After a good nights rest we started the day with our usual coffee and oatmeal. I did some blogging and then set about to solve the heater problem. I found a solution that is not perfect but will work for us at West Marine. I then started cleaning the lazarettes in preparation of finishing up the fuel system work. Aaron took a shower and did the laundry, then got to work on the remaining portlight storm covers.

By the end of the day all the storm covers were in place and looking good. I had discovered that our fuel lift pump had been previously repaired with tar instead of a rubber diaphram. I rush ordered a new pump, it should be in this morning. We also accomplished a fair amount of cleaning and various small projects.

I havent blogged for a while, and for that my faithful readers, I apologize. Over the past week I have had some good time to reflect on my life, take a shower, and eat oatmeal. I have sat in a dripping cabin in my raingear, stood bleary eyed in the brass bushing section of numerous hardware stores, and replaced a light fixture at the top of a 60' mast in 20 knot winds. Over the past weekend I have known such great joy I thought my heart would burst, and I have also known the crushing dissapointment of things left unfinished and yet to come. And also, I have listened to the same 30 mp3s over and over and over and over...

After yesterdays blogging session, we headed up to the marina showers. Feeling clean and refreshed we got to work. Aaron went up the mast where he spent most of the day. He installed a new forward running light, a new anchor light, troubleshot the spreader lights, taped the cotter pins, and lubed the main sail and spinnaker tracks. He also fixed the main halyard guide and installed a spinnaker shive and halyard line.

Meanwhile I tuned the mast rigging and tightened all the turnbuckle locks. I also handed Aaron the necessary parts and tools as well as controlled the winches and windlass to move him up and down the mast.
During this entire process the remnants of the previous days storm were still blowing themselves out. Consequently we did all of this work in 20 knots of winds with gusts up to 30 knots. Aaron was a real trooper and by the time he got off the mast he looked like he had been in a bar fight with a platoon of marines.

We woke in the morning to discover that the weather report was unfortunately accurate. The wind was blowing and the boat was moving around pretty good. Shortly thereafter it began to rain. The report suggested that it would be blowing gale force winds with 14-17' seas by early afternoon. Thus, we decided to postpone launch. This was not necessarily unfortunate as it gave us an opportunity to discover a few minor leaks. By 'a few minor leaks' I mean there were several garden hose style leaks at every hatch, portlight, vent and any other minor opening on the hull.

Fours hours from thursday the alarm went off and we rolled from our bunks with bleary eyes. By the time my feet hit the deck the first mate was already driving on his hunt for plexiglass. We had decided the night prior that without the plexiglass to make the stormcovers for our port lights that we would not be able to cast off on saturday. We had hit the limit on our budget some days ago and began to squeeze. By this point the budget has been run dry.

We were figuring the plexiglass could run as much as $1000. Aaron called me from the plexiglass store to inform me they did not have enough 1/2" plexi to complete our task. I immediately began to consider compromising the safety of the vessel in an effort to make our voyage. I asked Aaron if they had enough 1/2" plexi to complete the two forward storm covers. Aaron said he would check and call me back.

We got up early ran through our todo list, created a new parts list, and the first mate headed to town to spend the rest of our cash. I, having found the wheel puller, set to work on the windlass. Aaron returned from town and I discovered that we cant get parts for the racor fuel filter and will have to come up with another solution. Still no word on a heat source. The good news is that most of our parts came in at West Marine. We now have all the parts for the head, the batteries, battery wires, the rest of the parts for the GPS, and the fancy new LED running lights.

Aaron set to work on the batteries, while I continued to work on the windlass. The sun went down and I found myself working by candlelight on the windlass. Aaron finished the batteries at thee same time I wrapped up the windlass. By days end discovering we had accomplished little, Aaron and I sat down to have a drink and discuss the potential for surviving our trip. Through the course of the discussion we solved nothing, however we managed to get completely plastered and went to bed.

Wednesday was a long, productive day. Starting at around noon after a few hours sleep, we began working on refitting the deck drains, cleaning out the aft hatches and finishing the work on the windlass. Aaron troubleshot the wiring for the windlass, and we determined that the main issue was with the motor silinoid switch, which unfortunately requires the main wheel to be pulled to replace.

I began the grand search for the wheel puller to get the shive off, and ended up having to rearrange pretty much everything on the boat before finding it right in front of me under some gloves. By that time it was dark so the windlass will have to wait one more day. We ended up hauling a huge amount of trash and wierd parts off the boat in the process, including a home air conditioner and a two burner electric stove/oven. In the end it was good since the cabin is much more comfortable now with things more put away and organized.

So today was the day when my first mate duties included a full rudder and prop inspection. Ordinarily this would be done by the dock hands after pulling the boat out of the water. However, due to 'cash flow issues' it was decided that I should just go ahead and hop in the water, dive under the boat and inspect it myself. Sounds like fun yes? You have no idea.

I asked about the greenish, murky water swirling around the boat, and mentioned how I am prone to swimmer's ear, but JD was unconcerned. 'Its brackish', he said. 'Whats brackish?' I asked, suspicions growing. 'Its not even saltwater, its mixed salt and fresh water. The best of both! Now get in and see if you can wiggle the prop.', he replied.