Day 278 Cleaning up and odd jobs.

Well, now that the boat show is over, it was time to go through all the paper work and literature we brought back with us from the show.  Catalogs and order sheets galore.  Living in such a small area, there isn't that much room to keep these things so you have to be careful what you want and what you don't.  Papers on getting into Canada and what they require will be kept as well as what we can bring back to the US after visiting Canada.  We may be citizens, but going through Customs, they can rip your boat apart.  It pays to always declare everything they ask about.  They can confiscate(BAD)your boat if they find anything amiss.

We had visitors yesterday morning.  As I sat at the table going through the stuff from the show, I heard a bit of noise from on deck.  I look up and there is one of the otters again looking through the port light.   This time with a big fish in his mouth.  I guess he or she was looking for a place to sit and munch his brunch.  One of his siblings was on the top step of our ladder about to join him/her--not sure how you tell the difference.  I took off for the stairs and got them shooed off our boat.  We want to nip this visiting in the bud.  One of the last things I want to do is to have to clean up their "leavings" from our deck.  I guess we will have to fasten the life line gates--ours has netting on them--when we ever leave Zephyr.  It may not stop them but they will probably go elsewhere.  I saw them later in the day--another fish for their afternoon snack.  They were farther down the dock.  One swam up with a fish and kept it all to him/herself.  No sharing in this group.  I thought they would.  I guess it's every otter for themselves.

I took care of some small tasks that had been suggested by the lecturers at the show and made a list of more tasks that need attention.  I lubed the Duogen gears where it makes the 90 degree turn from the propellers into the drive shaft.  We had run into the folks that sold it to us last year and they reminded us to do that every so often.  One of the boats--Wind Dancer that is linked to our sight has had his up for about a year and a half and his gears just gave out after thousands of hours of use.  I still plan on ordering some extra parts for it before we leave.  Can't be to prepared.

It was Shower Day on Zephyr yesterday and today will be Laundry Day I figure.  The bag is getting full and the drawers are getting empty.

The replacement parts for our electrical cords should be here by Wednesday so I'll tackle that when they arrive.  One of the booths at the show had a display of power cord ends and how burnt and melted they can get if not maintained properly.  The ones on our two cords looked far worse than what they were showing.  I'll be sending our to him after the swap out.  He collects them to display at shows.  His booth is put on by the ABYC--American Boat and Yacht Council.  These folks train and certify electricians to make sure the work done on boats is up to the codes in force by the federal government.  You really don't want anyone working on your boat that isn't certified by them and even then you hope they remember their training as they wire your boat.  There a a lot of people out there that claim to be certified who really aren't.  It pays to look over their shoulder as they do the work.

Remember folks, today is Rabbit Rabbit Day.  Just repeat "Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Day a few times when you get up--normally before talking to anyone else and you will have good luck for the entire month.  My parents taught me that while growing up.  "Google" it when you have time.  This practice dates back hundreds of years.  It may sound stupid but hey, what do you have to loose?

Have a great Sunday--and Happy Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Day!