March 14th: Still working on cleaning, maintenance on the boat.

 

You wouldn't think there could be so much to do to reactivate a 36 foot trawler that was sitting for 10 months. Although I couldn't complete the cleaning and maintenance before launching the boat, it has worked out well. Everything I need to work on the boat is readily available at the dock. And I don't have to climb a ladder every time I want to get in and out of the boat. 

The most pressing concern was to assess all the mechanical systems; bilge pumps, water system, electrical systems, pump out waste system, HVAC systems, batteries, and getting the television system with satellite dish working. One of Linda's jokes was if she died first I'd never watch television again! 

House batteries in the bilge

Fortunately, most systems checked out well. One issue seemed to be the house batteries. (4 golf cart batteries that provide power for all the 12 volt needs of the boat. When travelling, and not plugged in to shore power, the 12 volt system is critical for bilge pumps, water pumps, refrigeration and lighting. The engine start battery is a backup for the house batteries. It seemed the house batteries were not holding a charge. The battery charger was on continuously, although not charging a lot. 

Battery Charger

I was not surprised because those 4 batteries were getting old. Fortunately, being plugged into shore power, that was not a big deal. Although replacing those batteries is not an enjoyable task. 

When I went to bed the second night, the wind had died down and it was very quiet. I heard something running. When on a boat in the water you always want to know why a pump might be running. I discovered the float switch on the main bilge pump was stuck in the on position, so it had been running for two days. There was no water coming into the boat so I was very comfortable turning the pump off. Besides, there is a secondary pump for backup.

The float switch is under
 the engine, but the pump 
is the round white object
 with the hose attached. 

The next morning I determined the float switch was shot. The good news was, the reason the batteries seemed to not be holding a charge was that the pump had been running continuously. Much easier and less expensive to replace the float switch than 4 house batteries.

When I went into the bilge to replace the float switch, I noticed the bilge was quite dirty and smelly. Over the ten months, enough rain water had gotten into the boat thru a hatch on the aft deck, that it made a mess. Cleaning out the bilge is my least favorite job. I decided to work on making the boat pleasant to live in and put off cleaning the bilge for another day.

High winds were forecast for ten days so no kayaking nor fishing were an option. The aft cabin where I sleep was already in good shape. I decided to focus on the salon (central living area) next. There was stuff everywhere and everything needed to be wiped down. Also the cupboards would be emptied, wiped down and all the dishes, pots and pans washed. Not hard but took longer than I thought.

I removed everything from the cupboards, wiped down the insides, and then put everything back. I wouldn't say it was entertaining but it looked so much better when I was finished. 

I was pretty worn out after the travel, moving the boat and starting to clean it up. There was no urgency to cleaning it up, but it's just not fun to come back to a sad looking boat. My friend Sharon showed up at the door that night and said there was a party the next afternoon at the house they were staying at. (They typically brought their boat down and stayed on it, but COVID changed their plans and they stayed at a house next door with a friend.) I was invited. As usual at these gatherings, you bring an appetizer and whatever you want to drink. The appetizers are always over the top and eliminate any need for dinner! The gathering was outside and people were social distancing, "Sort of". I'll just say I was glad I was fully vaccinated as many others also were. (It was not a young crowd.) We even had music by a former Banana Bay boater, Donnie and his friends. I'd forgotten how enjoyable simple socialization could be. 

A major goal I had was to go back to the local gym. It's a great place to get a good overall workout and I missed it. Linda and I had been regulars almost daily. Of course breakfast out preceded the gym, which I think was a large part of Linda's participation! It was good to be back. I was once again reminded how much people liked Linda. It's still difficult to tell people who enjoyed her and ask, "Where's Linda?", that she passed away. I knew that would be a difficult part of coming back, but the support and caring have been wonderful, even after all this time. I believe I have connected with just about all of our old contacts now which is a relief. 

The weather has been consistently windy but the water in the marina was nice and clear. There is a school of parrot fish that clean the barnacles and other growth off of the poles. That is a good thing for the poles and great for the parrot fish. They are very colorful and fun to see. They are not safe to eat because of the toxins they ingest eating what they eat. More about Parrot Fish

The good news is, I am quite far behind with the blog. So much more is going on since I got here compared to being hunkered down in California. I have either been busy or too tired to work on a blog. It's a welcome change. I told Wendy that I was getting a little concerned about how comfortable I was getting with minimal projects and almost only virtual social contacts. Of course I very much enjoyed visiting with Craig and Karen in San Juan Capistrano on the way to see Rebecca in Studio City. 

But I stopped making the trip after Thanksgiving when it seemed prudent to do so. 

Upcoming reports on the float switch installation, cleaning the rust off the hull and decks, the bimini top repairs, putting the mast up so I could activate the dinghy, and getting the kayak ready to go. Also, a fun and productive St. Patrick's Day.