Two steps forward…

As the old saying goes: Two steps forward… I hate engines. At least, I think that’s how it goes 😉

After over a month and a 1/2 at the dock we’re close to having everything ready to go … all except the freakin’ engine. We (and when I say “we” I mostly mean our mechanic, Dave) got the beast running smoothly. We thought we were all set, but on the day of the big sea trial we turned the key and… nuthin’. Wouldn’t start.

We dive in, and find a fuel leak, but can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Oh DAVE!!!!

Dave comes back. It takes him a while (which is nice to see … I guess we’re not total idiots), but he finally finds a nearly invisible crack in one of the high pressure fuel lines. He also notes that the valve cover’s gasket is leaking badly. What idiot put that on? (OK, that would be me 😉 ). So Ann is now taking over that job.

But it’s not all retrograde motion. We’ve made some great steps forward. Ann tightened the stuffing box, so now we’re sinking a lot slower than before. I got both the gas generator and the outboard engine running, including putting together our dingy and taking it for a spin. I finished wiring the new solar panels, so now we’re generating a lot more power. And Ann got the car into the shop for general service and to fix the odd wobble (it’s fine … they say). I got our composting head fully functional, while Ann set up our boarding ladder and ran some more cable for the radar.

And then the big one … the one I’ve been dreading, dreaming and stressing about for six months. I finally drilled a Big Freakin’ Hole in our deck!

I’d been whining and complaining and moping about this for months now (as many of you know). Finally a dock mate and new friend (Chris) came over, did some measures, and said: Drill Here! So I did.

   

The next steps will be to re-drill it, run the new wires down, and install the deck gasket. Then all I have to do is figure out how to actually wire the new radar and display/chartplotter. Easy peasy 😉 .

Life on the boat is not all sweat and stress though. Ann’s been giving Maddy the Marina Child swimming lessons, and we had another great visit with Mom and Sis.

We also went to The Music Man, put on by the Belleville Theatre Guild. It was a great show, and our former landlord and new friend Marvin played a great Charlie Cowell.

In Ottawa we got to see Colleen and Connor (Connor Michael James O’Reilly … I’m still shocked and honoured). Connor’s doing amazing. He’s a new person compared to the last time I saw him. We had lots of fun.

 

Back on the boat we’re continuing with preparation, and feeling a bit like we’re caught in a Samuel Beckett play: Waiting for Dave-ot.

Ann: Do you think he’s coming today?

Mike: Yes, he said today. But maybe not today.

Ann: But he said today … or was that tomorrow?

Mike: Yes, today. No, tomorrow … what day is it anyway?

Ann: He will come. We can wait.

Mike: Yes, we can wait. We have to wait. But do you think he’ll come today?

Ann: Yes, he said today. But maybe not today.

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