Saturday 21 November 2015

One can actually get stuff done at Pangkor Marina Island and environs. Boat stuff - this is the home of Malaysia's navy. Fridge, which had been misbehaving just as was freezer in Mexico, has been vacuumed and recharged. Recurrent air conditioner implosions were discovered (we Pollyannaishly surmise) to be malfunctioning start relay leaving successive capacitors powered up until they melted. Azmun, our capable if English challenged repairman, has begun stalking the certain-to-be illusive part. Propane tank was quickly refilled with actual propane for a pittance. Diesel is cheaper than Indonesia. Sure it's foreign (many Malaysians disagree), but darned civilized.

Wednesday

Spent a couple of days touring Pangkor Island and Ipoh (state capitol of Perak), between activities directed primarily toward reestablishing an operable fuel system. May not have mentioned that engine stopped every few minutes on approach to marina, including when reversing to prevent imminent dock impact. This likely due air incursion from cobbled together fueling through generator filter which has smaller barbs. Happily modest speed and spring lines had been prepared for just such an eventuality. We remained unscathed to sail another day.

About that fuel thing, engineering division of crew had previously dismantled filtration system 6-way valve to determine efficaciousness of spending unconscionable dollars to ship minimal repair kit to Malaysia. A regrettable character flaw made aforementioned individual want to fix the thing (being in possession of it and all) even though subsequent industrial looking valvage works well and was easily created... well, except that necessary, but complicated, proprietary hose barb fittings are impossible to obtain. A machine shop in nearby Sitiawan made 4 of them for less than shipping from company, not even to mention parts cost. Racor are diabolically proud of their stuff. Up their nose with a rubber hose. Do you feel better too? Probably should have tried to fabricate buggered, nylon valve innards too. Current plan is to kit up 6-way and use then superfluous plumbing to allow both engine and generator to use any of 3 mounted filters. By the way A/C relay continues to elude apprehension.

Thursday

Pangkor - best stop yet. Dinner-cum-party last night was well attended and more fun than .97 to 1.63 barrels of monkeys, depending upon age and genus of incarcerated simians. Will most likely return for yard work, tentatively delaying initially planned haul early next year due wanting to play for awhile and no system crying out for attention.

En route as this is written, toward Pinang Island, site of World Heritage City, Georgetown (there are a lot of these implying that George was a really popular guy or that many explorers wanted to suck up to him), and Straits Quay Marina. Reputed to be way fun as well, the area sites a hot dip galvanizing company where treatment of rusty ground tackle has been organized. This could get interesting as we're required to leave marina after 2 December and anchoring is tricky without proper accoutrement. As a technique, attaching to bottom using centerline keel with 2.5 meter tide leaves much to be desired and is frowned upon by discerning boat owners.

Jack