Cruising is... Nov 14, '09-Feb 14,'10, Part V

We left you with the helm installations complete, and all the boat and
computer electronics working. Better still, we found an eager buyer for our
useless-to-us AIS system, with both parties happy with the end result. Of
interest for later exploration was that buyer's lead to virtually
indestructible computers at very inexpensive prices.

The hard part done, I set to the non-critical tasks...

We'd noted that the alternator on Perky didn't seem to be putting out its
full potential on a few prior motoring sessions. As we'd had our generators
fully checked out (see prior log of us in Charleston) I laid that to the
regulator, so started researching where to find replacements, even though I
already had one, as well as two backup alternators with new regulators on
them. (See above about redundancy...) That search led to a source that had
the appropriate regulator, but also an inexpensive high-output alternator
with the same frame as what we had now. Discussions with the vendor
concluded that we should stick with the type of regulator we had, rather
than the internal regulator they initially recommended, due to the heat
involved in the typical engine room.

So, I ordered one, with two spare regulators, making, now, three complete
spare alternators, each with a spare regulator. That, weighing in at 15
pounds, certainly contributed to the overweight situation on our return :{/)
However, while simple enough, just replacing the current with the new
alternator was not enough for me. I'd noted a visually apparent misalignment
in the pulley on the alternator as compared to the water pump and the
crankshaft pulley sometime along the last few hundred hours of engine
operation, and knew that I'd have to address it soon.

Having been through this before, I knew it was possible to manhandle the
mild steel brackets which mounted the alternator, using a 15" crescent
wrench, albeit a contortionist and strong-man's job. Fortunately, I have
sufficient of both attributes, and, using a laser level my friend Erkki gave
me, I was, after about a dozen or so mount-dismount/bend/re-bend cycles,
able to perfectly align the pulleys. That should enhance my already
satisfactory belt life (see prior posts during our time in the Chesapeake
for perspective!), even though, the brackets being mild steel, I'm sure I'll
have to do that again at some time in the future.

Along the way, while we were in Marsh Harbour, our 15HP Johnson's
pull-starter rewind spring broke, again. As I'd kludged up a repair for it
on the prior two times it broke, I had no confidence that a repeat would not
follow another repair, so I ordered a new one as part of our 125 pounds of
stuff. That went on with only a minumum of aggravation, other than that in
the course of wrestling the coils around (rewinding it), I broke off a
critical part of the throttle system! That provoked a brief outburst of
profanity, which, due to the wind level at the time, fortunately, assailed
nobody's ears other than Lydia's, below. As always, we always being
protected, the local Johnson dealer had a replacement for the obscure part
for our dinosaur in stock, and it was quickly replaced (less than an hour of
manhandling flywheels and electronics stuff in the way of its removal). It's
back to its superb performance, now.

My final chores were to make some changes to my computer system. As part of
what I'd carried home and back, I'd added two USB ports and three serial
ports to the computer. Additionally, one of my backup hard drives (we have 5
external HDs - 1T, 500, 400, 300 and 220G, used to back up, or store movies,
music, pictures and the like) refused to be recognized by the computer. So,
my project was to see if I could revive that drive, and change a couple of
USB-Serial converters to straight serial connections, as they're more
efficient, and would free up additional USB ports. Accordingly, I carefully
ordered 3 new cables.

YIKES!!! Wrong ones! All my excavation of old wires, enlarging the holes
they'd go through (serial cables have large rectangular ends on them), VERY
carefully, with a RotoZip tool, with the remaining wires still in the holes,
proved unneeded, as the new cables I'd bought wouldn't work. Not a big deal,
as the cables are dirt cheap, but that conversion project will have to wait
until our next visitor can bring the right ones along. (They're not cheap
when you buy them in the third world; the Internet is your friend, but only
if you can ship them to a State-side address!) I just hate doing all that
contortion and unneeded (at the time, given the failure of my understanding
of what's on both ends of the cable - it should have been male-female,
rather than female-female as I ordered) enlargement.

And, at the end of this particular story, the drive was fine; there's some
sort of anomaly which requires it to be powered up and USB-connected to the
computer when it starts, not later, for it to be recognized. So, having
proven that point, I moved all the data, which was all old backup material,
onto the terabyte drive and finished the installation of all the
computer-related stuff. We've even watched several movies, now, as
everything works as is should, once again.

So, that's what I did on my summer vacation, fellow students :{)) There's
some more to tell, but it's recent history, so I'll save it for some other
installment, after it's finished (the new issues/stuff are/is not yet
resolved). In the meantime, in the next couple of days, we'll have finished
departure preparations. Assuming the current weather forecast holds, we'll
be off to Georgetown, either by going around Eleuthera, or through two
channels (requiring daytime passage, a downside due to scheduling for
daylight arrival) and under Eleuthera, on the way, departing Tuesday,
weather permitting.

Departure prep - tomorrow's chores - includes unrigging of the protective
stuff we did for the gales (top gust 56 knots) we had over the weekend and
changing the oil in the Honda portable generator. We'll also stow all that
we've not had totally secured while we've been at anchor, including some
stuff in the engine room having been taken down in troubleshooting some
electrical/electronic stuff, the conclusion of which will have to wait for
another log, as it's not happened yet.

The final items for tomorrow will be to change out the primary Racor fuel
filter, one that finally clogged after 3 years and over 1000 hours of
operation. That it took that long is proof-positive that our fuel polishing
system has paid for itself. The other part of that fuel system installation,
done before we left over 3 years ago, the dual-Racor system, allowed us to
merely flip a couple of levers, engaging the second filter, allowing us to
make that filter change at our leisure rather than under way. Life is
good...

After we've done the laundry and final minimal provisioning at the marvelous
grocery store here, we'll get the outboard and fuel cans out of the dinghy,
the dinghy raised and lashed, and enjoy a good night's sleep.

First thing in the morning, we'll check in one last time with our weather
guru, Chris Parker, confirming what we expect to be a green-light for
departure, and take on fuel and water on the way out. Whether we go out the
top of Man-O-War or jig and jog our way down the inside, avoiding all the
sand bars and coral heads, to Little Harbour's exit, we'll have left the
Marsh Harbour area before noon. With any luck, we'll be in Georgetown for
dinner on Wednesday :{))

So, for now, that's more than enough, I'm sure. Stay Tuned :{))

L8R

Skip, Lydia and Portia, the seagoing cat

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to
make it come true. You may have to work for it however."
(and)
"There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in
its hand
(Richard Bach)
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to
make it come true. You may have to work for it however."
(and)
"There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in
its hand
(Richard Bach)