SHIP'S LOG:
At Last, At Last, At Last . . . . I write this from the upstairs lounge of TYC and 100 yards away, ABISHAG rests peacefully at the dock. Yes, SUMMER has truly begun. HUZZAH! ! ! ! !
Russ Kennedy and Tim Duffy joined me for the trip from Portland(Goodbye!) to New London (Hello!) on what could only be described as a perfect day! The wind was blowing 10 - 15 knots, gusts to 20,out of the Northwest shift later to the Southwest. The only negative, if you wanted to count it, was that we were battling the tide on the run up the Sound from Saybrook to New London but with the wind, we still averaged 6.5 knots topping out at 8! in the gusts and when surfing. It was fantastic for a first day sail.
The trip down the Connecticut River was uneventful which is a good thing. The only thing of note was the rather shallow water depths just south of the Pratt & Whitney Plant. For the most part now, the is little in the way of commercial traffic going up and down the river and as a result there is little reason for them, whoever "them" are, to do the needed dredging. As a result, it is beginning to silt-up badly in several places, more the further north you go. We actually had to slow down and creep around the corner and the depth actually played with the 9-10 foot mark but that was as low as it went. Drawing 5.5 feet, it was a little cause for concern but it was only momentary. And aside from that, it was no muss, no fuss. It was interesting to see that the depths on the chart and what we were reading on the depth sounder were not always in agreement. Some places were more filled in and others were scowered out, though the fill-ins out numbered the scrower-outers.
On second thought, there were two things that happened that were amusing and each involved one of the two bridges we had to pass on the river. At the East Hadem Swing Bridge, which opens on the half hour, we got there in place about 11:15 and so had to wait. We used the time to have lunch and help out another sailboater waiting for the bridge with a radio problem he was having. It was a fun way to past the time and wait for the 11:30. At 11:30, the warning bells and horn went off, the gates dropped, the cars stopped and the bridge didn't open! Something was stuck and the poor woman bridge tender was really embarrassed and so apologetic. It wasn't a long delay, about 12 minutes, so it didn't have much of an impact on us. However since the bridge, like most these days, once it started to open, couldn't be closed until it was all the way open. This caused a problem for the State Police who came roaring up to the barrier, lights flashing, siren wailing, just after the bridge started its swing. When we passed through the bridge, I thanked the tender over the radio and she apologized again. When I mentioned that the Staties must be really upset, she brushed it off saying that when they come by "on the job" they are supposed to call ahead and notify the bridge tender and ascertain the status of the bridge. These guys didn't call an so she said it was their own fault.
Down near the mouth of the river is the Lyme Railroad bridge. As we cross under the Baldwin Bridge (I-95), I called the Railroad bridge and asked when their next opening was. I did this more to find out if it was back in regular service. It had been very restricted in service for several weeks and surprisingly it is tough to get up-to-date info on its status. The bridge tender told up to get up close, in bridge terms less than 100 yards and call again. Between the time we called and then got to the 100 yard spot, two trains cross the bridge in opposite direction. Once the second one pass the tender called us and told us he was opening the bridge and then proceeded to launch into a long mechanical history about the bridge - it's 105 years old; it has a different operating system now than when he started 45 years ago; it moves at 50% slower speed opening and 20% slower speed than closing than when he started; it has "chimpanzee controls" rather than controlling with levers the bridge so that he can raise and lower it to the degree needed, now he just has to push a button but like most bridges, once pushed it has to open all the way before it will be able to be closed. He went on and on and on. I think he was lonely.
With the great flooding of the river (thank goodness no debris) and the good wind we made the trip in seven hours which is an hour better than last year.However, this was a more pleasant and enjoyable trip. Still, it was also exhuming as I am certainly out of sailing shape after the winter. But I am here now and all is right with the world.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Waiting! Waiting! Waiting! etc . . . . . . .
SHIP'S LOG:
ABISHAG has been sitting patiently at "C" Dock at Yankee Boatyard in Portland all set and ready to go. Unfortunately, it isn't anything wrong with her that is hold the departure back, it is what is wrong with my bank account, too few Marine Units. Actually, I have almost all of it and hopefully will have it all by the end of the week. Then it will be clear sailing if:
a.) there is not a lot of flotsam & jetsam washing down the Connecticut River after the deluge of the past week;
b.) if the Lyme Railroad Bridge is functioning normally;
c.) if the wind moderates just a tad;
d.) if the storms are over for awhile.
If it all works out, I should be at TYC by the weekend but I have learned never to make "firm" plans more than 24 - 48 hours in advance as things have a way of changing and sometimes just don't work out as you want. Ask George Armstrong Custer about plans.
ABISHAG has been sitting patiently at "C" Dock at Yankee Boatyard in Portland all set and ready to go. Unfortunately, it isn't anything wrong with her that is hold the departure back, it is what is wrong with my bank account, too few Marine Units. Actually, I have almost all of it and hopefully will have it all by the end of the week. Then it will be clear sailing if:
a.) there is not a lot of flotsam & jetsam washing down the Connecticut River after the deluge of the past week;
b.) if the Lyme Railroad Bridge is functioning normally;
c.) if the wind moderates just a tad;
d.) if the storms are over for awhile.
If it all works out, I should be at TYC by the weekend but I have learned never to make "firm" plans more than 24 - 48 hours in advance as things have a way of changing and sometimes just don't work out as you want. Ask George Armstrong Custer about plans.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The 3 H's
SHIP'S LOG:
Yesterday was like a late July, early August day. It was hazy, hot & humid. It is a day when you want to be on the water. It is a day to go sailing . . . and so I did. True, ABISHAG is still tied to a dock up in Portland, but she "ain't the only girl at the dance."
Jim Avery makes sure that his boat, a Nonsuch 26, is in the water on April Fool's Day. Now Jim is a little long in the tooth and his daughter, Ellen, doesn't like it when he goes sailing by himself. However, Jim wants to go sailing every day the sun comes up, so he is always looking for crew. All it took was a simple phone call and we spent the afternoon enjoying a very relaxing sail during which we basically had the ocean to ourselves. It really was a perfect day. one of those that you wish could go on forever. However, all good things must come to an end. The worst part was climbing back into to my "hot" car for the "hot" ride back to my "hot" residence. I was actually kind of hoping that the heat and humidity would produce a nice thunderstorm but such was not the case and that actually made sleeping a little difficult at night, as a house just doesn't orient itself to the evening breeze!
Yesterday was like a late July, early August day. It was hazy, hot & humid. It is a day when you want to be on the water. It is a day to go sailing . . . and so I did. True, ABISHAG is still tied to a dock up in Portland, but she "ain't the only girl at the dance."
Jim Avery makes sure that his boat, a Nonsuch 26, is in the water on April Fool's Day. Now Jim is a little long in the tooth and his daughter, Ellen, doesn't like it when he goes sailing by himself. However, Jim wants to go sailing every day the sun comes up, so he is always looking for crew. All it took was a simple phone call and we spent the afternoon enjoying a very relaxing sail during which we basically had the ocean to ourselves. It really was a perfect day. one of those that you wish could go on forever. However, all good things must come to an end. The worst part was climbing back into to my "hot" car for the "hot" ride back to my "hot" residence. I was actually kind of hoping that the heat and humidity would produce a nice thunderstorm but such was not the case and that actually made sleeping a little difficult at night, as a house just doesn't orient itself to the evening breeze!
Friday, May 17, 2013
In The Water . . . Summer Must Be Here!
SHIP'S LOG:
I just noticed that it has been almost 10 days since the last post. Time sure flies when you are having fun. well, it hasn't exactly been fun but it hasn't been awful either. working on the boat, no matter how hard and frustrating it can be at times, is always a strangely relaxing experience. It does however remind me just how old I am getting. The aches and pains and stiffness I wake up with each day seem to be getting worse.
I won't try to get the chronology right so let me just say that I "launched" on the 14th. I was, by that time, really doing only busy work. The day before I had gone all around the hull filling and painting the dings that i picked up last season, mostly from docking attempt and some from blind launch drivers. That is a bad thing about dark colored hulls, they show up ever scrape, every scratch, ever mark. It is not really a necessary thing as it can all be done dockside or even from a dinghy, but it is easier ashore. I was right in the middle of that project when Abe the yard manager comes buy and asks if I was ready to go into the water. When they haul the boats out in the fall, they try to set them on the hard in the order they wish to go back into the water, those going in the earliest nearest the water. it is a way of managing the limit yard space efficiently. I had hoped to be going in sometime during the second week of May but those plans got tossed into a cocked hat when they "finally" decided to work on my wind generator. When they couldn't get it working, they sent it to some firm in Florida and we have been waiting for its return. Since they had to go up some 60 feet ion a man lift and the thing would fit on the docks, we had to wait for it to return ashore so that they could install it. I am not sure when it arrived but by late in the afternoon on Monday, they had parked the man-lift by my boat so that indicated that they had it. when I got there Tuesday morning, the wind generator was back up on the Mizzen Mast. Of course, there was no wind to test the job the company did on the rebuild, but they did send a complementary replacement blade and some sort of replacement piece for the hub. I have no idea why, but I'll take anything they are giving.
They wanted to move my boat because ABISHAG was blocking access ti the boat directly behind which was contracted to go in the water on the 15th. But before they go be moved, I had to be moved to a new spot either on land or in the water. Since one move is less labor intensive than two, they decided to launch me, which is what they did.
Launching the boat is always a source of serious anxiety for me. I am always sure that there is something major that I have forgotten to take care of and that she will sink on the spot. i had been planning to re-do the stuffing box, not because there was a problem but just because it is a good thing to do regularly. I had disassembled it but had not gotten to finish the job. As a result I had to reassemble it and was anxious that it was done right. It leaked of course, but they always will until they take up enough water and seal. Still there is something unnerving about having water coming into your boat while you are tightening down the stuffing box. It is awkward getting at it and I need a special wrench which is a cheap piece of crap and the whole business is a pain. Water is spurting and there I am holding a flash light with one hand and the wrench in the other, laying over the engine trying to tighten down the stuffing box, all the time thinking about sinking to the bottom of the Connecticut River. But it did get tightened down and ABISHAG didn't sink so that anxiety attack passed. And the engine worked too. And the steering as well. And ABISHAG safely got down to "C" Dock and all seemed right with the world.
The next day I went up and got the sails and bent them on. It rain during the whole procedure. Not a lot of rain, just hard enough to be a pain and make the evolution just that much more difficult. But the sails are on. The engine runs. The lines are all in their proper places. Though the batteries are not really doing a good job hold a charge and Josh, the local electrician-magician thinks the charge/inverter is problematic, ABISHAG is ready to go. All I have to do is:
1.) Find out the schedule for the Lyme/Saybrook Railroad Bridge;
2.) Get some good weather;
3.) Get some crew so we can do the two-car tango;
4.) Pay the Yard Bill.
Number 4 may be a bit of a chore!
I just noticed that it has been almost 10 days since the last post. Time sure flies when you are having fun. well, it hasn't exactly been fun but it hasn't been awful either. working on the boat, no matter how hard and frustrating it can be at times, is always a strangely relaxing experience. It does however remind me just how old I am getting. The aches and pains and stiffness I wake up with each day seem to be getting worse.
I won't try to get the chronology right so let me just say that I "launched" on the 14th. I was, by that time, really doing only busy work. The day before I had gone all around the hull filling and painting the dings that i picked up last season, mostly from docking attempt and some from blind launch drivers. That is a bad thing about dark colored hulls, they show up ever scrape, every scratch, ever mark. It is not really a necessary thing as it can all be done dockside or even from a dinghy, but it is easier ashore. I was right in the middle of that project when Abe the yard manager comes buy and asks if I was ready to go into the water. When they haul the boats out in the fall, they try to set them on the hard in the order they wish to go back into the water, those going in the earliest nearest the water. it is a way of managing the limit yard space efficiently. I had hoped to be going in sometime during the second week of May but those plans got tossed into a cocked hat when they "finally" decided to work on my wind generator. When they couldn't get it working, they sent it to some firm in Florida and we have been waiting for its return. Since they had to go up some 60 feet ion a man lift and the thing would fit on the docks, we had to wait for it to return ashore so that they could install it. I am not sure when it arrived but by late in the afternoon on Monday, they had parked the man-lift by my boat so that indicated that they had it. when I got there Tuesday morning, the wind generator was back up on the Mizzen Mast. Of course, there was no wind to test the job the company did on the rebuild, but they did send a complementary replacement blade and some sort of replacement piece for the hub. I have no idea why, but I'll take anything they are giving.
They wanted to move my boat because ABISHAG was blocking access ti the boat directly behind which was contracted to go in the water on the 15th. But before they go be moved, I had to be moved to a new spot either on land or in the water. Since one move is less labor intensive than two, they decided to launch me, which is what they did.
Launching the boat is always a source of serious anxiety for me. I am always sure that there is something major that I have forgotten to take care of and that she will sink on the spot. i had been planning to re-do the stuffing box, not because there was a problem but just because it is a good thing to do regularly. I had disassembled it but had not gotten to finish the job. As a result I had to reassemble it and was anxious that it was done right. It leaked of course, but they always will until they take up enough water and seal. Still there is something unnerving about having water coming into your boat while you are tightening down the stuffing box. It is awkward getting at it and I need a special wrench which is a cheap piece of crap and the whole business is a pain. Water is spurting and there I am holding a flash light with one hand and the wrench in the other, laying over the engine trying to tighten down the stuffing box, all the time thinking about sinking to the bottom of the Connecticut River. But it did get tightened down and ABISHAG didn't sink so that anxiety attack passed. And the engine worked too. And the steering as well. And ABISHAG safely got down to "C" Dock and all seemed right with the world.
The next day I went up and got the sails and bent them on. It rain during the whole procedure. Not a lot of rain, just hard enough to be a pain and make the evolution just that much more difficult. But the sails are on. The engine runs. The lines are all in their proper places. Though the batteries are not really doing a good job hold a charge and Josh, the local electrician-magician thinks the charge/inverter is problematic, ABISHAG is ready to go. All I have to do is:
1.) Find out the schedule for the Lyme/Saybrook Railroad Bridge;
2.) Get some good weather;
3.) Get some crew so we can do the two-car tango;
4.) Pay the Yard Bill.
Number 4 may be a bit of a chore!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
More Busy Work
SHIP'S LOG:
Back when I made the trip down the ICW, as a precaution against getting caught short of fuel, I set up an arrangement of the back deck to hold a couple of jerry cans of emergency fuel. I can't recall if there ever was such an emergency, but it was a nice safety net to have. Now, however, I really have no need for the arrangement and so I removed the bolt-eyes that had been screwed into the back deck, through which I ran lines that secured the "emergency fuel" cans. It was a simple procedure that nonetheless took a couple of hours. I had to back out the bolts, dig out and sand off the the caulking, removed any of the balsa core that had been compromised, mix up the fairing compound and fill the holes (10), let it dry, sand it smooth and then paint. As I said, nothing complex just time consuming.
I also found that using boot striping tape doesn't work to repair the vinyl Bimini. I will have to come up with another "brilliant" fix. Right now I am leaning toward some heavy-duty sail repair tape. This should be better than vinyl repair tape for two reasons, #1 - it is much more flexible and is actually intended to flex; #2 - it will have better adhesive; and #3 - perhaps most important, I already have some and won't have to spend any money on something new which may or may not work.
No word on the repairs to the wind generator nor on the repairs to the Lyme Railroad Drawbridge. II ain't going nowhere without some movement on those two fronts.
Back when I made the trip down the ICW, as a precaution against getting caught short of fuel, I set up an arrangement of the back deck to hold a couple of jerry cans of emergency fuel. I can't recall if there ever was such an emergency, but it was a nice safety net to have. Now, however, I really have no need for the arrangement and so I removed the bolt-eyes that had been screwed into the back deck, through which I ran lines that secured the "emergency fuel" cans. It was a simple procedure that nonetheless took a couple of hours. I had to back out the bolts, dig out and sand off the the caulking, removed any of the balsa core that had been compromised, mix up the fairing compound and fill the holes (10), let it dry, sand it smooth and then paint. As I said, nothing complex just time consuming.
I also found that using boot striping tape doesn't work to repair the vinyl Bimini. I will have to come up with another "brilliant" fix. Right now I am leaning toward some heavy-duty sail repair tape. This should be better than vinyl repair tape for two reasons, #1 - it is much more flexible and is actually intended to flex; #2 - it will have better adhesive; and #3 - perhaps most important, I already have some and won't have to spend any money on something new which may or may not work.
No word on the repairs to the wind generator nor on the repairs to the Lyme Railroad Drawbridge. II ain't going nowhere without some movement on those two fronts.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
BUsy Work! Busy Work! Busy Work! Busy Work! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Basically, everything is ready for the launch except for the return and installation of the wind generator for which I wait with great anticipation. As a result, I spend my time whittling down the never-ending projects list, necessary but not vitally important things that need doing. None would prevent the launch. All could be done in the water. Everyone is a pain in the butt, but since I have the time, I might as well knock off a few.
There were five(5) significant gouges in the topsides that need to be filled and fared and painted. Considering the bullet-proof nature of the hull, it wasn't the case of preventing sinking the boat, indeed all were way above the waterline, but rather they would be more in the nature of a cosmetic fix. It is a pretty straight forward procedure: a.) clean out the gouges; b.) outline with masking tape; c.) mix up some epoxy filler and apply it to the gouges; d.) smooth the filler; e.) let the filler harden; f.) sand off the excess and fare it; g.) remove residue with paint thinner; h.) paint. With all the dings and scratches on the hull that have been filled and paint and those which have not, it is getting to the time when a new paint job might be in ABISHAG's future. . . . . .right after Publishers Clearing House finds me!
Having re-caulked the seam in the cockpit Friday, I had to trim it out. This again had me removing the outline of masking tape, which prevents the caulking from just going anywhere it wants, and trimming away globs of stuff where it had unintentionally collected.Then the cockpit grating was put back in place and no one will ever be the wiser.
I am trying to get one more season out of the Bimini. It is old. It is made of vinyl. It had been exposed to the sun too long and has become brittle and inflexible and prone to tearing. There was one major tear where it rubs against part of the support frame and if left untreated, it will tear completely across. There are also several "pre-tears" that need to be addressed before the become the real thing. I could find nothing to deal with the situation, plus fact that I didn't have the coins to make the purchase of such a product . . . if it existed. There probably is something out there but I haven't found it. In the end, I used a roll of boot-stripe tape that I had in the "what-not" spare parts locker. It's the wrong color but "any port in a storm." It might work but then again it might not, I'll just have to wait and see. Doing the tape job was relatively easy as I took the Bimini off its frame. The toughest part was getting it back on again by myself. It just didn't want to cooperate at all and getting it done took longer than the entire "fixing part" of the project.If this tape works, i will try it on the cockpit cushions which are as old as the Bimini and in as rough shape.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I will wash and wax the hull, which should insure some serious rain during the week.
Basically, everything is ready for the launch except for the return and installation of the wind generator for which I wait with great anticipation. As a result, I spend my time whittling down the never-ending projects list, necessary but not vitally important things that need doing. None would prevent the launch. All could be done in the water. Everyone is a pain in the butt, but since I have the time, I might as well knock off a few.
There were five(5) significant gouges in the topsides that need to be filled and fared and painted. Considering the bullet-proof nature of the hull, it wasn't the case of preventing sinking the boat, indeed all were way above the waterline, but rather they would be more in the nature of a cosmetic fix. It is a pretty straight forward procedure: a.) clean out the gouges; b.) outline with masking tape; c.) mix up some epoxy filler and apply it to the gouges; d.) smooth the filler; e.) let the filler harden; f.) sand off the excess and fare it; g.) remove residue with paint thinner; h.) paint. With all the dings and scratches on the hull that have been filled and paint and those which have not, it is getting to the time when a new paint job might be in ABISHAG's future. . . . . .right after Publishers Clearing House finds me!
Having re-caulked the seam in the cockpit Friday, I had to trim it out. This again had me removing the outline of masking tape, which prevents the caulking from just going anywhere it wants, and trimming away globs of stuff where it had unintentionally collected.Then the cockpit grating was put back in place and no one will ever be the wiser.
I am trying to get one more season out of the Bimini. It is old. It is made of vinyl. It had been exposed to the sun too long and has become brittle and inflexible and prone to tearing. There was one major tear where it rubs against part of the support frame and if left untreated, it will tear completely across. There are also several "pre-tears" that need to be addressed before the become the real thing. I could find nothing to deal with the situation, plus fact that I didn't have the coins to make the purchase of such a product . . . if it existed. There probably is something out there but I haven't found it. In the end, I used a roll of boot-stripe tape that I had in the "what-not" spare parts locker. It's the wrong color but "any port in a storm." It might work but then again it might not, I'll just have to wait and see. Doing the tape job was relatively easy as I took the Bimini off its frame. The toughest part was getting it back on again by myself. It just didn't want to cooperate at all and getting it done took longer than the entire "fixing part" of the project.If this tape works, i will try it on the cockpit cushions which are as old as the Bimini and in as rough shape.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I will wash and wax the hull, which should insure some serious rain during the week.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
ABISHAG IS READY FOR THE WATER! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
The last of the odious tasks is done (bottom paint) and ABISHAG is ready for the water. True, there are a whole host of endless little tasks that can be done, will be done (eventually) and are being done, but for all intensive purposes, she is ready to go . . . . So, why haven't we gone?
The major hold-up is the fact that the wind generator is not back from its repair trip to Florida. I can't launch without the wind generator as it needs to be re-installed and tested before I depart for TYC.
Another "minor issue" is that the Lyme Railroad Bridge (draw) is broken again. Last fall, for the 10 day period before Columbus Day weekend, when a number of boats form the club trek north for the winter, there were issues with the same bridge. It spans the Connecticut River between Lyme and Old Saybrook and, with only 19 feet clearance in the down position, if it is not functioning, it can raise havoc with travel plans. Evidently last year's repair was a temporary fix. Being a rather old structure one can't by the necessary parts off the shelf to make a more substantial, permanent fix. I would presume that whoever owns the bridge felt that the trains using it had priority over the boats sailing under it. It makes sense, but now that their search for replacement part(s) has come up empty, new "custom" parts need to be fabricated and that takes time and money. They don't wish to operate the bridge too often less it get stuck in the raised position, shutting down the rail traffic between Boston and New York. I am not completely sure of the times but rather than opening on the half hour, trains permitting, it will open for an hour only two or three times a day. This will make the journey I would not tray to make the river passage at night so that means a daytime run. The bridge will be open from 6-6:30pm but it will me a transit to New London in twilight and eventual darkness. You also have to deal with the tides as you approach the Sound make trip just a little bit more of a challenge. One of the Club Members is making the trip sometime this weekend and I'll check with him to see how he handled it.
Until the wind generator gets back and installed, I will have to content myself with whittling away the "projects" list. Yesterday was spend ripping the caulking out of the seam of the hatch in the cockpit floor through which on can remove the engine. With dental pick and utility knife, I removed the caulking and then taped the edges of the seam and then put in new caulking. As always seems the case, no matter how careful I am, a get some caulking somewhere on my hands or arms or feet - somewhere - and leave little dabs of it everywhere until I see and clean it off. Then I have to go around and remove the trail of spots. Ah, such fun. I also washed the waterline. It had a two year build up of brown scum that resisted every single cleaning preparation. I came up with a new one, sand from the boatyard. I wet the waterline stripe down, picked up some sand, pit it on a sponge, rubbed it a p\bit and washed it off. And it worked. Go figure.
Fred came by and discussed re-doing the stuffing box pack and dismantling the flange that connects the shaft to the transmission and lubing it. Both have potential to grow into more projects than I would care to handle or would be competent to handle, and I already have a list. Oh, it is never ending. Perhaps we can tackle it before the wind generator gets back. Perhaps I'll win the Lottery. Who knows?
The last of the odious tasks is done (bottom paint) and ABISHAG is ready for the water. True, there are a whole host of endless little tasks that can be done, will be done (eventually) and are being done, but for all intensive purposes, she is ready to go . . . . So, why haven't we gone?
The major hold-up is the fact that the wind generator is not back from its repair trip to Florida. I can't launch without the wind generator as it needs to be re-installed and tested before I depart for TYC.
Another "minor issue" is that the Lyme Railroad Bridge (draw) is broken again. Last fall, for the 10 day period before Columbus Day weekend, when a number of boats form the club trek north for the winter, there were issues with the same bridge. It spans the Connecticut River between Lyme and Old Saybrook and, with only 19 feet clearance in the down position, if it is not functioning, it can raise havoc with travel plans. Evidently last year's repair was a temporary fix. Being a rather old structure one can't by the necessary parts off the shelf to make a more substantial, permanent fix. I would presume that whoever owns the bridge felt that the trains using it had priority over the boats sailing under it. It makes sense, but now that their search for replacement part(s) has come up empty, new "custom" parts need to be fabricated and that takes time and money. They don't wish to operate the bridge too often less it get stuck in the raised position, shutting down the rail traffic between Boston and New York. I am not completely sure of the times but rather than opening on the half hour, trains permitting, it will open for an hour only two or three times a day. This will make the journey I would not tray to make the river passage at night so that means a daytime run. The bridge will be open from 6-6:30pm but it will me a transit to New London in twilight and eventual darkness. You also have to deal with the tides as you approach the Sound make trip just a little bit more of a challenge. One of the Club Members is making the trip sometime this weekend and I'll check with him to see how he handled it.
Until the wind generator gets back and installed, I will have to content myself with whittling away the "projects" list. Yesterday was spend ripping the caulking out of the seam of the hatch in the cockpit floor through which on can remove the engine. With dental pick and utility knife, I removed the caulking and then taped the edges of the seam and then put in new caulking. As always seems the case, no matter how careful I am, a get some caulking somewhere on my hands or arms or feet - somewhere - and leave little dabs of it everywhere until I see and clean it off. Then I have to go around and remove the trail of spots. Ah, such fun. I also washed the waterline. It had a two year build up of brown scum that resisted every single cleaning preparation. I came up with a new one, sand from the boatyard. I wet the waterline stripe down, picked up some sand, pit it on a sponge, rubbed it a p\bit and washed it off. And it worked. Go figure.
Fred came by and discussed re-doing the stuffing box pack and dismantling the flange that connects the shaft to the transmission and lubing it. Both have potential to grow into more projects than I would care to handle or would be competent to handle, and I already have a list. Oh, it is never ending. Perhaps we can tackle it before the wind generator gets back. Perhaps I'll win the Lottery. Who knows?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
