Do you have a nipple?
05 December 2017
Now on a lighter note! Operation Tivoli is just about complete. All systems seem to be up and running. I don’t want to jinx anything but it is pretty amazing how a few pats in just the right places and BING, it turns on. At least that’s how I see it. Torben has been expanding his capabilities as boat repair man. There hasn’t been one thing yet, that he couldn’t fix. OK, maybe one thing…
The autopilot, remember last season? Allegedly all Torben needed was a new nipple. How difficult could it be for a man to find one nipple? Six months ago, after getting back from our Atlantic crossing he began his nipple quest. It started with Simrad the autopilot manufacturer. No nipple could be found in their warehouse. It then fell upon West Marine from whom we purchased the AP from four years ago. From there, several months later, a deal was struck. West Marine would give us a replacement pump. “Oh no you don’t,” said Torben, “I just need the nipple, I’m not taking out my pump, re-bleeding the lines because you can’t find me a new nipple!”
Somehow, and I’m not sure how, we ended up in West Marine in Fajardo to pick up the new pump which wasn’t there of course, so we drove all the way to San Juan. Here is where I witnessed Torben’s masterful negotiation skills. After about an hour, while Torben wasn’t looking, I busied myself by filling up the cart with cleaning supplies, I return to find Torben still standing in the same spot with his arms crossed! Had he met his match? Apparently, the wires got crossed and there was a snowballs chance in hell that West Marine manager was going let Torben leave with just the nipple!
We ended up paying for the whole pump, figuring we would take off the nipple, then return it to the Fajardo store nipple less! Well, this morning, Torben opens the pump box and cries out, “No, NO!! Oh My God this pump has no nipple!”
God, it feels so nice to back on Tivoli!
Tomorrow we will cast off and head for Culebra for a little R and R.