Fuel Polishing

Got my fuel polished on Friday.

An industrious fella came by, sucked all the fuel out of the 46 gallon stainless tank on the boat, centrifuged the fuel, wiped the tank clean, and then put the clean fuel back in. And it only cost 2 boat bucks.

That’s one check off the big list.

I received a mini diesel 101 class while I was watching. I learned

• where the bleed screw was
• where the manual bleed pump was
• how to use the manual pump on the primary fuel filter
• about a valve on the diesel suction line for the engine.
• how to change the raw water impeller

I’m no expert yet.

But I will be.

A Brief Conversation That I Might Have Had With My Beautiful Bride Regarding a Cruising Sailboat and Our Drinking Habits

Me: I’m a little worried about cruising and drinking.
My Beautiful Bride: What do you mean?
Me: I mean, I have to stay alert at night. What if the wind shifts or the anchor drags?
My Beautiful Bride: I’ll wake you up.
Me: Yea, but I’ll be groggy. I need to be able to make good decisions in an emergency situation.
My Beautiful Bride: And if you had 3 martinis before bed?
Me: Exactly. Daddy no wakey.
My Beautiful Bride:
Me:
My Beautiful Bride:
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: We’ll just have to get drunk in the morning.
Me: Frigging EUREKA baby! High five.
My Beautiful Bride:
Me: No. I mean it. That’s genius at work, right there.

What If My Past Work Progress On the Boat Is a Good Indicator Of Future Progress (#4 in a Series Of Thought Experiments)

See the big list (several posts ago.)

I’ve been doing a little soul searching, especially as regards my ability to comprehend and troubleshoot mechanical things. And I’d like to be honest with myself. At my current rate of progress, I’ve determined that I can do about half the things on the big list prior to leaving in October.

If I quit my job today.

And work 17 hours on the weekdays. 10 hours on the weekends.

And hire a couple guys to help me.

I am so screwed.

One Stinkin Race

Due to freaky weather conditions on the bay, we only got a single race done this weekend. As per the sailing instructions however, one race consitutes a regatta. So I guess it counts. This was only my second time racing a J/109, and my first race of 2008. Rusty is not the word. More like corroded.

Prior to the start, we identified the left shift and the heavily favored pin end of the line, and aimed to start at or near the pin. A Melges 32 tacked just to leeward of us with about 20 seconds to go, but the pin was so favored that the Melges had trouble making the pin. We quickly rolled the Melges as the gun went off and pinched out the the only other J/109 in our 4 boat PHRF fleet. The rest of the fleet went over to port. We tacked to cover the fleet after about 2 minutes, and were almost laying the windward mark.

We rounded well in first, and it was a good thing too. Because our spin set was beyond pathetic. We spent the next 3 minutes fighting an hourglass, and then overstood the leeward mark. The Melges got by us on the downwind, but they had no chance of making thier time on us because the next two legs were seriously lopsided.

It was a whole lot of weekend to give up for a single race. But the rum drinks  taste better when you get off the boat. So there is that.

Unretired

In spite of a strong commitment to -not- racing in 2008, I’m racing one of these tomorrow:

The repairs to More Cowbell can be delayed for one more weekend. It is, after all, just one more weekend, right?

Sure.

And if you were wondering: Yes, It feels a lot like Christmas.

Where Do You Put Your Links?

I need a centralized place to put my links. I use at least 3 different computers regularly, and I cannot bear to be disconnected from my favorite internet site, just because I’ve forgotten the link, or have no direct access to the computer where I’ve bookmarked the link.

How do you manage links across multiple machines? Can someone please recommend a good free link collection/aggregation web service with convenient access?

As a stop-gap measure, I jammed some links on Bethancourt World; My Links. Some of the sailing stuff is pretty good. Most of the rest of it makes me realize just how nerdy I am.

Thunderball Grotto

Grotto - Crypt\ (kr[i^]pt), n. [L. crypta vault, crypt, Gr. kry`pth, fr. kry`ptein to hide. See Grot, Grotto.] 
1. A vault wholly or partly under ground; especially, a vault under a church, whether used for burial purposes or for a subterranean chapel or oratory.

This is where they filmed part of the 007 movie, Thunderball. And where we’ll be by Christmas. According to the intertubes, the entrance is completely submerged at high tide. That means you have to swim underwater to get inside.

Oooooh… we can barely wait.

The Big List

Lots of people ask what we’re going to do prior to leaving on our cruise. Of course, we make a list. I’m currently using a Basecamp free account (just google it, it’s cool) to keep track of boat projects. See below for a current todo list. If this is interesting to anyone, I’ll see about doing some kind of live update.

Safety Todo

• re-certify life raft
• new battery for Epirb
• purchase backup gps
• need horn
• need flares
• check equipment against Coast Guard list and against offshore Cat0 list

 

More Cowbell General Work

• refurbish outboard
• stove - fix/replace sparking device
• ssb - attach antennae wire to backstay, test
• troubleshoot vhf radio cockpit mike
• wind generator, repair replace tail piece and output wiring
• troubleshoot/repair diesel heater
• anti-siphon hose should be heat rated
• service engine throttle controls - WD40?
• remark AC and DC electrical panels with new labels
• add placard for discharge of solid waste at sea
• tidy up wiring
• stern light is using the boat’s bonding system - horrible for corrosion, inspect the rest of the boat.
• eliminate all wiring going directly to ship’s batteries (Except for perhaps a bilge pump)
• add a cover to the starting battery bank
• double clamp all raw water hoses and everything under the water line
• clean fuel tanks, service fuel filters
• repair/replace jury rigged fuel line to the diesel heater, the line should be of an approved type for a fuel line
• service and recertify fire extinguishers
• redo securing bolts on cabin steps
• mount forward fire extinguisher on coast guard approved mount
• tension windvane steering lines so as to avoid interference with the steering quadrant or the autopilot
• service winches
• add a piece of line to the all chain anchor rode, so that it may be cut from deck
• repair/remove transom boarding ladder
• new canvas - cost and opportunity
• replace/rig reefing lines
• replace vang, traveller, and mainsheet lines
• learn how to do weather faxes, sailmail
• repair/replace inverter

 

Sort Personal Life

• cancel memberships, subscriptions, etc…
• find home school for Sam and acquire course materials
• catch-up Dana’s resume
• catch-up David’s resume
• make Bethancourt burgee
• cost and acquire health insurance
• Sell Lincoln
• sell BMW
• change mailing address (to Michigan?) 

Make House Ready For Sale/Rental

• paint stairwell and living room
• declutter!
• sign in the front yard?
• contact real-estate agent
• paint side door
• fix dog pen gate

 

A Conversation I Might Have Had With My Beautiful Bride, On a Cold Winter’s Night Some Years Ago

Me: Damn, it’s cold.
My Beautiful Bride: This new J Crew catalog rocks!
Me: Cold.
My Beautiful Bride: And I found this really cute top. It’s red with white.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Not white with red; y’know mostly red. It’s got good support. I’ll need to buy some shorts to go with it, of course.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Here. Look at this. See. Good support.
Me: Aren’t you cold?
My Beautiful Bride: And this sweater looks way cool. I think I’ll get it too.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Oooh! And these flats would match the sweater.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: Do you think these brown shoes would match?
Me:
My Beautiful Bride:
Me: Wanna go cruising?
My Beautiful Bride: ok.
Me: I don’t mean like for a weekend. I mean for a year or so. Quit our jobs. Caribbean. Rum drinks. Palm trees. Like that.
My Beautiful Bride: I said ok.
Me: You serious?
My Beautiful Bride: Did I stutter?
Me: Ok. Fall of 2008; We are out of here.
My Beautiful Bride: Fine.
Me:
My Beautiful Bride:
Me:
My Beautiful Bride: I know you’re cold. I’m cold too. This house does have a thermostat, lazybones.  So does the brown match?
Me: Nah. Too dark. The peep toe heels look better anyway. Try pairing them with the knit cardigan on page 12.
My Beautiful Bride: I was thinking of that!
Me: Great minds…

Consider Yourself Warned

We’re having a reasonably large gathering (ok, it’s a party) at the boat on Saturday evening for the purpose of denaming the boat. Ceremonially. See John Vigor’s prose in a previous entry on this blog. We’ll also be revealing the new boat name. I’m not saying it’s gonna be a big deal, but we recently ordered a third keg, hired a dj, and arranged for a bartender and a helper for serving cocktails. The word *epic* is being thrown around.

Standard invite rules apply. If you can read this, you’re invited. Email me davidbethancourt[at-sign-goes-here]gmail.com for more information.

If you don’t like loud rock and roll music, you may want to steer clear of our boat on Saturday.