A Beautiful Day for Maintenance

After working for weeks to get everything ready for departure, we devoted the day to sitting at anchor.  Time to slow down.  For Anne this meant naps, a toe in the water to test the temp, reading a couple magazines, and cooking.  For me it meant time to check off a few long overdue maintenance tasks on C’est la Vie. 

I started the day by polishing the stainless steel around the cockpit and transom.  By the time polishing was complete the day was warm enough hit the water.  With Anne’s on deck support, I cleaned the hull, cleaned the prop, and tightened down the loose zinc on our prop shaft.  I speculate that the loose zinc is the source of some new, undesirable engine noise and vibration.  We will test this theory when we depart Tarpon Belly Keys. 

I concluded my maintenance by tending to Segundo’s cracked gunwales.  I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, but it appears that I used too short of a screw to mount the oar locks on the dinghy.  It could also be that the yellow pine used in the gunwales is not up to the task of supporting oar locks.

Whatever the cause, the result was cracked gunwales the first time I attempted to row Segundo.  My solution is to through bolt the horizontal fasteners with #10 machine screws and use longer #10 screws on the vertical fasteners.

The foredeck while anchored in the Keys made for a beautiful workshop and I was surprised to discover all the necessary fasteners in my collection aboard.  

I wrapped up the projects in time to join Anne for a wonderful sunset off our stern.  She is prepared a shrimp and fingerling potatoes dish for dinner, I'll let her share the details with you all.  Ok a little hint - YUM!