Day 275 Off to Port Townsend and more.

We took off for Port Townsend yesterday but first we had some unfinished business to take care of on Zephyr.  I connected the wires for the fog horn/hailer and checked to see if it worked.  Yep-- it worked just fine.  I could send our a blast with the press of the key on the mic or set it up for automatic(the normal for being in fog) which is perfect when out boating.  With the radio being below decks, you can't keep running below decks to trigger the blast.  We checked out the hailer on the horn.  Worked just fine.  I can talk to other boaters and then it allows me to listen to their response.  Again, with it below decks, it won't be much use unless one of us stays below and uses it while the other is above decks.  

Now all I have to do is start running the wires through some cabinets and up to the cockpit.  With luck I will find the wires for the Raytheon GPS so I can attach the extra set of two wires that are in the main wire so that it will transmit the GPS info to the VHF radio.  This way, if I have to transmit a distress call on the VHF, it will transmit our longitude and latitude along with the distress call.  All this can be set up automatically on the radio.  A nice feature in an emergency.  You set it up and pray you never have to use it.

I then tackled the problem we have had with the track for the mainsail on the mast.  It just doesn't go up to the top easily.  Tides Marine, which sells "Strong Track"sent us a slide that goes up the track and shaves off a small bit of the track so that the sides on our main will go up and down easier.  I took off the mainsail and slide the "cutter slide" in to the track.  Or should I say, tried to slide it into the track.  It's too big.  I couldn't get it to fit.  Out comes the phone.  The folks at Tides pulled out another slide and checked it with a sample of the track they keep on display and will send it out.  They questioned me as to where I was and the weather conditions.  Well gee--Washington state in the Winter?  Cold and wet.  The rep said it works best at 70 degrees.  Heck, I'd love to feel 70 degrees!  With it being cold--40 degrees, it expands the track and closes off the slide area.  It will probably work fine once it gets warmer.  Apparently when they make it, they subject it to below 0 temps to harden it and then regrind  the track.   While ours was made the same way, the cold temps make it just that little bit smaller.  Once the cutter slide is run through it a few time, it should work fine.  We sure hope so.  It's not the easiest thing getting that big sail up.

We took off for Port Townsend early in the afternoon.  First lunch at Taco Time.  Sort of like Taco Bell only the food is better.  You get a lot for the money.  

The drive to Port Townsend was through Sun, rain, and overcast.  A normal day up here.  We stopped in at Andersen Machinery to pick up the two clevis pins we need for the forestaysail stay.  They look great though we both thought they looked short.  We stopped at West Marine--no calipers to measure it.  Nice to see Tom again.  On to see Brion Toss to have him measure it.  Oops, he's at the boat show giving lectures.  Over to Sea Marine.  They pulled out their calipers and yes, it is the size Gordon gave us.  I guess the true test will be when we go up the mast to install it.  Having two on hand, I will make sure to mark it so we know what the second one is later if necessary.  We picked up our case of "505" Salsa--YEAH!!!  Finally something with spice in it.  These people don't know that they are missing.  Now we have 12 jars to see us through for a while.  They even tossed in some packets of green chili sauce.  They will be great on a steak or burger.

On the way back, we stopped at "Famous Dave's Barbecue" for dinner.  We had been told about "Famous Dave's by Pat Roberts back in Denver.  There is one there.  A great restaurant for ribs and brisket as well as chicken.  There is just about no way anyone can finish what they bring you for dinner.  Leftovers are always a treat the next day.  

Today, back to the boat show.  Classes this afternoon with Nigel Calder(he's world famous don't you know) on diesel engines and then one on boat electrical systems.  I'm going to be smarter than I was when we leave.  Tracy is going to attend other classes while I'm in these.  The ferry takes an hour from Bremerton so we will be leaving soon.

Have a great day everyone.