Author: Hunter@spencersboat.com

Brother Doug, Ida and her sister Ju (sp?) stop in for a visit today. Was glad he got to see the boat. Look forward to seeing him in Puerto Rico when we pass through.

The heads in the boat were installed in the late 90’s. They are all identical (thank goodness), full size, fresh water units. Before we left Virginia I had 2 of the 4 operating marginally. The plan was to overhaul the units once we got to warm weather. And here we are….I had found the Raritan Engineering warehouse on one of my outings in Fort Lauderdale and pick-up 3 service kits for the heads…all I have to do is take the heads apart one at a time, check the pieces and parts, replace worn items and put it back together.

I didn’t mention how discusting taking these things apart is….they stink and your touching things that have been covered in other people’s waste. Glove time.

One related issue was a y-valve that was frozen in place. The waste plumbing at each head will drain directly into the holding tank or overboard. In the islands there are no pump out facilities. It is requested that you use your holding tank when anchored in the harbors. Outside of the harbors, you pump your waste overboard.

I removed the valve, lubricated the ball and shaft and used a hair dryer to heat the valve. After an hour or so the valve became workable and it was reinstalled.

Mervyn finished his work yesterday… Don got the dingy running and replaced the steering console yesterday…we woke up today thinking its time….we need to get out of Fort Lauderdale……

I started disassembling the port generators raw water pump yesterday. I am rebuilding it now and hope to have it reinstalled tomorrow.

Today I’m buying two new vhf radios to replace the existing units….buying new chairs and cushions for the cockpit, new gaskets for the dingy valve covers, and learning about the effects of the sun and the material the dingy is made out of. Zodiac of Fort Lauderdale has been a great resource. The dingy on the boat is fairly sophisticated and I need to understand it’s capabilities. The dingy is 20 years old but it’s pretty cool. To replace just the dingy would be $18,000…. I can replace the tubes for about $2000 and have a “new” dingy. The tubes take three months at least to replace. I put an order in….we will figure out shipping later.

We hit a Duffy’s or two to keep connected. And watch weather……. Sunday or Monday might work as a crossing to the Bahamas…..we will keep you posted.

Coping…..life on a boat is not like living in a house on land. We take for granted the comforts of living on the land and when we step on a boat it changes….

We have  no TV reception…..it takes some getting used to and what I miss the most is the news. I have contacted satellite services here in the states and asked if they serve the Virgin Islands and I can’t get a definitive answer. When we get down there I will find out who services the area and make some arrangements….

Wifi….. I installed a wifi booster on the boat this summer. It locates accessible signals and boosts the signal and runs it through a 12 volt router I installed. It’s great at marinas or places where you anchor close to shore and restaurants. The problem we are having at the boatyard is that there is no wifi signal……we are making do with trips to bars that offer wifi. But it is a pain.

Sounds…. There are “sounds” on boats. It is important to understand “normal” sounds and “different” sounds. We listen to the boat…..to understand what it is doing. After a few days running the boat we learn what is “normal”. Any thing else needs to be investigated and/or identified.

Toilets…….toilets on boats are different than on land. They are noisy, slow to respond and need constant attention. I’ve found rebuild kits for the existing toilets and I am planning overhauls to each one as we travel.

One of the advantages of our limitations is that we are relying on each other for entertainment. Susan and I have been playing cards in the evenings. Rummy…..and she usually kicks my ass….

 

One of the interesting things about the boatyard here is that it s home to National Liquidators, which is a repo/sale company that specializes in boats. Most of the boats here are for sale. Most have been repo’ed.

The other day we watched this boat come in. I helped the Captain tie the boat up next to us…….. I learn he is a repo captain for banks. He is sent to pick up boats in the middle of the night at marinas and even home docks to pick up delinquent property for lending instittutes. He tells me he picked this one up several days ago in north Florida and traveled in the ocean 24/7 to get the boat here for the bank to try to dispose of.

So im wondering……..will someone come looking for this in the middle of the night? Susan went aboard to look at it and said the kitchen was stocked and looked as though someone planned to get on her the next day……surprise.

Sigh….another Monday here at the boatyard. We’ve gotta get out of here. For all our friends coping with cold temps and tons of snow……I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, it was 40degrees yesterday morning when I woke up. I even had to put on jeans. Way too cold for shorts and a tee shirt. Brrrrrr.

Last night after we returned from laundry duty, I finished grinding out the bolts on the old steering system on the dingy……..never owner a grinder before….but I definitely got one now….I have so many new tools since purchasing this boat. First a reciprocating saw….now a grinder. Lovin it.

Don stayed at the shop today working on the carburetors for the dingy….Mervyn was here working on repairs to the salon floor and repairing painted areas on the flybridge…… Don should be back tomorrow.

I spent the day in the generator room changing oil, changing oil filters, and fuel filters on both generators. My goal is to change oil and filters every 100 hours of operation. Plan to tackle raw water pump repairs on the port generator tomorrow.

Made a run to Flanigan’s for drinks and wifi.

Last night we visited the Indes at their home for dinner. Absolutely wonderful.

 

It has been almost a week since my last post….the days have dragged on and on with very little to show for progress.

Since Debbie left we have lost our hot spot. Susan and I are doing laundry now…..free wifi…..yea! Let me try to recap this past week.

Monday Don returned the steering piston and the power steering piston and reinstalled them. He replaced all the sleeves on the Pistons as they were all leaking. The steering system is a low/no pressure hydraulic system. The leaking required that each morning before we left for the days travels we had to add fluid to replace what had leaked out since the morning before. Since we left on December 12, I had gone through two gallons of automatic transmission fluid. Don bled the system to get as much air out as he could. The Pistons aren’t leaking…..and bonus….the autopilot now works. Susan and I will continue to work the system to get all the air out. Don will be back on Wednesday to review remaining work I need done.

Mervin has successfully traced a leak in the master stateroom that we haven’t been able to find. Removing and replacing caulking. Epoxying holes and refinishing.

The liferaft…..ok the vender has found a used case that will work for our liferaft. Our liferaft needs $1,000 worth of work to recertify and put it in a hard case. The existing cleats on the flybridge will need to be modified to work with the new case….and I’ll have to figure that out when I get it…..I asked when I would get the raft back and I got…”we’ll get back to you…” Still waiting…

Epirb….. Existing epirb needed certification. Called several venders and discovered the company that made my existing unit has been out of business for years. No one here services them anymore. Great. New unit…..West Marine. Registered unit with NOAA and installed new bracket.

this device will broadcast a homing signal in the event on a problem. Will float if nothing else does…

Clean swimming ladder. Replace hardware at fold. Replace nonslip treads.

Don was planning to come Friday to work on the dingy  outboard……..but it rained…..really hard all day. He showed up Saturday morning in near gale conditions. Not raining but extremely windy. We put the dingy in the water and Don started on the outboard. Carburetor is fouled as expected. Removes unit to take to shop for disassembly and cleaning. He has located rebuild kits….that’s right “kits”…3 cylinders, 3 carburetors, 3 repair kits. And in the process discover that the steering wheel mechanism has failed…….the boat will only turn one way…….and I think I’d get bored with circles pretty quick. Plan is to install stuff on Monday….weather permitting of course.

Ok I think laundry is about done…..later

Another Monday waiting for stuff to get done….. I’m told Mervin will be here about noon and Don should be here sometime this morning. Susan and I head out for a few parts to fix our swim platform ladder. I offer to take her somewhere to do some shopping because previous attempts have failed because of conflicting agendas….it’s time Susan gets to do what she wants to do…

We find another Duffys Bar and Grill to hang for lunch. Half a sandwich and an iceberg wedge salad……really good. Met a professional bartender……great service and definitely worth coming back for.

We are looking for cockpit chairs. Mervin is taking the fighting chairs and going to sell them for me. Since Debbie left yesterday we have lost our wifi hot spot. Need to visit “comfortable” wifi locations….

Also I got to hit Sailorman for some rod holder inserts….and just to look. The place is amazing. Incredible assortment of used and new stuff. If you can’t find something, this is the place to go.

Susan and I got up before 4:00am this morning to get Mike and Debbie to the airport this morning. They are headed back to Virginia. Mike has been a great help to me for the last few weeks and he will be missed. Dropped them at the airport and I had a wild hair to find some breakfast…..found I-Hop..big breakfast.eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns and pancakes..

Tore my stomach up…..have not had an episode like that for years….I guess it was grease related.

Spent a good part of the day restoring some order in the pilot house

Ed and Miriam and John came by this afternoon for a visit and burgers on the grille. It was great seeing them  again and I hope we can give them a ride before we leave the area.

 

Mike and Debbie leaving in the morning. Doin laundry tonight and happy hour at Flanigans….. which is right across the street from the laundry – which is still not an English speaking establishment. Nice couple behind us. Nice photo bomb Angela……