Poseidon is back (finally) to his standard nap schedule. So, we lock him in his berth with a lee cloth and let him sleep while we get stuff done. The boat is staying much cleaner and there are fewer flying objects that have not been secured. He is being an absolute angel. He ate half of my raspberries this morning and almost as much of my yogurt. He is trying to walk around everywhere. And, since daddy was watching him while I worked on the generator (just wait), I made sure he had his full allotment of prunes! Poseidon has also become a fan of the sparkling apple juice in the small glass bottles that I brought onboard as a treat. He is currently taking the floor apart as I write this. Remember those foam letters I said I put down? Well, they are now puzzle pieces to him. You never know what you are going to get walking through the companionway and main cabin. Oh, and daddy...look at this plastic bag of "O"-rings I found... :)
I saw 9.03 knots today. It was a split second, but I saw it. We are still running under a double-reefed main and half-jib during the day (jib in at night). It's gotten rough, but nights are worst. The day winds are getting just as strong, but the direction is actually helping to keep us slowed down a bit from the front in the running seas. At night it shifts aft, and creates those beam waves that I have come to accept ironically as a partial shower when they crash over the side every so often. Auto-pilot is not as amused.
As far as repairs go, I am batting a .999. I won't give myself a perfect 10 as the main is still unfinished...the husband says we'll work on it when we are becalmed. I tell him that will be Hawaii. I refuse to go into port without it done. I may try finishing the first two in lighter winds while it is still up. There's a good preventer on it. I stitched up a tear in the dodger that is holding. I reseated/tightened the auto-pilot, and we haven't had to top off the reservoir again (from a past post). And, the beginning of the blue ninja...I guess it was just ninja yesterday...I climbed up the wind generator pole. Think one pole that is vertical with two small supports making a tripod of sorts. I used my toes to hold on and leaned my knees in. Yes, we have pictures. Why, you ask? Fishing line. I was not going to go into port trailing fishing line that had popped out of the water and wrapped itself around the shaft, securing it. After much pain, lots of cutting and unraveling, it was in so close to the shaft, and my toes hurt, I decided to see if it would work itself out or go back up this morning. Well, 25 knots last night freed it. Which was lucky as the generator remained a casualty. The wind generator kept the batteries high enough for all of our navigation, lighting, etc. through the morning. Then, today was my day with the diesel generator.
In my trusty blue ninja suit (aka wool long johns that are over my silkies) I stealthily leaped into the lazarette. The generator didn't know what had hit it. The case was off and the punctured water hose was taped with the "stretch it and it seals itself" tape (I am sure it has a real name.) before the generator could come to terms with the fact that it was being started for a 5 minute test run. 5 minute run complete, and the blue ninja rejoiced...basking in my happily purring generator. That is until the oil pressure light started flickering, it dropped the load and we had to shut it down...
Everything back out of the lazarette again. Case off, and restart. I literally climbed down with a fire extinguisher there was so much smoke. Turns out as we started to crank it, the exhaust manifold bolt almost flew all the way out. Somehow, it had eaten a relatively new gasket for breakfast. Apparently my penance for waking it before 10am. Bolts out, new gasket with some RTV installed, and some extra loctite. She is purring away happily over my shoulder now. Though we have left the lazarette clear until the batteries are charged just in case. (The crew's request.) The generator and I have come to terms of agreement...no more work before 10am. I think we were meant for each other.
Posit: 24 15.473N 140 04.99W (1370nm down!)
No comments:
Post a Comment