….continuing on
Catching up with boat projects
After arriving at the motel in Port Clinton on Sunday, May 23rd we rested up a bit and discussed what our priorities for the next several days would be before the boat was to be launched on Thursday. Monday was a “hit the ground running ” day that started with the cleaning, polishing and waxing process. That is, all the parts we could reach from a ladder. The shop was OK with us doing work on the boat but the we could not use a water hose (no pools of water allowed on the floor) and we were not to use the shop’s ladders. We definitely needed a ladder! The shop said they would remove the plastic, that was covering the boat while it was stored in the shop, as we went in search of a ladder. As luck would have it, we ran into a fellow boater who said that he had a ladder in the back of his pickup that he would let us use until Thursday. With the ladder in hand, back to the shop we went and started on cleaning the boat with buckets and sponges. Yep, “Gentlemen start your engines!” was the moto for the week as it was a race to see if we could finish the wax job before the boat was to be launched. Tuesday and Wednesday were rinse and repeat days. We did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. Michael kept reminding me that this wax job was not dental hygiene work so perfection was not the goal.
Thursday came, it was splash the boat day! When we arrived at the marina the boat was already getting loaded onto the trailer that would pull her out of the service building. The trailer would move the boat to a place where the travel lift would accomplish the final transfer into the water. We had hoped that the diesel mechanic would show up that day to do the sea trial of the replaced port transmission. Oh, silly children. Hurry up and wait for the boat repairmen to show up is the name of the game and you are the winner if they show up at all. We waited until Wed June 8th for the mechanic to show up and do the sea trial. At which point we still had some issues that we needed him to fix; but, the transmission performed well. He came back and fixed three things that needed to be addressed for us to be able to take the boat out for practice runs. We are still waiting for him to return to do two more things as of the date of this posting! They are not essential to the running of the boat but they do make things easier. Are you noticing that this is a game of patience?
While we waited for the diesel mechanic as well as our electrician to show up, the boat projects were checked off the list. We are not ones to sit idly by when there is work to do. Here’s a sampling of the boat projects we ticked off the list as we waited:
Fixed the sliding door in the aft cabin that had come apart at the top
Attach the tabletop for the dinette–which Michael had cut to size and then applied epoxy for a finishing coat
Clean the carpets with a Rug Doctor machine
Make sunshades for the salon windows
Figure out why Bow Thruster doesn’t work –which turned out to be a broken shear pin and the retaining clamp that holds the pin in place
Plumb and Install a tap water bidet to the aft head
Install an access port in aft head to reach the plumbing for the bidet install
These were only some of the projects that I can think of right now. I am sure Michael will chime in and say how about this project? But, I think you get the idea. Our time is clicking down until we start north to begin our loop. Right now we are planning to leave the week after July fourth. As with everything on moving the boat we will watch the weather and plan accordingly.
Our electrician just called!! I am so excited I gotta go! Eureka! I think we just won the lottery. No jinxing. Fingers crossed….