Oct 1-12
Hi All,
Oh….so you came back to Sitka so you could relax and enjoy the town…..NOT…..projects, maintenance, cleaning, post 1000+ pictures on the website, travel agent, doctor appointments (colonoscopy year….double ugh)…..arghhh!!!!
So what have we been doing:
– John: Cleaned all the gear in the dinghy, the dinghy itself…..that took 2 days….you see, first you wash the dinghy, then you use degreaser to get all the caked on grime off, then you wax the fiberglass…top and bottom, then you apply 403 to it all, then you polish all the SS around the dinghy, scrub the cushions, 403, then put it all away!!!!
– New shower mixing faucet in master head: this is how Kathy described the job to a friend….”Shower leaking, so we purchased a new shower fixture. Which is lovely, but unfortunately not Chinese, so a good 1″ spread difference. Ok. Drill out wall using files – don’t want to crack the fiberglass with a drill, so laborious and time-consuming fun. Finally get shower wall right, install replacement and find out we have a leak in the plumbing which just happens to run into my locker in the stateroom. (Enlarging the hole caused the hose fitting to crack…not enough hose) Empty clothes and shoes, cosmetics, shampoo etc. spares from the shelf to dry out, and squeeze into empty locker to repair. Oh no, cupcake. Fitting broken and cannot be repaired. Water to boat stays off. Try to find a work around and no joy. Finally, McGuiver a hose over hose and stopper fitting, turn water back on to boat. Mix a scotch.
Next day: And then today….Hardware store opens at 8 so John there at the opening bell. Gather up needed parts and return to the boat by 0900. (Of course, the hose connection is a Chinese fitting the hardware guy has never seen before and of course has nothing to replace it with) Oops. Newly bought and McGuivered fix from the True Value doesn’t work. Unload lazarette to get to other hoses and parts (of course) on the back and bottom. Bring inside to dump in pilothouse and salon. McGuiver yet a third solution to shower. Reassemble shower with the new McGuivered part and…..it leaks. Take fixture off for the 6th time and tighten all fittings. Reassemble and we can finally do the happy dance. Reassemble Kathy’s locker. Lunch.”
Dryer: About 6 months ago it started making a concerning noise….like maybe the belt is breaking. We thought we had a spare…..wrong, turned out to be for the washer…..but anyway, to the dryer to change out the belt. Kathy’s description: “Then, onto the other problem child. I just told John we have GOT to start hiring some of this stuff done!! Frickin’ dryer belt, we think. Dryer out of hole and down in hall. In order to get to the belt, the directions state “remove the dryer from around the belt”. Okay. Not really, but that’s basically what had to happen. Dryer in pieces and belt removed. Oops. Looks good. Which is especially nice since the replacement belt is the wrong size. Okie dokie. Reassemble dryer around belt. Lift up to shoulder height and and delicately work back into locker. Try dryer. Drum doesn’t turn. Work with drum and it eventually turns. But oh wait! Try dryer with drum turning but alas no heat. WTH???! Heat was working fine before we disassembled it! Give up and and open a couple of beers.
I just told John we have GOT to start hiring some of this stuff done! Drop dryer from locker to hall. Look for loose wires…..in order to get the back off so you can reach the belt you have to take off 10 electrical wires. Nada. Disassemble dryer from around the belt. Finish disassembly and check heating unit. Have continuity…..hmmmm. Reassemble dryer around the belt. Check wiring one more time and find blue wire not connected. Blue wire?? How could we not have seen that before we disassembled dryer??? Well…..because it was one John did not touch….it came off in all the jostling…..ugh!!!Reconnect with fingers crossed. Lift dryer to shoulder height, gingerly shove it into its locker, turn it on and try. Oh happy day we have heat. Still can’t cross it off the list, as we’ll have to do it all over again when the new belt and rollers arrive someday, but at least can use it until the old rollers break. Pour a double scotch. Sheesh!! In the meantime, call the Asko parts place in San Leandro, CA to order belt and rollers (which we now believe is the problem with the dryer) and they will be sent tomorrow USPS to Alaska. Great.
Thursday: Said dryer stopped turning….as in frozen…..ugh….the story/project continues as we wait for parts:((((
Simrad CA44 multi-unit….our last of three depth sounders: finally had the moxie to turn it off….ran continuously for 75+ days…..Raymarine GPS too….turned the unit back off and then back on and it came on….TG. But, sent it to the repairman in Florida to get checked out and install a new battery!!!
BTW….there is no FedEx or UPS stores in town…..they have a collection center at the airport….opened 1 hour/day….best way is to catch a truck as it goes by!!! But the USPS is open and they have shipping supplies…..of course, that is a 2+ mile walk….yep, getting in our exercise:)))
John: Washed boat, rebed several hawsehole screws, painted the chest freezer on the FB (it had lots of rust spots due to all the headseas and spray we took this year), polished some of the SS (big job, can’t believe it but we have not been able to find anyone to detail/wax the boat…..first time anywhere that has happened…ugh!!!)
Kathy: Cleaned interior, washed all the windows, wiped all the walls with vinegar, lots of laundry until the dryer quit, changed decorative theme from “palm trees” to Alaskan….bears, moose, et al:))))
And the list goes on……
Hope all is well!!
John
Mystic Moon
PS: Posted more Kodiak and Kitoi pictures….lots of Grizzly Bears: http://mysticmoonvoyages.com/photo-gallery/nggallery/main-album/Kodiak-and-Kitoi;-More-Bears!!!
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