Don't Try This at Home
12 February 2010 | Panamarina, Panama
February 12
The prodigal sailor returns to Panama, poorer, yet little wiser. Bringing 150 pounds of mostly boat bits with Delta's help was a two day adventure that required multiple forms of conveyance including the bed of a pick-up truck. Fedex contingent of this "replacement parts for yacht in transit", responsible for 103 pounds, has been in Panama City awaiting government indulgence for 4 days.
Having virtually never closed the sea-cock responsible for allowing cooling water into engine heat exchanger, doing so this time was nearly guaranteed, despite a large note, to cause what happened. Engine is OK, but raw water pump, overheated by dry former impeller, is now flooding bilge with significant amounts of salty liquid. Bugger! Rebuild is possible, but, given that Carnival, just begun today, will last a week, nothing happens until at least next Wednesday. Double bugger!
Another week in Panamarina is no hardship as beer is cold, the Clos boxed wine is drinkable "it's not good, but it's Clos" and Silvie's food is excellent (she's French, you know).
Jack