On the boat!
02 May 2014 | Raiatea Carenage yard
Hot, happy, Bill
We're on the boat! The days are just as long, and we've got to put things away before the day's end since we can't move otherwise, but we're on the boat. As long as things are stowed, there's plenty of room, but when we're in "project mode', one steps over everything. I can't take out this thing unless I move that thing.
Conni completed the stainless cleaning, at long last. About noon, and after plenty of consultation, we decided that we're just not ready to get splashed until Monday. They moved us since we had several layers of boat in front of us. How did they do it? Too funny! We were on a cradle, so they moved the TraveLift around us and strapped the cradle to boat. When the boat came off the ground, so did the cradle. So, cradle and boat were moved to a new, more accessible location, and gently set down.
The yard mechanic finally arrived today and he and I quickly installed the thermostat, using a fixture that he fabricated. I was able to install the used temperature sending unit, so that part of the engine tasks are complete. Yahoo! I changed both primary and secondary fuel filters and filled both with fuel. I was going to bleed the air from the fuel system, but the starter wouldn't work. Drat!
I spent the remainder of the day, only a few hours, tracking down the wiring problem and think that I've got it, but the day was over and a shower and Rum and Coke sounded considerably more interesting than more diesel fuel. Yuck, I hate bathing in diesel fuel!
The mechanic was late arriving, and that delayed our being ready to launch, but he was late because of terrible weather on the island he had be sent to run a boat salvage. Someone rented a 52-ft catamaran belonging to the Carenage, and promptly ran her on a reef! Yikes! The salvage crew managed to arrive in time to perform a quick hull repair and they actually got her several miles back to the Carenage. I noticed this large catamaran anchored in front of the docks, and noted that she had no boom and was furiously pumping water from her bilges. Oops! I asked and the mechanic, Nicholas, was able to provide some details. I'd love to know what happened: inattention, poor charts, what?
I set up our Wifi antenna and router, paid for 10 hours of Wifi, so we're ON for a while. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks!
We made the wise decision to delay our splash until Monday. We still have the injectors to bleed, and the engine to get running. It shouldn't be a problem, but who knows? We have a lot of smaller tasks to complete, too. However, on Monday morning, first thing, we're in the water. Hurray!
We've been playing musical showers with an older French couple. Either they or we arrive at the shower first, and the other waits. They're at least in their 80s, and their boat is an aluminum hulled thing with stuff EVERYWHERE! We showered first so we had the chance to look at their boat, Lea. It looks like they're live-aboards and have a lot of engine work to do. They've got heavy shade covers over everything, so I hope it's cooler for them than for us. We suspect that things are more complicated then they can deal with and that they and their boat are here for the duration. We don't know that, but it appears so. I'll snap a photo and try to ask around what the story is. What interesting people they are.
We also met a nice couple from….Cody, Wyoming. Cody, right. Nice coast line. Lots of marinas. What? He single-hands and she joins him at lovely places. Everett and Cathy from Cody are fine folks, living the dream of at least one of them.
Another rum and coke awaits, as does a dinner of Zatarain's dirty rice and merguez. More tomorrow.