We’ve worked steadily on the TO DO list since we got to Casey’s dock last Tuesday. First off was a re-do of some of the wires and hoses connected to our new Raritan macerating toilet that had pretty much monopolized the space in the locker behind the head. The new plumbing still takes more space than I would like, but I can live with it now – the towels and laundry supplies and toilet paper and paper towels will fit in a new configuration. I’ve pared down some of the extras I used to keep on hand and because we are not expecting company this year, the extra linens and towels could get buried under our berth. I soaked lines in buckets of water with a dose of fabric softener and restrung them – davit lines for hoisting the dinghy and the outboard motor, furling lines for the head sails, sheets for the mainsail.

Jim spent the better part of Wednesday (in the rain) with his head in the starboard cockpit locker, disconnecting our old batteries. He spent a long time making diagrams of what wires went where, and how the new batteries should be linked, and Wednesday was the day to make it happen. Unfortunately it was pouring rain and our bimini and dodger (cockpit coverings) leak like sieves this year. Fortunately, we have a lovely big Department of Justice umbrella on board – a left over from some conference I think – so the retired Assistant Deputy Attorney General/newly minted electrician could work in comfort! This picture shows the man at work! I used to encourage him to write an “ADAG – Unplugged” article and this would have been a great pic to go with it!

With the wires disconnected, Che (Casey’s right hand man) lugged the old batteries out of there, put the new ones in, and built a box to secure them in rolling seas. Then it was Jim’s turn to hook them all back up. I spent part of the afternoon in the forward berth knitting and listening to podcasts. When the air turned slightly blue and the rain stopped, I went for a walk, and by the time I got back he had everything working a charm! Let me tell you – I am really impressed!! These new batteries are AGM golf cart batteries – a starter battery and 4 others hooked in series parallel. These are more powerful than our last ones, do not need topping up with distilled water, and do not release gases that set our propane alarm off – all pluses in my book. I know there are some of you whose eyes will glaze over, and others who might be really interested in such things, and that you will all applaud my co-captain’s wonderful newly applied skills!

Work continued on varnishing and general boat care when the sun shone. Che got boosted up the mast to adjust and tighten the wind indicator, Bilo removed a plexiglass covering from our lovely butterfly hatches and re-varnished the wood, Jim and I bent on the sails, Jim pored through the lockers on his side of the boat, sorting and reorganizing his tools and spares. He replaced all the fuel and water filters and changed the engine oil and installed the new regulator for the wind generator. I did laundry, hung it on the line and actually got it dry in about 24 hours – with a couple of extra rainwater rinses. I spliced a new length of nylon rode to our anchor chain, cleaned our rarely used cockpit enclosure panels and went through the whole boat interior with vinegar and water to freshen everything up. I used to say that we could both do all the jobs on the boat, but that isn’t really true. We can both sail it and both navigate, but Jim’s expertise in and management of engine and electronics are all his own. I take care of things sail, line and rope related, and we pretty much split the household chores as we do at home.

The next post will let you know some of the other things we’ve been up to – it is not all work and no play in this neighbourhood!