Kaimusailing

I pondered what I was going to do next. I have the Catalina 30 waiting for me up in Crisfield, MD, and Kaimu down here in Georgia. I have a diesel engine for the Catalina down here and an aluminum mainsheet arch. I want very much to put Kaimu in the water and sail her. I thought of sailing with diesel and arch on board up to Crisfield and sort things out up there. The problem is I would have two boats in one harbor. I could fly up to Crisfield and somehow get the Catalina down here in the boatyard where work could be properly done. Then I would again have two boats in the same harbor. It looks like the best move is to continue to prepare for departure with Kaimu, launch, and load the stuff on deck, sail away.
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The logistics in the boatyard can get complicated. They hauled a 60 foot motor yacht for some work, but the yacht was in horrible shape and the owner who had bought the boat sight unseen without a survey was shocked at the six digit repair bill. The landing area for catamarans was taken up by a broken down shrimp trawler that had to be disposed of. The travel lift area was taken up by the broken down motor yacht. Nothing could come or go.
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I tested the ground cable from the mast to the junction block where ground and voltages come from the pilothouse to merge with the wiring from the mast. I removed the ground from the block and I reasoned now it would have +12 vdc, it had none. That means there is no continuity in the circuit through either the deck light or the steaming light which share the same ground strap. The other mystery is the anchor light which has its own plus and ground leads and both are testable at the junction point. The problem must be up on the mast.
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I was cautioned on not getting underway without lights, but I have done that before, sailors have done it many many times in the ages before electricity and sea water began to react. The fact that I can’t launch doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t, just to get the boat in the water. I can’t dilly dally too long, the heat is coming and I have to get out of here.
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It was time to make pizzas and a not too hot day, but very humid, so I sat around, maybe taking a bike ride around the boatyard. The Jones, Rosie and Larry, were getting underway in their town car and going slowly, leaving the boatyard, and I biked right up next to them, but they left, and they didn’t come to pizza night.
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I did the prep work on mozzarella and small multicolored sweet pepper leftover from last week, plus I cut strips of ham for a Hawaiian pizza. A lady was working on her laptop at the stone table and allowed me to do my thing. Her husband arrived and spoke with her and kissed her. I kept working and after a while I had all the toppings zipped up in zip lok bags. I retreated to the other side of the building where the breeze was flowing, cooling me. I came back to light the oven. No one to text, the oven is lit, and so is the chef.
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I began making the hawaiian pie, strips of ham, thanks to Denis, and some pineapple chunks from the supermarket. I was making an artistic or craftistic pattern with them. Mozzarella. The oven was ready, and in it went. I started making another pie, large pepperoni slices with other toppings on top. Mushrooms, sliced sweet peppers, onion, and when the hawaiian pie came out, the pepperoni pie went in. Big Dave arrived along with Dr. Mike and his wife. Another pair of new couples joined us. The stone table was crowded. Once again a great time was had, new faces, new stories.
The next day I listed the Lehr propane outboard and the Universal M25 diesel on Craig’s List. When I looked at comparison prices of the diesel on eBay There were a lot of listings just over $3200, a couple in the $2000 range. I posted it at $2000.
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A message came in from Eve, the artist in Crisfield, “when are we going to have Pizza Night in Crisfield.” God only knows. If I sell the diesel I only need to bring some tools and the mainsheet arch and I can work on that boat up there and not have to sail up with the catamaran, although I could still do that. I wouldn’t mind.
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The Lehr outboard sold almost immediately, but the fellow needs to give me the money before it leaves. It looks like I should be patient for a week or so, see if the diesel sells, wait for the congestion in the boatyard to ease so I can launch, and get my running lights working.
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I had a sleepless night which happens from time to time. I was running through my head the option of driving up to Crisfield and not sailing. It is that time of the year for my annual physical which is about 3 hours north of Crisfield. Although I’d hate to not sail, it became clear to me that driving up with my tools, etc., like I did last year was an easier option to plan logistically. I organized a one way car rental and scheduled my physical. I was relieved to have a workable plan in place.
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A couple that had attended Pizza Night and who were supposed to head back up to Maine were delayed by some last minute snags. Big Dave invited them out for a going away dinner at the Southern River Walk restaurant. There were 5 of us and the sailing stories came out while we enjoyed our meals. Perry and Darla had bought a boat from someone I knew, but they referred to him by another name. I asked who were they talking about and I wasn’t shocked at the answer. Things fit into place. There is an undercurrent here, some shady practices, people who do unto others and then split. These people can’t come back and try to pull more of their shady practices, but the boatyard is transient, it needs regular customers like me who can offer some perspective. I can vouch for someone, I can offer no reference for some others.
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Geoff the chemist biked through the boatyard and stopped to chat. I was sitting next to the pizza oven which was showing a rusty bottom plate that was coming apart. He tore it out of the oven and I asked what if I didn’t want it torn out. He took it with him and said he would make a replacement. I had noticed the oven was erratic not always making it up to the red line, 1000 degrees, but got up to 750. The pizzas were baked a little extra if they didn’t seem up to the usual perfection.
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The next day I removed the top of the oven and the two pizza stones, tipped it upside down, and removed the 3 thumbscrews that held the bottom to the oven. Also remnants of the bottom plate that were still there were removed. I took a photo of the bottom and measured the i.d., 16 3/16 inches. I texted the photo and measurement to Geoff. He arrived shortly after and took the oven along with him to work on it. It will probably come back perfectly repaired. I found that Target is selling these Pizzaque ovens for around $125, which is a good price. Another online site had a much lower price, VIOPLT.com, but that site might be malicious.
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The image is of the Pizzaque oven via the internet.