Winter Weather and Waves

It has been a very long time since the last BLOG update. The biggest reason is…IT’S WINTER TIME…and no sailing has happened. But that doesn’t mean things don’t break.

Things that broke:
Hot water heater,
o Date of Break: on or about December 20th.
o Primary Failure: Failed heating element.
o Initial water loss mitigation effort: Install water loss mitigation valve (WLMV) for cold water feed to hot water tank and forward areas (~$20.00).
o Initial repair option: Buy a new element and install
o Initial repair foiled: Manufacturer Out Of Business, close water loss mitigation valve (WLMV) (~12/24/11)
o Secondary Repair option: Home Depot heating element-Purchased ($9.80)
o Secondary repair foiled: different mounting for heater tank
o Third Repair option: Find a machine shop to manufacture adapter plate ($118.00) (~12/28/11)
o Third repair option foiled: mounting holes for plate drilled wrong (~1/3/12)
o Fourth repair option: Return plate to machine shop to re-drill (Free) (~1/5/12)
o Fifth repair option: Cut gasket, install new heating element on re-drilled adaptor plate, haul extra water to boat, open water loss mitigation valve, fill tank, test hot water heater. (~1/7/12)
o Fifth repair option foiled: Leaking seal between adaptor plate and heating element and also the adaptor plate to tank. Close water loss mitigation valve (WLMV) (~1/13/12)
o Sixth repair option: Remove adaptor plate with heater element and add 3M 5200 sealant with cut gasket between adaptor plate and tank, re-install, haul water, open water loss mitigation valve (WLMV), fill tank, and wait for water pressure to build. (1/15/12)
o Sixth repair option foiled: leaking between adaptor plate and heating element. Close water loss mitigation valve (WLMV). Remove heating element leaving sealed adaptor plate.
o Seventh repair option: add more Teflon thread tape to heater element threads and re-install, Haul water, Open water loss mitigation valve (WLMV), re-fill tank and wait for water pressure to build.
o Seventh repair option foiled: still leaks around heating element threads and cheap damn cut gasket…Close water loss mitigation valve (WLMV),
o Eighth repair option: remove heating element, find a round rubber washer to replace cut gasket, re-install with A LOT OF Teflon thread tape. Open water loss mitigation valve (WLMV). Haul water, refill tank wait for pressure to build. (1/22/12)
o Eighth repair option SUCCESS
o Date of final repair Sunday 1/22/12
o Drink
o Note: the crew maintained a very positive attitude and spirit while boiling all the water for dishes and such.

New Jabasco electric head clogged
o Date of “issue”: On or about 1/15/12 was notified that the head is not flushing
o Initial inspection: the heads full of “water”
o Primary failure: Clog
o Initial troubleshooting: Try plunging, mechanical agitation continuous flushing
o Initial effort thwarted
o Secondary effort: Get a bucket and place on deck in head.
o Secondary effort acceptance by crew was marginal but no mutiny or late night murders
o Third effort: remove bucket, manually pump head bowl out, disassemble until clog located. Cleared clog, resume normal head function The mate obtained some bleach and cleaned the head while I cleaned me.
o Third effort thwarted: re-clog on or about 1/18/12. Plunging successful.

Other stuff of note:
o Dave’s Jeep
o Capitan and crew sick with head colds
o Hannah’s boat moved to storage slip
o Hannah’s starboard engine re-started
o Hannah’s boat bilge pump temporary repair
o Hannah’s boat battery replaced

Have a great day all