Day 98 Boy, It's Hot here!!

I know, I know, I squawked about the cold weather down in Newport.  I take it back.  The mid 60's is just fine.  We were up to 87 today.  They took our dodger/bimini today to have it re-sewed.  Now we are exposed to all the sun and heat that Mother Nature can throw at us.  The fan is running and the kids are all laid out trying to get cool--much like us.  We are having all the zippers and much of the stitching replaced since the elements have taken their toll on the fabric.  Even so, I could not have imagined the trip to Port Townsend without having it.  It was a challenge with it.  It would have been miserable without it.  Now we just wait for its return.  

One winch down and five to go, each progressively more complex.  This is number two--a Lewmar 44 two speed used for controlling the line that controls the main sail.  A very important piece of equipment.  If it were to fail, we would have no way to control our biggest sail--bad!!  I got the first one done early this morning before it got hot.  I'd dismantled it yesterday, soaking the gears in kerosene and then washing them in soapy water.  I pulled out my Lewmar brand(hey, it's a Lewmar winch) grease and a small paint brush and "painted" the gears with a thin layer of grease and put some Corrosion X oil on the pawls( the small winged pieces that keep the winch from going the opposite way when you are using it--they make the winch got "click, click, click as it gets turned).  I started dismantling number two but never got to finish it.  It will still be there tomorrow.

The electrician was back today setting up circuits so we can start the engines from either battery bank--"house" or "start" batteries will now do the job.  If the "start" batteries--those used to only start the engine--should die unexpectedly, we can switch to the "house" batteries.  These are primarily used to run the lights and other systems on Zephyr.  Lots of BIG new wires are quickly making their way onto Zephyr.  It's not so much that the old wires were bad, it's that every years, there are new "standards" that boats are moved up to as to electronics and the wiring that it takes to keep them running.  Once Jack is done, all will be well.  I spoke with the company in New Jersey that is inspecting our energy management system--it is a miniature computer that monitors what and how we use the energy in our batteries.  They will be working on it today  and hopefully getting back with us tomorrow as to its condition.  Let's all hope for the best.  We could use some good news.

The transmission folks came by 

early this morning to look at the engine to see what type of transmission was going to be needed.  I sent them off with the original owners manual(thank you Bill & Susan) so they know what to look for in their search on the internet.    Let's hope they have good luck.  Speedy would be good also.  They haven't opened it up to see what is wrong yet.  I guess they will do that after finding a source for its replacement.  Apparently, it is a common transmission.  At least that is what they said as they left.

Tomorrow--as always, more things to do.  Never a dull moment.