SHIP'S LOG:
It turns out that the problem with the engine was the direct result of bad engineering. Sometime back in the distant past, probably when the last owner had the top end of the engine rebuilt, someone decided, for reason known only to them and God, to install a check valve in one of the oil return lines Basically what this did was lengthen the time (and the route) it took of the oil, which cools the engine, to circulate through the oil cooler. Now why this was done no one could figure out, not even the Ford Lehman people who were the parent company for the engine. The check valve was removed and the oil circulated and there was now leaking and the oil was cooler and the engine ran cooler and all is right in the world (figuratively speaking.)
As i have mentioned before, the mysteries of electricity and things that use electricity are something akin to voodoo and/or magic, at least to me. The perfect example is the windlass problem. As far as I could tell, it didn't work and I expected a burnt solenoid, a bad switch, ashorted motor in the windlass itself, a bad connection along the wire run, a bad circuit breaker, gremlins or all or most of the above in some ghastly (and expensive) combination. I took a multi-meter and tested the connections at the solenoid and got no indication of power. I moved back to the foreward head where the LECTROSAN ( the electric masticator for the toilet) had been attached to the boat's electrical grid and from which point the power also went to the windlass. I had removed the LECTROSAN, a super consumer of electrical power) as there is no way you can legally use it in US Waters anymore, so why have it. The connections in the head were no strictly for the windlass. I tested the connection and got a power reading of "12.83 Volts DC" - very good and then tied to find where the power disappeared from the there to the solenoid in the forepeak. There were no other connection from one spot to the next that could have become disengaged. I tested the solenoid again, no voltage. I went back to the head, and tried it again and got . . no voltage! Thinking that perhaps I had somehow read it wrong, I threw on the main power switch and retested only to find that i still got no readings!
In desparation, I call Done the Electrician Magician who works in the shipyard and he stopped by as he was leaving for the day. Using a "continuity tester" a length of wire with a probe contain a light at one and and an alligator clip at the other. When you hook it up right, the light will light. With the main power on, we tested the circuit breaker for the windlass and got light. We moved to the head and checked that connection and got light. Went to the solenoid and tested . . . the right terminals. Evidently, I had mistaken a big fat black wire coming off the solenoid as "the ground' when it was a much smaller wire. In fact, the big, fat, black wire I thought was a ground turned out to be the "hot " wire that actually fed the windlass instead. well, testing the right terminals on the solenoid got us LIGHT!!!!!!!. So the windlass should work. I went up on deck and hit the switch adn the windlass crank happily away. Strange as it may sound, I evidently never had the main power on whenever I had tested the windlass and so assumed that it didn't work. And so, when the pwoer was on, I never bothered to hit the switch. Evidently, electricaldevices require power to operate effectively. Who would have thought ? ? ? ? ? ?
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
The broker called to inform me that 1.) he was losing his office int eh Shipyard but would have an office in downtown Mystic and he still want my business! (What business?) Secondly, he had a inquiry from some dude in Canada who knew Camper Nicholson and was interested. (Yeah, sure!) If he shows up for a test sail then we may have something, but til then I refuse to get excited.
Hopefully, this weekend sometime will see ABISHAG back at TYC. Still a wee chilly. I've not gotten the sails back from the loft. The motor is running fine so I can always motor over. Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street! ! ! ! or sailing on the sound.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
There's Good News Tonight! (Well, Maybe)
SHIP'S LOG:
The "good news" that maybe regards the windlass - the large winch on the foredeck that raises the anchor. As you may recall, it was non-functional and I assumed (never a good thing to do, especially for a Catholic elementary school grad) that it being 33 years old and having been exposed to :the sea" and all that implies, that it had given up the ghost. At the very least, that the electric motor and/or the connections had shorted out and would need to be replaced and/or restored. This assumption may be, and I caution, maybe completely erroneous!
It was presumed that because one could hear the deck switch (the switch on deck that activated the windlass) engage when it was stepped on, that the system was functional, at least the electricity was making it to the windlass and that the fault lay there. "Au con trier!" It appears that I have juice at the switch but seemingly no where else along the line.It doesn't make sense because the switch is at the end of the line and activates the solenoid that operates the windlass, but that's what I have. It makes absolutely no sense whatever, but then I never did understand electricity. It is all mysterious voodoo magic!
I contacted Cliff Fisher and he tried to talk me through checking it out by phone. He came to one of two [possible conclusions: 1.) I wasn't testing the system correctly; 2.) my multi-meter was busted and was giving false readings. Both could be right but I will find another meter and try again. It would be nice to have a working windlass as raising the anchor, especially the one with the all chain rode can e be a real bastard of a task when you are doing it completely by hand, with no mechanical assistance!
I am waiting on the sails. At this time of the years, sail lofts are overwhelmed with work. They quite naturally put more into build new stuff ( more income) than repairing old stuff (less income), so the repairs are usually saved for this time of year and get done in a rush. Like everyone else, i can't understand why my sails aren't done yet.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is surprisingly chilly down at the shore still. The wind off the water definitely is much cold than the land as its strength and intensity clearly indicate. It's all a matter of thermodynamics. Still i would like to get out on the water.
I have gotten no word on the readiness of the engine. There was a piece of tape over the ignition key slot on the engine panel. the other day. Obviously they didn't want the engine started. This weekend it was gone but I am not sure what it means and there is no one to ask. I hope that means good news, like the engine is working properly. I'll get down and check it out later today and hope for the best.
The "good news" that maybe regards the windlass - the large winch on the foredeck that raises the anchor. As you may recall, it was non-functional and I assumed (never a good thing to do, especially for a Catholic elementary school grad) that it being 33 years old and having been exposed to :the sea" and all that implies, that it had given up the ghost. At the very least, that the electric motor and/or the connections had shorted out and would need to be replaced and/or restored. This assumption may be, and I caution, maybe completely erroneous!
It was presumed that because one could hear the deck switch (the switch on deck that activated the windlass) engage when it was stepped on, that the system was functional, at least the electricity was making it to the windlass and that the fault lay there. "Au con trier!" It appears that I have juice at the switch but seemingly no where else along the line.It doesn't make sense because the switch is at the end of the line and activates the solenoid that operates the windlass, but that's what I have. It makes absolutely no sense whatever, but then I never did understand electricity. It is all mysterious voodoo magic!
I contacted Cliff Fisher and he tried to talk me through checking it out by phone. He came to one of two [possible conclusions: 1.) I wasn't testing the system correctly; 2.) my multi-meter was busted and was giving false readings. Both could be right but I will find another meter and try again. It would be nice to have a working windlass as raising the anchor, especially the one with the all chain rode can e be a real bastard of a task when you are doing it completely by hand, with no mechanical assistance!
I am waiting on the sails. At this time of the years, sail lofts are overwhelmed with work. They quite naturally put more into build new stuff ( more income) than repairing old stuff (less income), so the repairs are usually saved for this time of year and get done in a rush. Like everyone else, i can't understand why my sails aren't done yet.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
It is surprisingly chilly down at the shore still. The wind off the water definitely is much cold than the land as its strength and intensity clearly indicate. It's all a matter of thermodynamics. Still i would like to get out on the water.
I have gotten no word on the readiness of the engine. There was a piece of tape over the ignition key slot on the engine panel. the other day. Obviously they didn't want the engine started. This weekend it was gone but I am not sure what it means and there is no one to ask. I hope that means good news, like the engine is working properly. I'll get down and check it out later today and hope for the best.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Bilge! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP"S LOG:
While not clean enough to eat out of, the bilge has become much cleaner than it was. Last year, I had this "mysterious" oil disappearing problem which, with the help of Cliff & Chuck, the engineering miracle workers, was solved by left oil way down deep in the bilge. The deep bilge is to "ultimate low point" of the interior of the boat, the final resting place of everything dropped in the boat. Loose anything, and you will eventually find it in the bilge . . .not that you would wanted after it has spent time therein! The bilge on ABISHAG is a little over a foot square and a good foot deep so it collects detritus and fluids quite well. The one bad bit of engineering is that it is also the location of the "show sump"." The Shower Sump is a 1 ft. square box into which drains the flow from the drains in the floor of the two heads. It is intended to trap hair and other such items to keep it from clogging the bilge pump which empties the bilge and keeps the boat afloat. The shower sump has three (3) inflow hose connections and one discharge hose connection. The discharge was intend to be connected to the bilge pump discharge hose downstream from the bilge pump and so exit the boat through the same thru-hull as the bilge pump. The show sump has a mesh trap inside to trap and collect all the nasty stuff that we exude when taking showers or washing in the sink. If you have ever had to unclog a drain in a sink or shower, you know what I am talking about. If you never have, you will one day! The entire top can be removed to that the trap can be cleaned . . not a chore that anyone who willing choose to do!
Unfortunately, somewhere in her past, one of ABISAHG's previous owners, for reason know only to them, removed to of the three hoses bring the nastiness to the sump and disconnected the discharge hose complete. There is, on the top of the shower sump box, a "float switch," a little device that lifted by rising water, turns on a pump somewhere. I am assuming, bad idea I know, that the pump it operates is inside the shower sump. When the water in the bilge rose sufficiently to lift the float switch, the rising water would also activate the regular bilge as well. Thus the water in the bilge and in the sump would be discharged together. However, the float switch is inactive. All electrical leads to the pump, wherever it might be located, are severed and, with the hoses cut, and with what remains of the dischage hose connected to nothing, the sump has fillled with oil and bilge and has been "fermenting" for years. Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of the shower sump?
Yesterday, I cleaned as much of the bilge as I would get to for you see the shower sump just about fills the entire deep bilge making it all be impossible to really clean it out. I hit it with SIMPLE GREEN, LESTOIL, DAWN Dish-washing liquid, and scrubbed with a brush, a scouring pad and lots and lots of Brawny Paper towels. To get rid of all the water, cleaning fluids and gunk, I vacuumed it all out with my wet/dry shopvac. I was able to get the almost inaccessible places in the bilge and even sucked most of "whatever" was in the shower sump out! The fluids I osaked up with two weeks worht of newspapersand dumped them into heavy duty trash bags and hauled them down the dock to the dumpster. It is clear though that the shower sump has got to go! It prevents any chance of really cleaning the bilge and, without cleaning the bilge really, really well, you get that low-grade rotten egg smell. Putting a mesh trap ( what is know for some reason as a "strum box") around the bilge pumps , automatic and manual, will make it a who lot easier. It "looks" as though the "only thing" hold int eh shower sump in place is one hose that wasn't disconnected by the previous owner. Remove that hose should free the shower sump box and open up the bilge.
Don, the magic electrician, is working on my engine. When it was winterize last year, the winterizer found that the oil got "way too hot." Eveidently it partially melted the plastic on one of the oil filters. There seems to be some question about how well or if the oil is circulating through the oil cooler. So at $60/hour, Don is trying to discover what is what. Having Don, the magic electricain, do this is great. He is a terribly honest guy, He trys to do everything he can to cut expenses. And he is a wonderful source for electrical work whose brain I pick when I can. I was having aprioblem with the SSB ( SIngle Side-Band Radio). However the power was turned on, it crackled and hummed and buzzed, not sounds that are indicative of proper operation. I disconnected it and took it to Dockside electronics, a stone's throw across the river, and they tested out the radio. It worked fine, so the problem was with the boat. I went back and reconneceted it and the problem reoccured. Do was able to talk me through tracking down the problem. It turned out to be a loose nut connecting the positive power wire to a fuse between the radio and the battery. Of course, the nut was nearly inaccessible, but I did get to it and the SSB is working just fine now. I 'll pick Don's brain more tomorrow when I see if he can walk me through discovering why the windlass doesn't work electrically.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I thought that I was through with bills from the Shipyard but it looks like I'll be getting another for Don's work. Hopefully, it will just be labor and not parts, though parts are usually the least expensive part of any work done. Hopefully, someone will come through at the last moment to, I hate to say it, "buy ABISHAG." Getting dunned again is hard on one's finances especially when one doesn't have any!
While not clean enough to eat out of, the bilge has become much cleaner than it was. Last year, I had this "mysterious" oil disappearing problem which, with the help of Cliff & Chuck, the engineering miracle workers, was solved by left oil way down deep in the bilge. The deep bilge is to "ultimate low point" of the interior of the boat, the final resting place of everything dropped in the boat. Loose anything, and you will eventually find it in the bilge . . .not that you would wanted after it has spent time therein! The bilge on ABISHAG is a little over a foot square and a good foot deep so it collects detritus and fluids quite well. The one bad bit of engineering is that it is also the location of the "show sump"." The Shower Sump is a 1 ft. square box into which drains the flow from the drains in the floor of the two heads. It is intended to trap hair and other such items to keep it from clogging the bilge pump which empties the bilge and keeps the boat afloat. The shower sump has three (3) inflow hose connections and one discharge hose connection. The discharge was intend to be connected to the bilge pump discharge hose downstream from the bilge pump and so exit the boat through the same thru-hull as the bilge pump. The show sump has a mesh trap inside to trap and collect all the nasty stuff that we exude when taking showers or washing in the sink. If you have ever had to unclog a drain in a sink or shower, you know what I am talking about. If you never have, you will one day! The entire top can be removed to that the trap can be cleaned . . not a chore that anyone who willing choose to do!
Unfortunately, somewhere in her past, one of ABISAHG's previous owners, for reason know only to them, removed to of the three hoses bring the nastiness to the sump and disconnected the discharge hose complete. There is, on the top of the shower sump box, a "float switch," a little device that lifted by rising water, turns on a pump somewhere. I am assuming, bad idea I know, that the pump it operates is inside the shower sump. When the water in the bilge rose sufficiently to lift the float switch, the rising water would also activate the regular bilge as well. Thus the water in the bilge and in the sump would be discharged together. However, the float switch is inactive. All electrical leads to the pump, wherever it might be located, are severed and, with the hoses cut, and with what remains of the dischage hose connected to nothing, the sump has fillled with oil and bilge and has been "fermenting" for years. Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of the shower sump?
Yesterday, I cleaned as much of the bilge as I would get to for you see the shower sump just about fills the entire deep bilge making it all be impossible to really clean it out. I hit it with SIMPLE GREEN, LESTOIL, DAWN Dish-washing liquid, and scrubbed with a brush, a scouring pad and lots and lots of Brawny Paper towels. To get rid of all the water, cleaning fluids and gunk, I vacuumed it all out with my wet/dry shopvac. I was able to get the almost inaccessible places in the bilge and even sucked most of "whatever" was in the shower sump out! The fluids I osaked up with two weeks worht of newspapersand dumped them into heavy duty trash bags and hauled them down the dock to the dumpster. It is clear though that the shower sump has got to go! It prevents any chance of really cleaning the bilge and, without cleaning the bilge really, really well, you get that low-grade rotten egg smell. Putting a mesh trap ( what is know for some reason as a "strum box") around the bilge pumps , automatic and manual, will make it a who lot easier. It "looks" as though the "only thing" hold int eh shower sump in place is one hose that wasn't disconnected by the previous owner. Remove that hose should free the shower sump box and open up the bilge.
Don, the magic electrician, is working on my engine. When it was winterize last year, the winterizer found that the oil got "way too hot." Eveidently it partially melted the plastic on one of the oil filters. There seems to be some question about how well or if the oil is circulating through the oil cooler. So at $60/hour, Don is trying to discover what is what. Having Don, the magic electricain, do this is great. He is a terribly honest guy, He trys to do everything he can to cut expenses. And he is a wonderful source for electrical work whose brain I pick when I can. I was having aprioblem with the SSB ( SIngle Side-Band Radio). However the power was turned on, it crackled and hummed and buzzed, not sounds that are indicative of proper operation. I disconnected it and took it to Dockside electronics, a stone's throw across the river, and they tested out the radio. It worked fine, so the problem was with the boat. I went back and reconneceted it and the problem reoccured. Do was able to talk me through tracking down the problem. It turned out to be a loose nut connecting the positive power wire to a fuse between the radio and the battery. Of course, the nut was nearly inaccessible, but I did get to it and the SSB is working just fine now. I 'll pick Don's brain more tomorrow when I see if he can walk me through discovering why the windlass doesn't work electrically.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I thought that I was through with bills from the Shipyard but it looks like I'll be getting another for Don's work. Hopefully, it will just be labor and not parts, though parts are usually the least expensive part of any work done. Hopefully, someone will come through at the last moment to, I hate to say it, "buy ABISHAG." Getting dunned again is hard on one's finances especially when one doesn't have any!
Friday, May 14, 2010
She Was In, Then Out, And Now She's In Again! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
It was, I hate to say, two(2) weeks ago that ABISHAG was lifted from the water and setup on the hard. I hate to say it for I have been rather lax in getting out the word. While on the hard I was able to paint eh bottom which was remarkably clean considering that the "last scrubbing" was back in August sometime. It took two days to paint the bottom. She got one coat this year as the ablative paint( it wears away) was in good shape, I probably could have gotten away with just painting spots but gave her a whole coating from stem to stern. I painted the transducers with a special transducer paint that which protects against marine growth (well sort of) and still allows the transducers to function. The copper in the regular bottom paint would prevent the sending and receiving of signals rendering the transducers ( for the depth sounders) from working properly.
I cleaned out the thru-hulls removing the colonies of now dead marine critters insuring the water will go in and out as it should, especially through the engine cooling system and removed the built up marine growth from the prop and the shaft. The exterior zinc, which has been on the boat for 5 years now is in sound shape and didn't need to be replaced, which surprised the heck out of me! Evidently the galvanic isolator is doing one heck of a job!
There was a significant amount of mold inside on the walls and flat surfaces, especially in the fore-peak and the forward head. It must have come in through the vent that is in front of the mast and which I stupidly forgot to remove and cover for the winter. We had lots of rain and snow and wind this past winter and with the boat closed up during those bizarre hot days of March and April, produced some serious mold issues. However, a little scrubbing with "Simple Green" removed it all and made the interior smell wonderful too.
I removed the covering from the cockpit. The blu-poly tarp survived the winter but it has now seen better days. I doubt that it will be of much used other than as a drop cloth in the future.
One of the zippers that attach the bimini(the sun-covering over the cockpit) to its frame had torn away from the bimini. I had to remove the bimini and take it below and restitch it. A two minute job on a sewing machine was a one hour task by hand, though it should now outlast the rest of the bimini.
The stuffing box was re-stuffed and, considering it hadn't been touched for several years probably has an equal number of years to go for the future. working on the stuffing box (where the shaft goes from the transmission through the hull to the prop) requires that one be in two places at once. You can access it( partially) from the side of the engine through the doors of the engine compartment in the galley passageway and (partially) from a hatch in the floor of the closet in the aft cabin. It is a seemingly endless series of a partial adjustment from the aft cabin, followed by a further adjustment from the galley side, follwed by another from the after cabin, and another from the galley, etc., etc., etc, ad infinitum! You get the picture I am sure. Fun! Fun! Fun! ! ! !
I was able to free up the clutch for the chain gypsy on the windlass. Corrosion had locked it solid but a little, actually a lot of PT BLASTER, and some gentle persuasion with a hammer made everything hunky-dory. Unfortunately, the electric motor is still non-functioning and will have to be rewired or replaced, and who knows what that will cost!
My battle with the winch on the starboard side of the mast continues. I can only partially disassemble it so I can't get to what is probably the cause of its current non-function status. I talk with a rigger a couple of years ago and told him that the outer drum would rotate but that the winch handle would not grind the winch. He felt that the reason for this was the last time, whoever serviced the winch, put the pawls in backwards. Pawls are little pieces of metal that allow the winch to turn in only one direction. I can't fathom how someone could get them in backwards but it must be the case. I tried to disassemble the winch and remove the central shaft but it is stuck fast. I tried leveraging it out. No go! I tried wedging it out. Nada! I have got to find some type of "puller" to use on it. The shaft only has to move out about 1 inch and the pawls will be disengaged from the ratchet gearing but I can't get it to move move that a few centimeters. I would take the whole thing of the mast but corrosion has welded the base to the mast and it ain't going anywhere.
I found that a cable from the auto-pilot is rubbing ever so slightly on a metal tube where it connects to the quadrant, a triangular piece of metal attached to the top of the rudder shaft so that it can do its thing. It is imparting just enough resistance to make the wheel a little bit hard to turn. If I can come up with a solution, I will fix it but right now there seems to be no real necessity to do anything other than to grease the hell out of the cable.
The Single Sideband Radio won't go on but does make a sound that sound something like an alarm. I will have to remove it and get it tested. It may have reach the end of its life. I hope not as its replacement is 4 Marine Units!
I wasn't planning to go back into the water until next week, but space constraints in the yard forced me in on Wednesday past. I won't get the sails back until next week and anyway, there is an issue with the "oil temperature'" that needs looking at and friend Ray is coming to paint the And the mooring hasn't been set. The ball will go in over the weekend so I will have someplace to go when I can go. Ah, the fun of boat ownership!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Strangely, I never expected that I would be launching ABISHAG this year. I thought for sure that she would have been bought (Curses on the horrid economy and Bernie Madoff) and i would have spend the summer on the beach or something. I would have been comforted by the fact that my financial house would have thus been in sound order but it didn't happen. Now, with the yard bill paid, unless I want an even large bill or am just willing to walk away from the boat, I will be sailing. I spent so much time convincing myself that she would sell and accepting the fact that I would be boat-less for the first time in 30 years that it is somewhat hard to grasp the fact that such is not the case. It is all very strange! What happens next, I have no idea!
It was, I hate to say, two(2) weeks ago that ABISHAG was lifted from the water and setup on the hard. I hate to say it for I have been rather lax in getting out the word. While on the hard I was able to paint eh bottom which was remarkably clean considering that the "last scrubbing" was back in August sometime. It took two days to paint the bottom. She got one coat this year as the ablative paint( it wears away) was in good shape, I probably could have gotten away with just painting spots but gave her a whole coating from stem to stern. I painted the transducers with a special transducer paint that which protects against marine growth (well sort of) and still allows the transducers to function. The copper in the regular bottom paint would prevent the sending and receiving of signals rendering the transducers ( for the depth sounders) from working properly.
I cleaned out the thru-hulls removing the colonies of now dead marine critters insuring the water will go in and out as it should, especially through the engine cooling system and removed the built up marine growth from the prop and the shaft. The exterior zinc, which has been on the boat for 5 years now is in sound shape and didn't need to be replaced, which surprised the heck out of me! Evidently the galvanic isolator is doing one heck of a job!
There was a significant amount of mold inside on the walls and flat surfaces, especially in the fore-peak and the forward head. It must have come in through the vent that is in front of the mast and which I stupidly forgot to remove and cover for the winter. We had lots of rain and snow and wind this past winter and with the boat closed up during those bizarre hot days of March and April, produced some serious mold issues. However, a little scrubbing with "Simple Green" removed it all and made the interior smell wonderful too.
I removed the covering from the cockpit. The blu-poly tarp survived the winter but it has now seen better days. I doubt that it will be of much used other than as a drop cloth in the future.
One of the zippers that attach the bimini(the sun-covering over the cockpit) to its frame had torn away from the bimini. I had to remove the bimini and take it below and restitch it. A two minute job on a sewing machine was a one hour task by hand, though it should now outlast the rest of the bimini.
The stuffing box was re-stuffed and, considering it hadn't been touched for several years probably has an equal number of years to go for the future. working on the stuffing box (where the shaft goes from the transmission through the hull to the prop) requires that one be in two places at once. You can access it( partially) from the side of the engine through the doors of the engine compartment in the galley passageway and (partially) from a hatch in the floor of the closet in the aft cabin. It is a seemingly endless series of a partial adjustment from the aft cabin, followed by a further adjustment from the galley side, follwed by another from the after cabin, and another from the galley, etc., etc., etc, ad infinitum! You get the picture I am sure. Fun! Fun! Fun! ! ! !
I was able to free up the clutch for the chain gypsy on the windlass. Corrosion had locked it solid but a little, actually a lot of PT BLASTER, and some gentle persuasion with a hammer made everything hunky-dory. Unfortunately, the electric motor is still non-functioning and will have to be rewired or replaced, and who knows what that will cost!
My battle with the winch on the starboard side of the mast continues. I can only partially disassemble it so I can't get to what is probably the cause of its current non-function status. I talk with a rigger a couple of years ago and told him that the outer drum would rotate but that the winch handle would not grind the winch. He felt that the reason for this was the last time, whoever serviced the winch, put the pawls in backwards. Pawls are little pieces of metal that allow the winch to turn in only one direction. I can't fathom how someone could get them in backwards but it must be the case. I tried to disassemble the winch and remove the central shaft but it is stuck fast. I tried leveraging it out. No go! I tried wedging it out. Nada! I have got to find some type of "puller" to use on it. The shaft only has to move out about 1 inch and the pawls will be disengaged from the ratchet gearing but I can't get it to move move that a few centimeters. I would take the whole thing of the mast but corrosion has welded the base to the mast and it ain't going anywhere.
I found that a cable from the auto-pilot is rubbing ever so slightly on a metal tube where it connects to the quadrant, a triangular piece of metal attached to the top of the rudder shaft so that it can do its thing. It is imparting just enough resistance to make the wheel a little bit hard to turn. If I can come up with a solution, I will fix it but right now there seems to be no real necessity to do anything other than to grease the hell out of the cable.
The Single Sideband Radio won't go on but does make a sound that sound something like an alarm. I will have to remove it and get it tested. It may have reach the end of its life. I hope not as its replacement is 4 Marine Units!
I wasn't planning to go back into the water until next week, but space constraints in the yard forced me in on Wednesday past. I won't get the sails back until next week and anyway, there is an issue with the "oil temperature'" that needs looking at and friend Ray is coming to paint the And the mooring hasn't been set. The ball will go in over the weekend so I will have someplace to go when I can go. Ah, the fun of boat ownership!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Strangely, I never expected that I would be launching ABISHAG this year. I thought for sure that she would have been bought (Curses on the horrid economy and Bernie Madoff) and i would have spend the summer on the beach or something. I would have been comforted by the fact that my financial house would have thus been in sound order but it didn't happen. Now, with the yard bill paid, unless I want an even large bill or am just willing to walk away from the boat, I will be sailing. I spent so much time convincing myself that she would sell and accepting the fact that I would be boat-less for the first time in 30 years that it is somewhat hard to grasp the fact that such is not the case. It is all very strange! What happens next, I have no idea!
Friday, April 23, 2010
ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL . . . .
SHIP'S LOG:
And winter has ended. Spring is here. I "hobbled" down to the shipyard for my annual scare. I went to the dock to see how ABISHAG had fared over the long winter and SHE WASN'T THERE!!!!! Of course not. They have been putting boats in the water since April 1st and the guy renting the slip I was in went into the water early and so they moved me to another slip. You would think that after all the times this has happened to me that I would be ready "not to find the boat where I left it," but no, every year I just about have a heart attack when I don't see the boat where I expect to see it. But I found her eventually, at the dock and in the slip the farthest away possible of a hobbling man.
Once On board, I took of the tarp that had been covering the cockpit over the winter. It kept the snow out but is now only useful as a drop cloth. Those blue poly tarps have a very short life span! I get her hauled as soon as I can , will paint the bottom, do the zincs, grease the seacocks, slap on the registration stickers and off we will go. I have got to be quick getting out of the yard because they charge for everything, even the air and I gots no coins.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am glad she didn't sell. I don't know exactly how we are going to swing it but sailing is better than selling.
And winter has ended. Spring is here. I "hobbled" down to the shipyard for my annual scare. I went to the dock to see how ABISHAG had fared over the long winter and SHE WASN'T THERE!!!!! Of course not. They have been putting boats in the water since April 1st and the guy renting the slip I was in went into the water early and so they moved me to another slip. You would think that after all the times this has happened to me that I would be ready "not to find the boat where I left it," but no, every year I just about have a heart attack when I don't see the boat where I expect to see it. But I found her eventually, at the dock and in the slip the farthest away possible of a hobbling man.
Once On board, I took of the tarp that had been covering the cockpit over the winter. It kept the snow out but is now only useful as a drop cloth. Those blue poly tarps have a very short life span! I get her hauled as soon as I can , will paint the bottom, do the zincs, grease the seacocks, slap on the registration stickers and off we will go. I have got to be quick getting out of the yard because they charge for everything, even the air and I gots no coins.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am glad she didn't sell. I don't know exactly how we are going to swing it but sailing is better than selling.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Fast Sin't Fast Enough!!!!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Even though everyone from the surgeon to the physical therapist says that I am doing remarkably well with my recovery, it somehow just doesn't seem fast enough. I am down to "part-time" crutch use and can move around without much if any "waddle," still it seems it should be faster. I would hate to think what I would be like if I hadn't had all of these months of "patience training"! I have got to learn how to get down on all fours and back up again without dislocating the new hip, something easier said than done. The sadist of a physical therapist, with whom I am blessed, assures me that when we've strengthened the muscles and tendons, it will be easy as pie . . . sort of.
I would presume that I'll dump the crutch by the weekend which means a serious trip to see ABISHAG! Tied as she is to a "non-floating" dock, depending on the tide, she could b even with the finger pier along her side or 2-3 feet below it. Obviously, if the deck and pier are level, getting on and off is a piece of cake. However, swinging down to the deck or crawling back up 2-3 feet is best accomplished when one is spry and nimble. And while I have never been particularly spry and nimble, I am even less so now. I would sure hate to pop the new hip while trying to get on or off the boat. The level of pain is said to be extreme and it is nothing I wish to experience ever, but I do have to get started on "das boot."
No bites, not even a nibble since the February inquiry. SO it looks like we re going to have to figure out some way to come up with the coins to sail her for the summer. "A terrible tragedy, but it looks like it will have to be done!" It is either sell or sail it and it looks like now it will be the latter.
The forecast for the summer looks good but the hurricane season looks bad. Well, everything can't be perfect!
Even though everyone from the surgeon to the physical therapist says that I am doing remarkably well with my recovery, it somehow just doesn't seem fast enough. I am down to "part-time" crutch use and can move around without much if any "waddle," still it seems it should be faster. I would hate to think what I would be like if I hadn't had all of these months of "patience training"! I have got to learn how to get down on all fours and back up again without dislocating the new hip, something easier said than done. The sadist of a physical therapist, with whom I am blessed, assures me that when we've strengthened the muscles and tendons, it will be easy as pie . . . sort of.
I would presume that I'll dump the crutch by the weekend which means a serious trip to see ABISHAG! Tied as she is to a "non-floating" dock, depending on the tide, she could b even with the finger pier along her side or 2-3 feet below it. Obviously, if the deck and pier are level, getting on and off is a piece of cake. However, swinging down to the deck or crawling back up 2-3 feet is best accomplished when one is spry and nimble. And while I have never been particularly spry and nimble, I am even less so now. I would sure hate to pop the new hip while trying to get on or off the boat. The level of pain is said to be extreme and it is nothing I wish to experience ever, but I do have to get started on "das boot."
No bites, not even a nibble since the February inquiry. SO it looks like we re going to have to figure out some way to come up with the coins to sail her for the summer. "A terrible tragedy, but it looks like it will have to be done!" It is either sell or sail it and it looks like now it will be the latter.
The forecast for the summer looks good but the hurricane season looks bad. Well, everything can't be perfect!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
And On It Goes ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
There must be someone to whom I can report my Physical Therapist! Vicious! Heartless! Unyielding! Without pity or remorse! I find it hard to believe that such workouts as I am forced to undergo can possibly be within the bound of proper medicine or even the law! When one of the little old blue-haired ladies with whom I share this therapist keep muttering "bastard" and "son-of-a-bitch" under their breath, you know something must be wrong!
Ah yes, but then, I am getting better and by the end of the week (next) should be crutchless. That's a good thing as I need to get down to start work on ABISHAG. I am acting on the assumption ( yes, I know all about not to "assume") but with only one, count 'em one(1), nibble, I dare say she won't be sold this year, which means that she will be sailed though exactly how I am going to swing this financially is still a bit of a mystery. But I love a good mystery.
There must be someone to whom I can report my Physical Therapist! Vicious! Heartless! Unyielding! Without pity or remorse! I find it hard to believe that such workouts as I am forced to undergo can possibly be within the bound of proper medicine or even the law! When one of the little old blue-haired ladies with whom I share this therapist keep muttering "bastard" and "son-of-a-bitch" under their breath, you know something must be wrong!
Ah yes, but then, I am getting better and by the end of the week (next) should be crutchless. That's a good thing as I need to get down to start work on ABISHAG. I am acting on the assumption ( yes, I know all about not to "assume") but with only one, count 'em one(1), nibble, I dare say she won't be sold this year, which means that she will be sailed though exactly how I am going to swing this financially is still a bit of a mystery. But I love a good mystery.
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