May 21st: Still hoping to get the boat running before I leave for California.

Wendy, Tom, Linda, Rebecca, Steve
and Matt at Oceanside California

London & Trevi

It was May 18th and I had made arrangements to fly to California to spend the summer with Wendy, Matt, Rebecca and of course London and Trevi. 


We decided that perhaps I should fly to California now, while I knew things were pretty slow and less crowded. Also, there was talk of opening the road into the Keys, so my safe haven would be gone.

I started thinking I might need to have Tow Boat U.S. tow me to Marathon Boat Yard where I was keeping the boat in the yard for the summer. Not my first choice to be towed, but an option. I hated to think about coming back to a boat that wasn't working but, whatever!

Billie was scheduled to come Monday May 18th during his lunch break to check on our latest problem. He had a very busy day scheduled but he was almost as anxious as I was to get this boat up and running. He kept apologizing, but I told him I knew it was working fine when he left. I didn't know what else he could have done.

That morning I got a call. Billie said he slipped and hurt his back. Couldn't come today, maybe tomorrow. I thought, "Okay, I surrender, whatever happens, I'm just not going to worry about it anymore." It's not like I'd be on a tight time schedule when I came back if I had to delay repairs until then.

Fortunately, Billie is in pretty good shape physically. He called Tuesday and said he was okay as long as he didn't look up. He could come late Tuesday or early Wednesday. I knew Wednesday first thing would be best for him so we set it up. He came and started testing to discover why the engine alarm was going off.

Alternator pressure switch

Oil pressure switch

Turns out when the starter shorted out, it must have sent an electrical surge into the new oil pressure switch (which tells you whether or not the engine has enough oil pressure) and the old alternator pressure switch (which won't let the alternator start charging unless there is enough oil pressure). They both were still working when we started the boat the last time Billie did the repairs, but then died the next time I started the engine. Replaced both switches and everything was working great. Whew, what a relief. As I like to say, "It's like pounding your head against a concrete wall so it feels good when you stop!"

Of course, I still hadn't actually taken the boat out for a test ride. I was certainly a little paranoid at this point. That afternoon was the time for the test ride. I was definitely nervous about my first "cruise" as the captain. I had driven the boat often, but never when we left, nor returned to a dock. My job was to get the lines and jump ashore. Linda always docked the boat. And she was very very, good. I recruited excellent help from Flint, Leslie and Dennis.

Steve backing the boat out of the slip

I followed the first rule of cautious boating, go very slowly. I backed out of the slip and used the wind to turn us to the opening of the marina.

Heading around the docks
to exit the marina

Then I successfully maneuvered around the docks at the end of the marina and headed out.

Heading out of Banana Bay, thanks Natalie, for the pictures.

All went well and we were on our way.


The return to the dock was not perfect but successful. Good to have deck hands to push us off the pilings. As Dennis said, "Any docking you can walk away from is successful."

Slept very well that night looking forward to being with the kids in California next week.