Boat work

Now that fair has ended we are hoping to head back to the boat next week for some actual cruising and getting to explore the Chesapeake a little. During our last trip I had started a running list of boat projects. Most were nothing major but all of them take time. So I decided to make the 8.5hr trek to MD to check on the boat and hopefully get a few items on the list addressed.

Unfortunately despite calling the generator repair guy for four weeks now I still have not got anyone to come look at it let alone fix it. So that's still a work in progress. He has promised maybe next week? Unfortunately I have a feeling the inverter is going to need to go back to Fisher Panda for repair/replacement so even when they do get out to look at it/take it off the boat I'm probably looking at another four weeks before it comes back then will have to get on their schedule to put it back on. If I'm lucky we might get it fixed before October when we want to take the boat over to anchor somewhere close to the Annapolis Boat Show.  :(

I did however manage to get a bunch of little stuff done like getting new o-rings for the depth sounder and the blank, getting the Garmin chart plotters registered and up dated, replacing a couple of the hatch locks that were missing parts, fixing a broken sink drain, getting a new screen/shade unit put up in Max's cabin, and replacing a couple fans. Nothing major but all stuff that needed to be done and it pretty much consumed both days I was there.

After finishing a couple projects I decided to head out for a dinghy ride to explore the area a bit. I got it launched, got the dog in the boat, engine running, I shoved off only to realize the steering was once again seized up. After paddling back to the boat I started playing with it.. disconnected the motor from the steering to validate it was still moving freely. Unfortunately it seems to be the steering cable again. Last time I replaced it to get it working and when I pulled it out was quite rusty and all the grease had dried up on the tube it's supposed to move in. The previous owners clearly had not ever lubed it. I had before installing so have no idea what I did wrong that it would jam up after sitting for a month hanging on the back of the boat in a creek with brackish water. After my last experience trying to fix it in the water/back of the boat I decided to enlist the yard for some assistance in getting it hauled out making it easier to work on. They also suggested pulling the engine might make it easier than pulling the cable back and forth under the floor that you can't access. This all sounded good and they even offered to do the work so I left it in their hands as I was done with this project having already put three days into it the first time. Hopefully it's just a lubrication issue that can easily be solved.

I left the dinghy in their hopefully capable hands and Remi and I headed back to Michigan for a few days before Amy and I would drive back to hopefully get to do some sailing on the Bay. I would be really impressed if they have the steering issue fixed before we get back next week which would allow us to anchor but I'm not holding my breath.