Repairs and Maintenance
27 September 2014 | Puteri Harbour
very hot and humid
26.9.14 Afternoon back from lunch not much joy from the suppliers - Chris decided to pull the pump apart cleaned it up a bit freed up the turning components which were a little stuck put it all back together, re installed and hey presto water coming in but not going out. Pulled it all out again, as he realised that there was a hole that needed lining up with the outlet pipe which he couldn't do in the confined space that it sits. Back to the cockpit with the toilet, dismantled it, lined it all up and reinstalled again and works well so that saved 800MYR (about $300) and a trip to Singapore or KL. He should have done that in the first place instead of spending a couple of hours on the phone, sending photos of the pump etc.
Icy cold beer went down very well before a quick shower and a teski (taxi) up to Mydin, about 15 mins away, to stock the larder and a few other supplies. More food and once again too much to choose and not a good idea when one is hungry as one tends to order too much!
The supermarket was packed, they always seem to be though no matter when one goes no such thing as in and out. People, cars everywhere, only 1 teski in sight but no driver. After waiting half an hour we called the hotel at the Marina to send a teski. Called again 30 mins later still on the way they said then he appeared very apologetic as he had to drop someone off in the opposite direction first. It was midnight by the time we got unpacked and out away.
27.9.14 Saturday intended departure day but not quite it would seem. Just running through all the pre departure checks, anchor winch comes up but not down! A simple fix though just a wire off thank goodness. Engine been given the once over and flush through and started with ease all sounding good.
Maintenance wouldn't be complete without my usual run up the mast! Chris couldn't get the radar up on the plotter, pulled the cable off to check the connection and water runs out! There is a small rubber nipple drain on the base of the radar which must have been blocked which would mean the radar had filled up with water and that was running down the cable to the plotter! Up I go to check it out and milk the nipple like milking a cow, sure enough heaps of water comes out. It took about half an hour constantly milking away to drain it all. While I was up there decided to check the deck light which always seems to need a tweak when it hasn't been used for sometime, so up to the next lot of spreaders to give the globe a tweak and now we have our deck light working as well. While I was up there thought I may as well clean the grime off the spreaders so had a bucket of soapy water sent up and gave both sets of spreaders a sponge over and the mast as far as I could reach.
Chris entered our course into the plotter about 30 hours to Admiralty Marina Port Dickson our first leg.
Finally in time for Happy Hour so up we go for showers, put on a couple of loads of washing and sit back and relax with a few cheap icy cold beers and dinner. Would have been quite easy to settle in for the evening as a great live band playing too but we intended on an early departure in the morning.