New Launch Date

I'd hoped to launch this week, and actually asked them to put me in today, but they told me they won't be able to get to me until next week. A few days doesn't matter much to me, so I don't mind. It'll also give me more time to do a few more things and take the time to do them right.

Transmission watch:

She's in and seems to work fine -- however the ultimate test won't come till she's in the water. I still need to realign the engine, but Jordan promised to drop by later this morning to give me a hand. I'm not sure if he's ever done this before either, but it always helps to have another person around, especially when you're trying the wrestle a 300 pound gorilla (engine).

Rigging watch:

I finished making up all the new stays and shrouds, cleaned up an painted the masthead sheaves, and replaced a missing bolt, but still need to connect the wires, reinstall the sheaves, and put the furler back together. I also need to clean up and attach the the turnbuckles. That may sound like a lot, but It's basically an afternoon, or less.

Drain watch:

The drains are still the big unknown. I have all the parts, and will reinstall the seacocks today, but installing the new, larger, cockpit drains will require some cutting, grinding, and glass work. It's tough to say how long that'll take until I start, though I'm hoping to get to it today or tomorrow. It should be easier on land, but the drains are only necessary to drain the cockpit, and that's only an issue when it rains or you're taking water over the gunnels. So, I've got some time yet before it's an issue.

Cutlass Bearing

I finally got everything pressed onto the output shaft late last night, and finished reassembling the entire transmission this morning. It seemed to work fine, so I went ahead and painted it and will reinstall it tomorrow.

However, I never did find anything wrong with it other than a lot of rust and leaking seals. I replaced all the seals and rusted and broken bolts, so all in all pulling it didn't bother me too much -- it looks great now.

While I was cleaning up the shaft this afternoon, I noticed I couldn't see the cutlass bearing. It had gravitated a couple inches into the tube. I didn't notice it last winter, but it obviously happened during the trip, and is quite likely what caused the problem in the first place.

Boston and Ken had both suggested the cutlass bearing, as well as a few other related issues, but I think that was only after I'd pulled the transmission and couldn't find any damage. I'll replace it tomorrow when I install the transmission, but won't really know if that fixes it until I get her into the water.

Launch Party

The launch party was great. If the actual launch later this week is even half as successful, I'll be very happy. A couple of my buddies from Huntington, Kieran and Joe, came down, as well as a few friends I've made here. I had a great time, and I think everyone else did too.

My friend Robyn even played for us -- she's a professional musician who's toured with lots of major acts and lives here on City Island.

Transmission watch:

I'm actually trying to put it together right now. But at this point, I don't even care if it works, I just want to get in the water. Luckily, my improvements to the drains and moving the water lift should mean that I can pull it while I'm in the water if necessary.

In any case, it's in much better shape, so if I do need to work on it in the future, it'll be much easier -- I got rid of all the rusted bolts, etc...

Zoe watch:

She's still the best dog ever, and I think she really enjoyed the party, especially seeing my Huntington friends -- she really likes Joe...

I gave her a bath in the morning before the party, but she more or less forgave me by the time the it started. She looked really good too, even with the haircut.

Party watch:

Kieran took some photos, so I'll post them once he sends them to me. (although I worked for a couple congressmen during my salad days, none were invited to the party, so don't expect any of those sorts of photos, even though I'm currently in New York City.)

iPhone Update

I decided to get an iPhone after my launch got delayed, and I had a problem with both my blackberry (junk) and laptop (running windows, so it's junk too). Since I can't update the blog direct with my phone's browser, I'm going to try to use the email posting feature -- please forgive any typo's since I can't do any editing after a post.

I'm planning to have a little launch party on Saturday, but probably won't launch till early next week. I still have lots of work to do, but it's getting close.

I installed the new chainplates last week and plan to fill the cover plate holes and caulk them today. I finished making up all the new wire except for the backstay -- had to order a new wire after a messed one up, but it's still much cheaper than having a rigger do it -- and still need to reassemble the roller furler on the forestay.

I'll try to get the transmission fixed and reinstalled today or tomorrow, then start working on the cockpit drains -- those parts should arrive today. I still need to finish the head, so I may work on it from time to time. I just need to route and connect hoses, but might need to cut or enlarge some holes in the bulkheads.

There are several others tasks I need to finish before I can sail, e.g., non-skid the deck, but those can wait till I get into the water. It's already way too hot in the boatyard.

Engine Update

Well, there isn't much to say really except that I've taken a lot of stuff apart, broken a few things -- mostly bolts -- and still haven't found anything obviously wrong. Based on my description, which probably wasn't very good since it was the middle of winter and about 28 inside the cabin, Boston thought it was the drive, or dampening, disk that attaches to the flywheel.

It looked okay when I pulled the transmission, but I took that off last night anyway and, other being a little dirty and rusted, it's perfectly fine. I've also partially dismantled the transmission itself -- still need to pull a few bearings -- and haven't found anything wrong. Ken, who worked on all the Coast Guard boats during Katrina, thinks that it might be low oil pressure, so I'm putting part of the engine back together so I can run her and check it. I don't have a gauge, just an idiot light which might not work, so I'm going to borrow a gauge from the yard once I get her back together so I can check it.

I did notice she's a little low, so maybe she was leaking a little and finally dropped down low enough to cause a problem. I don't know. The last time I worked on an engine was in 1995, which didn't turn out too well. The time before that was when I was still in high school. I'm mechanically inclined, but don't have much experience. I was a TOW gunner in the Corps, so although they were mounted on jeeps, I didn't do much more than change the oil in the oil bath for the air breather. Oh, and this is my first diesel.

Part of the problem is that engines, at least ones that need work, are usually oily, dirty, rusty, and just a pain to work on. And this one is about the worst I've seen. I guess it's typical for older sailboats, but the reason I like sailboats is because you can sail them, i.e., you don't use an engine. For example, I haven't really done that much to it, and I've already broken 3 bolts, and there's another one I'm pretty sure will break once I try to get it out -- it's actually a badly rusted stud. At least the broken ones were all on the transmission, so I could work on them after I got her out.

Anyway, I've got a hour or two of work left to do before I can run her, so I guess I better get back to it. I still have to hook the freshwater intake hose back up, and reinstall the exhaust hose that goes from the mixing elbow to the water lift. I needed to cut that one to length anyway, so I don't mind that too much. The same goes for my two main cockpit drain seacocks. I was never happy with the location of the valve arms, so I didn't mind taking them out either -- I had to take them out to get the transmission out.

Zoe watch:

I trimmed her again, and she's doing pretty well, but it's been really hot for the last few days. It's much better today, but I think both of use have been getting too much sun. We slept in the cockpit last night. In fact, she's slept there for the last two nights. We've been having a little trouble with mosquitoes, but they aren't too bad when the wind's blowing. Unfortunately, it stopped early in the morning, so I woke up at around 5am to several bites on my arms -- not sure how many she got. I need to get us some mosquito netting -- and finish repairing my screens, but it's too hot to stay in the cabin so that not a priority right now.