T-4 Days And Counting

We changed the oil in the diesel for the first time today. Vincent came over and helped. For those of you not familiar with marine diesels, the procedure goes a little something like this:

stick a thin tube down the dipstick hole til it bottoms out the bottom of the oil pan

attach a paper-weight sized centrifugal pump to the end of the thin tube sticking out of the motor (input side of the pump)

attach a bigger tube to the output end of the pump

run the output tube into an old tin bucket

spill a little oil

attach your cordless drill to the centrifugal pump and spin that baby!

watch your oil pump out of the dipstick hole and into the tin bucket

accidentally spill oil everywhere

wonder if the oil is milky

is there water in the oil?

oh sh!t.

spill more oil

decide that there probably is not any water in the oil

remove the oil filter

try to remember where the new filter lives

argue with your wife about who stowed the oil filters where, and whether or not a fuel filter will screw onto the oil filter hole

screw on the new filter (oil filter)

spill some more oil

put 5 quarts of oil into an oil sump that the manual quite clearly states should contain 7 quarts

clean everything up

clean some more because you missed some stuff

cross your fingers and start the motor

We will likely be leaving for Key West some time next week. We should have the boat ready by Monday. Then we’ll just wait for a norther.

Just a Few More Days

Since moving on to the boat two weeks ago, my days have been filled with boat projects. It’s been a sort of continuation of the work that we put in to get the house ready for rental after hurricane Ike. Ironically, I’m on my mid life sabbatical and I feel like I’m still at work. Hopefully, the boat work phase will pass and I’ll be sipping mai tais on the beach in another month or so.

We’ll probably spend the weekend in College Station, visiting Chelsea and dropping cars with my sister. Then we’ll sail out of here on the first Norther. First stop should be Key West. Then up the keys to Miami. And then across the Gulf Stream to Bimini.

Here is a small sampler of the boat tasks we’ve accomplished recently. These are just the items on the safety list. We’ve got a longer, optional task list that still has about 50 todo items remaining.

check equipment against Coast Guard list and against offshore racing Cat 0 list

evaluate 35 lb CQR – primary. Is it big enough? -we’re gonna try it. The size is right on the edge for our boat. A 45 pounder would be better.

evaluate safety harnesses for everyone

practice reefing, setting storm sails

pick-up mob pole from Mike, install on backstay

purchase/acquire emergency medicines

order compression fitting for inner forestay

tune rig for 20+

replace lifelines

sew chafe material into jib halyard, main halyard

replace standing rigging

do shakedown cruise (offshore, probably overnight)

re-certify life raft, pick up on Monday 9/8/2008

eval/puchase mob pole

purchase pins for lever, install inner forestay

replace/rig reefing lines

install outhaul

get ssb working (need offshore weather)

install MOB pole on lifelines

call for help with SSB

build tie down for jerry jugs

replace inner forestay halyard

buy spotlight

do MMSI registration

buy binocs

purchase and install radar reflector

fume proof Sam’s cabin

purchase sheets for staysail, storm trysail

repair inspection hatch above water tank

rework mob pole with quick pin

 

Living On a Boat

We’re officially boat bums. For the last three nights, Dana, Sam, and I have been sleeping on the boat.

In the last throes of the Houston Summer.

Yes. I know summer offically ends in August. But in Houston, Summer tends to linger. Sometimes til November. And since our marina does not yet have electricity, we cannot run the A/C. It could be worse. At least the humidity is only 95%.

I sleep in a pool of my own sweat.

Romantic, huh?

On the Way To the Renaissance

I’m typing this from the passenger seat of the Durango. Dana is driving us to Magnolia, Texas, to attend the Renaissance Festival. We’ll be camping Friday and Saturday night in the family campground. And attending the festival by day.

Lots has happened in the last few weeks. Hurrican Ike put two feet of water on our bottom floor. We’ve been working every day from sun up to sun down to repair the damage. Looks like the insurance company (USAA) is going to treat us right. So we should be fine

I quit my job last week. Dana’s last day is Monday. We rented the house. We’re moving on to the boat on Monday. Our cruise has been delayed by Ike, but not abandoned.

The stock market is kicking my @ss. Lots of our cruising funds are tied up in Halliburton stock. Halliburton has fallen from $55 to $18. Our cruise is looking to be shorter and shorter.