece that goes on the engine. It connects the cooling system from engine to cooler, allowing the engine to run cool and not burn up. Now it is a sturdy piece of plastic but it is still plastic and last year, it split. Of course, no replacement could be found as it is at least 10 years old and is from an English Ford diesel engine modified for use in a marine environment. Ford of America wants nothing to do with it as it is English, not American, and is 10 years old. And the English, well last summer it took weeks before they decided to acknowledge that the part was even theirs and they would have to get back to us if they could find one. So the yard just epoxied the bloody thing together and it has worked just fine.
When my adventure on the hard in Black Rock Harbor began, the yard crew didn't want to take responsibility for winterizing the engine the engine once they saw the epoxy patch job. For some reason, it was pick, a most unmanly color for an marine engine part repair. Eventually they did and the thing work just fine and spent the winter snoozing contentedly.
I had a friend of mine who is an automobile mechanic down at the boat to look at the engine and he saw the part, removed it, and vowed that he could get a replacement. That was some months(!) ago and he has had to admit defeat. He is hopeful that a friend can manufacture a copy of the part in aluminum and hopefully he will, but he has the part and I don't. I'll get it back sometime this week and either install the new or re-install the old. And then be off on the first nice day next week . . .that is any day that doesn't threaten thunderstorms in the Sound. It is bad enough sailing in the rain but thunder storms are down right dangerous! ! !
I have come up with a rather innovative storage idea for the tools. Currently, most of my tools are in a set of plastic draws in a plastic file cabinet. There really is no space where the cabinet is both out of the way and at the same time easily accessible. I came up with the idea of 2"PVC pipe. Affixed to the wall on the side of the engine housing, each pipe holds one type of tool - one for flat head screwdrivers, one for Philips head, one for metric wrenches, one for standard wrenches and the like. There will be some tools that won't fit, such as pipe wrenches, hammers, hack saws, and such large, oddly shaped tools, but these are already stored in a "tool box" so it really won't matter. the best thing is that the pipe storage arrangement will allow me to ditch the file draw cabinet and free up the passageway aft. It remains to be seen what the down side of such an arrangement will be but right now, it looks good, if just a little weird.
CAPTAIN'S PERSONAL LOG:
I paid off the Roxburgh's for the fiberglass work and I am all square with the yard. Now ABISHAG needs only to be splashed and a day for fitting out (bending on sails - which can't be done when your boat is 10 feet in the air. A puff of wind and over she goes . . . not a good thing when you don't have insurance yet - restocking the "stuff take off ", etc) and I will be off to New London. And then? ? ? ? well, I'll just have to see. But just to be afloat, even if just on the mooring will be a heck of an improvement. Boy, am I looking forward to that! ! ! ! ! !
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
. . . . And Then My Phone Blew UP ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
I have really taken quite a shine to how God is reminding me of who is in charge. The latest little reminder came on Father's Day when my cell phone rang and then the battery just fryed itself and blew up . . . sort of. I remember hearing that some of the batteries in lap tops and cell phones did such things but it is the first time I have ever had any personal experience with such a thing. It was exciting to say the least . . . .and strangely being "out of touch" was an uncomfortable feeling. It is amazing how quickly we can get used to these wonderful electronic leashes and how loathe we are to be without them. Now I have a new one. I wonder if this one has any tricks up its sleeve?????
Got a call from Shelia Roxburgh of Roxburgh Marine Repair. The work is DONE! ! ! ! and for a mere $1,361, I can have my boat back. The Good News is that it is actually less than the deductible which means that Zurich the Insurance company that used to insure the boat but dropped me actually paid more than it should have toward the repair ( I shed not a tear!). The Bad News is that I have to come up with the $1,361 (2.3 Marine Units)as they do not accept credit cards! (What's the current price for a pint of blood?)
Working on the boat last week, I found a thru-hull that seems frozen in place (Love those little reminders!). It was/is the thru-hull that brings water into the refrigeration system and the water maker system. It is more than stiff and I couldn't move it. I didn't want to force it for while it is made of bronze and rather sturdy, busting it is a 1 - 2 Marine Unit fix. So I am going to have the yard look at it. Missy, who runs the yard, speculates that it is locked up from lack of use and can be easily freed. From her lips to God's eye as the saying goes.
If all goes well, ABISHAG could splash on Monday and, after a day of outfitting, be home in New London on Tuesday! And then Summer can begin ! ! ! ! !
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Strangely, my first feeling when I got the call was "panic." I still don't have hull insurance and the last time I went sailing didn't turn out really all that well . . .at least for ABISHAG's keel. But now I am getting excited. I could be sailing within a week! HUZZAH! ! ! ! ! !
I have really taken quite a shine to how God is reminding me of who is in charge. The latest little reminder came on Father's Day when my cell phone rang and then the battery just fryed itself and blew up . . . sort of. I remember hearing that some of the batteries in lap tops and cell phones did such things but it is the first time I have ever had any personal experience with such a thing. It was exciting to say the least . . . .and strangely being "out of touch" was an uncomfortable feeling. It is amazing how quickly we can get used to these wonderful electronic leashes and how loathe we are to be without them. Now I have a new one. I wonder if this one has any tricks up its sleeve?????
Got a call from Shelia Roxburgh of Roxburgh Marine Repair. The work is DONE! ! ! ! and for a mere $1,361, I can have my boat back. The Good News is that it is actually less than the deductible which means that Zurich the Insurance company that used to insure the boat but dropped me actually paid more than it should have toward the repair ( I shed not a tear!). The Bad News is that I have to come up with the $1,361 (2.3 Marine Units)as they do not accept credit cards! (What's the current price for a pint of blood?)
Working on the boat last week, I found a thru-hull that seems frozen in place (Love those little reminders!). It was/is the thru-hull that brings water into the refrigeration system and the water maker system. It is more than stiff and I couldn't move it. I didn't want to force it for while it is made of bronze and rather sturdy, busting it is a 1 - 2 Marine Unit fix. So I am going to have the yard look at it. Missy, who runs the yard, speculates that it is locked up from lack of use and can be easily freed. From her lips to God's eye as the saying goes.
If all goes well, ABISHAG could splash on Monday and, after a day of outfitting, be home in New London on Tuesday! And then Summer can begin ! ! ! ! !
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Strangely, my first feeling when I got the call was "panic." I still don't have hull insurance and the last time I went sailing didn't turn out really all that well . . .at least for ABISHAG's keel. But now I am getting excited. I could be sailing within a week! HUZZAH! ! ! ! ! !
Thursday, June 18, 2009
So This Is What It IS Like To Live In Seatle! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Rain, Rain, Go away! Everything is green down at the boat yard . . . mostly it is mold! Ten days ago, the yard crew re-blocked the boat so that the fiberglass crew could get at the parts of the bottom they couldn't reach because of the old block locations. . . . and that was about as far as anyone got. Those of you up here in God's country know that it has been three days of rain followed by a day of partial sun followed by four days of rain, and still they weather people say we are deficient in our rain fall totals. Go figure.
The Head is all finished, the forepeak has been emptied and repacked, the Mizzen has been bent on the yard, and the clean up process has begun. I have even taken a whack at repairing the split wooden cap along the gunnel . . . . That is the holding tank and associated piping has been installed; all of the stuff stuffed into the front cabin of the boat has been taken out and the stuff that belongs there has been replaced; the Mizzen sail has been re attached to the boom on the Mizzen Mast (small mast at the back of the boat); I have attempted to repair a split in the wood in the toe rail along the side of the boat; and I have swept-out, washed down and disinfected the aft cabin, the aft head and the galley(kitchen). Love those nautical terms. The rain is falling again so today is a washout . . literally.
O, there is some good news! ! ! My insurance company has dropped me like the proverbial hot potato citing my "history of loss." This was expected I suppose as I paid in $1,200 and they paid out $20,000! Can't do business that way. The thing that burns me though is the fact that they didn't bother to really get a report except that the accidents had happen. Now I'll take full responsibility for the second accident as my brain vapor locked and I experienced a real senior moment. But the first one, man that was by the book and how could it have been my fault that the anchor pulled out and didn't reset? But no use arguing as it is a no win situation. I am looking for new insurance and will find it . .. .the real question is how much it will cost ! ! ! ! ! ! In the worst case scenario, I'll sail without insurance. Hell, you only need it should you screw up and I figure that I have done my share of that for this century.
CAPTAIN'S PERSONAL LOG:
Some day I am sure that I will get the ABISHAG in the water. When is anybody's guess, but at least I am working on her. The yard is filled with boats that are still under winter wraps and there are no signs that owners have been down at all. In this yard, there is a back section where the stow all the boat stands and other winter paraphernalia. It is also the "elephants' graveyard," the place where old boats go to die. More accurately, it is the place where the yard drops and breaks up boats that have been abandoned by their owners. When the yard bills clime to a certain level, the boat is considered abandoned, especially if the onwers refuse or are unable to pay, and the yard gets the court to award them the boat for non-payment of bill. The yard strips them of everything useful and/or of value, hauls them over to the graveyard, raises the boat to a great height with a crane and drops it, breaking up the boat. Then they leave them there until the pile is big enough to warrant haul it to a land fill. I watched that process today and it was unbelievably sad to see.
Rain, Rain, Go away! Everything is green down at the boat yard . . . mostly it is mold! Ten days ago, the yard crew re-blocked the boat so that the fiberglass crew could get at the parts of the bottom they couldn't reach because of the old block locations. . . . and that was about as far as anyone got. Those of you up here in God's country know that it has been three days of rain followed by a day of partial sun followed by four days of rain, and still they weather people say we are deficient in our rain fall totals. Go figure.
The Head is all finished, the forepeak has been emptied and repacked, the Mizzen has been bent on the yard, and the clean up process has begun. I have even taken a whack at repairing the split wooden cap along the gunnel . . . . That is the holding tank and associated piping has been installed; all of the stuff stuffed into the front cabin of the boat has been taken out and the stuff that belongs there has been replaced; the Mizzen sail has been re attached to the boom on the Mizzen Mast (small mast at the back of the boat); I have attempted to repair a split in the wood in the toe rail along the side of the boat; and I have swept-out, washed down and disinfected the aft cabin, the aft head and the galley(kitchen). Love those nautical terms. The rain is falling again so today is a washout . . literally.
O, there is some good news! ! ! My insurance company has dropped me like the proverbial hot potato citing my "history of loss." This was expected I suppose as I paid in $1,200 and they paid out $20,000! Can't do business that way. The thing that burns me though is the fact that they didn't bother to really get a report except that the accidents had happen. Now I'll take full responsibility for the second accident as my brain vapor locked and I experienced a real senior moment. But the first one, man that was by the book and how could it have been my fault that the anchor pulled out and didn't reset? But no use arguing as it is a no win situation. I am looking for new insurance and will find it . .. .the real question is how much it will cost ! ! ! ! ! ! In the worst case scenario, I'll sail without insurance. Hell, you only need it should you screw up and I figure that I have done my share of that for this century.
CAPTAIN'S PERSONAL LOG:
Some day I am sure that I will get the ABISHAG in the water. When is anybody's guess, but at least I am working on her. The yard is filled with boats that are still under winter wraps and there are no signs that owners have been down at all. In this yard, there is a back section where the stow all the boat stands and other winter paraphernalia. It is also the "elephants' graveyard," the place where old boats go to die. More accurately, it is the place where the yard drops and breaks up boats that have been abandoned by their owners. When the yard bills clime to a certain level, the boat is considered abandoned, especially if the onwers refuse or are unable to pay, and the yard gets the court to award them the boat for non-payment of bill. The yard strips them of everything useful and/or of value, hauls them over to the graveyard, raises the boat to a great height with a crane and drops it, breaking up the boat. Then they leave them there until the pile is big enough to warrant haul it to a land fill. I watched that process today and it was unbelievably sad to see.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Depending, Of Course, on the Weather ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Down working on ABISHAG, Shelia of the Fiberglass crew was walking her dog. The gist of the conversation was that the boat would be ready in "a week . . .10 days . . . 2 weeks . . . depending on the weather, of course." O well, she will be ready when she is ready, though they did fiberglass the front edge of the keel, needing only to do the bottom of the keel and the rear edge, then fairing, epoxy painting and she will be ready to launch. Huzzah! ! ! !
I repositioned the holes in the holding tank for the new fixtures. It wasn't all that bad, smell wise, that is after I cleaned out the tank by hand. YUK! But hey, now it is is relative clean and sweet smelling. The local sewage treatment plant, cheek-by-jowl with the marina, out smells the tank now.
Fitted the hose to the aft head and the thru-hull. Fitting the hose was momentarily difficult until good friend Skip suggested using a hair drier to heat the hose and make it more flexible so that it would slide on the fittings. Didn't have a hair drier, but I had a paint stripper, which is sort of like a hair drier on steroids. It worked . . . the end justifies the means. Now at least I can use the aft head . . . .so long as I am far enough off the coast. Not good for emergencies but better than nothing.
CAPTAIN'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am getting there, slowly but surely. Tomorrow should see the forward head up and running, so to speak. After that, and Ray installing the old part or the new part if he can't find the new part for the engine, and painting the repairs, she will be launch ready. The mooring is in place and waiting, so it will be cleaning and small projects until the splash.
It is still surprisingly cool by the water even though we are just a month short of the longest day of the year and the start of summer. Go figure!
Down working on ABISHAG, Shelia of the Fiberglass crew was walking her dog. The gist of the conversation was that the boat would be ready in "a week . . .10 days . . . 2 weeks . . . depending on the weather, of course." O well, she will be ready when she is ready, though they did fiberglass the front edge of the keel, needing only to do the bottom of the keel and the rear edge, then fairing, epoxy painting and she will be ready to launch. Huzzah! ! ! !
I repositioned the holes in the holding tank for the new fixtures. It wasn't all that bad, smell wise, that is after I cleaned out the tank by hand. YUK! But hey, now it is is relative clean and sweet smelling. The local sewage treatment plant, cheek-by-jowl with the marina, out smells the tank now.
Fitted the hose to the aft head and the thru-hull. Fitting the hose was momentarily difficult until good friend Skip suggested using a hair drier to heat the hose and make it more flexible so that it would slide on the fittings. Didn't have a hair drier, but I had a paint stripper, which is sort of like a hair drier on steroids. It worked . . . the end justifies the means. Now at least I can use the aft head . . . .so long as I am far enough off the coast. Not good for emergencies but better than nothing.
CAPTAIN'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am getting there, slowly but surely. Tomorrow should see the forward head up and running, so to speak. After that, and Ray installing the old part or the new part if he can't find the new part for the engine, and painting the repairs, she will be launch ready. The mooring is in place and waiting, so it will be cleaning and small projects until the splash.
It is still surprisingly cool by the water even though we are just a month short of the longest day of the year and the start of summer. Go figure!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A Good Day!
SHIP'S LOG:
It was a day, nay a great day, on ABISHAG even though I didn't go anywhere. The weather was beautiful and all the tasks went according to plan and, hey, what more could one want.
I installed upper bow rollers (a piece of threaded rod inside some PVC pipe) which will keep the anchor rodes from jumping of the bow rollers lower, eliminating the risk of chafe and another grounding adventure. Made the cut-out for the holding tank in the forepeak locker. Created a new angle for the Mizzen boom so that it won't keep whacking the steering vane. Reinstalled the cockpit cushions. Sealing the lashings for the shroud rollers. Removed the unneeded items from the aft cabin and stored the "Linens 'n' Things" that actual belong there. Began the clean-up of the main cabin and actually found the deck and the settees under all the "stuff", necessary and unnecessary that had been flung all around the cabin. Re-led all the lines and sheets and generally cleaned up the deck. All in all, while many of the tasks were of not major importance, most could be done outside which, considering the day, was well worth it. AH!!!!!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It really is a pain making the drive to Black Rock Harbor. It burns a lot of gas, but it is where the boat is. I am starting to get a bit excited as the fiberglass crew has got the trailing edge of the keel ground out and now needs only to take care of the central portion. Then it will be fill and fair and paint and launch. Huzzah!
It was a day, nay a great day, on ABISHAG even though I didn't go anywhere. The weather was beautiful and all the tasks went according to plan and, hey, what more could one want.
I installed upper bow rollers (a piece of threaded rod inside some PVC pipe) which will keep the anchor rodes from jumping of the bow rollers lower, eliminating the risk of chafe and another grounding adventure. Made the cut-out for the holding tank in the forepeak locker. Created a new angle for the Mizzen boom so that it won't keep whacking the steering vane. Reinstalled the cockpit cushions. Sealing the lashings for the shroud rollers. Removed the unneeded items from the aft cabin and stored the "Linens 'n' Things" that actual belong there. Began the clean-up of the main cabin and actually found the deck and the settees under all the "stuff", necessary and unnecessary that had been flung all around the cabin. Re-led all the lines and sheets and generally cleaned up the deck. All in all, while many of the tasks were of not major importance, most could be done outside which, considering the day, was well worth it. AH!!!!!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It really is a pain making the drive to Black Rock Harbor. It burns a lot of gas, but it is where the boat is. I am starting to get a bit excited as the fiberglass crew has got the trailing edge of the keel ground out and now needs only to take care of the central portion. Then it will be fill and fair and paint and launch. Huzzah!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Beyond Discription! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
How to describe it? Describe what? The malodorous fragrance wafting from the openings in the holding tank. If the bilge was bad, this was far worse.
I spent Sunday moving the holding tank from the aft cabin toward the port side locker in the forepeak. Sounds a simple thing but it was more involved than you might think. First of all, the holding tank was secured by four(4) straps to the bulkhead in the aft cabin. Those were removed and the tank rested on the bunk with three(3) hoses - inlet, outlet, tank vent. I removed the vent hose first and the smell was incredible. It was beyond "gag-a-maggot" quality and intensity. I taped the vent closed but "the genie was out of the bottle" so to speak. I hit it with "SIMPLE GREEN," "FABREEZE" and "LYSOL" and at best the problem was moderated.
The Inlet and Outlet connectors really couldn't be tape as they were way too large but the "kit-to-reposition-the-connectors" came with screw-in plugs that with a little bit of silicone sealant were sealed quite nicely. There was about 4 gallons of . . . . .er . . . noxious brew? . . .in the holding tank and there was still some contained in the hoses that led to each. Disconnecting each hose required the that the hoses be sealed in some way to prevent them depositing what they contained on the bunk or the deck. Using a baggy and some duct tape took care of the hoses and the screw in plugs that connectors on the tank. The smell wafted through the cabin and I got used to it sort of . . .as long as I didn't think about it as it made me want to puke.
After everything was plugged and sealed, the next part of the procedure, the worst part, was next. . . . . emptying the tank. Had I crashed earlier in the fall ( for the second time that is), when I got to Captain's Cove Seaport they would have pumped out the tank. By the time I got there, their pump out system was closed down for the winter and so the best they could do was pump the system with holding tank anti-freeze which could also neutralize "the smell" and "deodorize" the system. That was what they did . . in theory anyway. They did pump the anti-freeze into the system but they didn't pump it enough as the anti-freeze remained in the hose and never made it into the tank. As a result, the "brew" fermented" for the entire winter and produced a foul soup with an incredible "bouquet"which had to be removed because of the weight(fitting the tank to its new location would require a lot of handling and shifting) and less it be dispersed by accident throughout the boat.
For this procedure, I had purchased a couple of 5 gallon buckets with lids. I poured a whole bunch of holding tank solution into one bucket, unscrewed one of the plugs and emptied the tank. There was about four(4) gallons of "brew" in the tank. Mixing the "brew" as it was poured into the bucket made the stench even worse. Made my eyes water. It wasn't a methane smell, it was way beyond that, like I said, "beyond description." Sloshed the tank with everything I could think of to get the "brew" out of the tank and kill the smell. I was able to get about 98% out of the tank and into the bucket. Poured the rest of the deodorizer in the bucket and sealed it. I hauled it up to the cockpit and lowered it over the side for alter disposal. With all the hatches open, I went around and it hit every surface with "Simple Green, Lysol, and Fabreeze" and pretty much removed the "fragrance."
Tanking the holding tank to the forepeak, it appears that the tank will fit easily into the locker . . .once i can get it in. The opening of the locker has to be enlarged to get to tank in but it "should be a simple procedure" - how often have I said that! I will have to cut a new inlet and a new outlet port for the connectors. I will have to cut a new waste removal deck plate hole on the foredeck and a new hole for the tank vent. The outlet hose will have to run to a diverter valve so that the "waste" can be discharged overboard when appropriate and be pumped out the rest of the time. The old vent hole and the the old deck plate aft were sealed and now all that is necessary is to re-connect the aft head to discharge directly overboard.
It was an interesting afternoon as the wind was gusting to the 50's, enough to "move" the boat on her stands. A couple of times I actually felt that maybe, just maybe, she would be blown over. Somebody had shown up on his motorcycle and it got blown over. He was not happy about it!
O yes, . . . . the bucket of . . .er . . ."brew." There was no place to to empty it in the yard. Even though the local sewage treatment plant borders the yard, there is no place to dump a 5 gallon bucket of "fermented human effluent." So the bucket went into the car, with the lip carefully sealed, and got hauled to a locating where there was a public port-a-potti. Would you believe, the port-a-potti smell better that the contents of the bucket?!? I was so happy that I didn't get into a accident as the scene would have really been a mess. The thought of an accident that ruptured the bucket, flinging the contents around the inside of the car, curdles the blood! ! ! ! ! !
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
There was some actual work done on the forward edge of the keel. IT had been ground down, filled and faired. It looks pretty good. Now there is only the back edge and the bottom to do. Of course, the weather is going to be less than perfect this week. Such is the way it goes. Maybe by the 4th of July! ! !
How to describe it? Describe what? The malodorous fragrance wafting from the openings in the holding tank. If the bilge was bad, this was far worse.
I spent Sunday moving the holding tank from the aft cabin toward the port side locker in the forepeak. Sounds a simple thing but it was more involved than you might think. First of all, the holding tank was secured by four(4) straps to the bulkhead in the aft cabin. Those were removed and the tank rested on the bunk with three(3) hoses - inlet, outlet, tank vent. I removed the vent hose first and the smell was incredible. It was beyond "gag-a-maggot" quality and intensity. I taped the vent closed but "the genie was out of the bottle" so to speak. I hit it with "SIMPLE GREEN," "FABREEZE" and "LYSOL" and at best the problem was moderated.
The Inlet and Outlet connectors really couldn't be tape as they were way too large but the "kit-to-reposition-the-connectors" came with screw-in plugs that with a little bit of silicone sealant were sealed quite nicely. There was about 4 gallons of . . . . .er . . . noxious brew? . . .in the holding tank and there was still some contained in the hoses that led to each. Disconnecting each hose required the that the hoses be sealed in some way to prevent them depositing what they contained on the bunk or the deck. Using a baggy and some duct tape took care of the hoses and the screw in plugs that connectors on the tank. The smell wafted through the cabin and I got used to it sort of . . .as long as I didn't think about it as it made me want to puke.
After everything was plugged and sealed, the next part of the procedure, the worst part, was next. . . . . emptying the tank. Had I crashed earlier in the fall ( for the second time that is), when I got to Captain's Cove Seaport they would have pumped out the tank. By the time I got there, their pump out system was closed down for the winter and so the best they could do was pump the system with holding tank anti-freeze which could also neutralize "the smell" and "deodorize" the system. That was what they did . . in theory anyway. They did pump the anti-freeze into the system but they didn't pump it enough as the anti-freeze remained in the hose and never made it into the tank. As a result, the "brew" fermented" for the entire winter and produced a foul soup with an incredible "bouquet"which had to be removed because of the weight(fitting the tank to its new location would require a lot of handling and shifting) and less it be dispersed by accident throughout the boat.
For this procedure, I had purchased a couple of 5 gallon buckets with lids. I poured a whole bunch of holding tank solution into one bucket, unscrewed one of the plugs and emptied the tank. There was about four(4) gallons of "brew" in the tank. Mixing the "brew" as it was poured into the bucket made the stench even worse. Made my eyes water. It wasn't a methane smell, it was way beyond that, like I said, "beyond description." Sloshed the tank with everything I could think of to get the "brew" out of the tank and kill the smell. I was able to get about 98% out of the tank and into the bucket. Poured the rest of the deodorizer in the bucket and sealed it. I hauled it up to the cockpit and lowered it over the side for alter disposal. With all the hatches open, I went around and it hit every surface with "Simple Green, Lysol, and Fabreeze" and pretty much removed the "fragrance."
Tanking the holding tank to the forepeak, it appears that the tank will fit easily into the locker . . .once i can get it in. The opening of the locker has to be enlarged to get to tank in but it "should be a simple procedure" - how often have I said that! I will have to cut a new inlet and a new outlet port for the connectors. I will have to cut a new waste removal deck plate hole on the foredeck and a new hole for the tank vent. The outlet hose will have to run to a diverter valve so that the "waste" can be discharged overboard when appropriate and be pumped out the rest of the time. The old vent hole and the the old deck plate aft were sealed and now all that is necessary is to re-connect the aft head to discharge directly overboard.
It was an interesting afternoon as the wind was gusting to the 50's, enough to "move" the boat on her stands. A couple of times I actually felt that maybe, just maybe, she would be blown over. Somebody had shown up on his motorcycle and it got blown over. He was not happy about it!
O yes, . . . . the bucket of . . .er . . ."brew." There was no place to to empty it in the yard. Even though the local sewage treatment plant borders the yard, there is no place to dump a 5 gallon bucket of "fermented human effluent." So the bucket went into the car, with the lip carefully sealed, and got hauled to a locating where there was a public port-a-potti. Would you believe, the port-a-potti smell better that the contents of the bucket?!? I was so happy that I didn't get into a accident as the scene would have really been a mess. The thought of an accident that ruptured the bucket, flinging the contents around the inside of the car, curdles the blood! ! ! ! ! !
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
There was some actual work done on the forward edge of the keel. IT had been ground down, filled and faired. It looks pretty good. Now there is only the back edge and the bottom to do. Of course, the weather is going to be less than perfect this week. Such is the way it goes. Maybe by the 4th of July! ! !
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Yuckie! Gooie! Disgusting! ECK!
SHIP'S LOG:
Went down to visit ABISGHAG the other day and fiberglass guys (and girl) hadn't yet begun working their magic. The weather for the coming week also do not bode well for any fiberglassing. Looks like everything will be delayed . . .ah so what else is new?
Spent the day sterilizing the bilge, or rather the sump of the bilge, the deepest part of the bilge wherein drains all of the effluents and detritus that wends its way on the the my craft. While I have attempted to clean the bilge in the past, the final discovery of the hidden oil leak last summer (see previous blogs from last summer - you don't expect me to recount the whole story here again, do you?), I was committed to cleaning it all out completely, making it sweet-smelling and surgically sterile! I didn't quite get there, but close, oh so close. There was a surprisingly large amount of water in the sump and about a 2 inch layer of "oil?" under it. It took some pumping to get all the water out as it had to be filtered through oil retaining pads so that I could dump it without irritating the EPA and/or getting fined. There is some lifeform that lives just at the barrier between the water and the oil and it produces a noxious smell that is beyond belief. I pumped out some 6 gallons of a water/oil mixture, drained it through the pads and dumped the water and put the pads in a plastic bag that had to be taken to a disposal site to get ride of.
Once the bilge was dry, relatively speaking, it had to be scrubbed down with the bio-degradable, oil-consuming mixtures that themselves smelled equally bad. Trying to make them less noxious, the manufactures added "a fresh citrus scent" which, when mixed with the lingering odor from the oil/water lifeform, smelled worse than the lifeform alone . . .if possible. It was enough to gag a maggot! Two(2) hours bent over in the bilge, scrubbing and wiping and rinsing and spraying and rinsing and wiping and spraying . . . . and it was done . . .until next year. It is clean and fresh smelling . . . well at least it doesn't smell. And it is clean, no oil or scum left. Mind you, I wouldn't eat anything that dropped in there, but if I drop something in there, at least it wouldn't get eaten!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Financially, things continue to be a mess. The debt resolution company and Bank of America are fighting; the condo needs to have a required minimum$7,888 (which I don't have) worth of upgrades to stay in the rental program; I have had to drop the asking price on the condo again to stay in line with the other panicky sellers, my income may be halved beginning this month and taking a flier on a Powerball Ticket on Wednesday didn't even earn me eve one right number. I haven't got a clue as to what will happen next but it ought to be something. Just what I don't know. The dream seems to be turning into a bit of a nightmare and I am not quite sure what to do next. I know that God in in control and I trust that things will work out according to God's plan, but these leaps of faith are getting scarier and scarier to make. Compared to other people, I've got no problems, but compared to me, I have real serious problems, and trusting that they will work out in God's own way, well . . . . they always have before and I will keep trying to believe that they will now.
Went down to visit ABISGHAG the other day and fiberglass guys (and girl) hadn't yet begun working their magic. The weather for the coming week also do not bode well for any fiberglassing. Looks like everything will be delayed . . .ah so what else is new?
Spent the day sterilizing the bilge, or rather the sump of the bilge, the deepest part of the bilge wherein drains all of the effluents and detritus that wends its way on the the my craft. While I have attempted to clean the bilge in the past, the final discovery of the hidden oil leak last summer (see previous blogs from last summer - you don't expect me to recount the whole story here again, do you?), I was committed to cleaning it all out completely, making it sweet-smelling and surgically sterile! I didn't quite get there, but close, oh so close. There was a surprisingly large amount of water in the sump and about a 2 inch layer of "oil?" under it. It took some pumping to get all the water out as it had to be filtered through oil retaining pads so that I could dump it without irritating the EPA and/or getting fined. There is some lifeform that lives just at the barrier between the water and the oil and it produces a noxious smell that is beyond belief. I pumped out some 6 gallons of a water/oil mixture, drained it through the pads and dumped the water and put the pads in a plastic bag that had to be taken to a disposal site to get ride of.
Once the bilge was dry, relatively speaking, it had to be scrubbed down with the bio-degradable, oil-consuming mixtures that themselves smelled equally bad. Trying to make them less noxious, the manufactures added "a fresh citrus scent" which, when mixed with the lingering odor from the oil/water lifeform, smelled worse than the lifeform alone . . .if possible. It was enough to gag a maggot! Two(2) hours bent over in the bilge, scrubbing and wiping and rinsing and spraying and rinsing and wiping and spraying . . . . and it was done . . .until next year. It is clean and fresh smelling . . . well at least it doesn't smell. And it is clean, no oil or scum left. Mind you, I wouldn't eat anything that dropped in there, but if I drop something in there, at least it wouldn't get eaten!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Financially, things continue to be a mess. The debt resolution company and Bank of America are fighting; the condo needs to have a required minimum$7,888 (which I don't have) worth of upgrades to stay in the rental program; I have had to drop the asking price on the condo again to stay in line with the other panicky sellers, my income may be halved beginning this month and taking a flier on a Powerball Ticket on Wednesday didn't even earn me eve one right number. I haven't got a clue as to what will happen next but it ought to be something. Just what I don't know. The dream seems to be turning into a bit of a nightmare and I am not quite sure what to do next. I know that God in in control and I trust that things will work out according to God's plan, but these leaps of faith are getting scarier and scarier to make. Compared to other people, I've got no problems, but compared to me, I have real serious problems, and trusting that they will work out in God's own way, well . . . . they always have before and I will keep trying to believe that they will now.
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