Day 295 Added charts

The first half of the day was spent on the phone getting the information needed to unlock more navigation charts for our Garmin GPS chartplotter.  We had from the Straits of Juan de Fuca to just South of San Francisco but needed North to Alaska for our next trip.  That took a while to get since I couldn't figure out their website as to how to do it there.

Once I got the unlock code, I then had to "burn" them onto a chip that gets pushed into the chartplotter.  I had to get educated from Garmin on how to do that.  I'd done it before(once) a long time ago so I needed a refresher.  I'd bought extra chips from West Marine when they had them at half price so I "burned" a spare chip just to make sure that if I "lost" one, I would have an immediate backup chip.   Once we get down to San Francisco, I'll have to get more unlock codes for farther South.  At least the next one will take us from San Francisco all the way to the South tip of Mexico.  A BIG region.

There is another class I want to take in Seattle this weekend on "Boat Wiring".  I'd tried to get signed up but either I was too late or there were just to many people ahead of me.  I'd called and left two messages with the registrar with no response.  I then sent an email as a followup.  She finally responded that the class was full and I could put my name on a waiting list for the next class.  I email her back that this was my last chance to take the class as we would be either in Alaska or Mexico when the next was scheduled.  She email me back and told me to call this week.  I did so on Monday and again left a message.  She returned my call and took pity on this poor sailor and is allowing me to attend.  It is given by the same people that gave the diesel class I went to back in December.   I know a good bit about wiring a boat from watching Jack the electrician but now at least I will get a more formal training.  It should be very interesting to see what I have done right and done wrong.  Wiring a house is easy compared to a boat.  Each connection has to be made absolutely water tight or corrosion will get in and destroy the cooper wires very quickly.

We took off for Pet Smart for more flea remedies.  The liquid we put on the the back of their necks that made them drool had just about no effect other than poor Shadow has no hair there now.  Tracy is still finding fleas on the poor fur people.  The flea collars are worthless unless a flea happens to walk past one on his way to the next feast.  We visited the vet area in Pet Smart and picked up some heavier doses of anti flea stuff.  Boy their stuff isn't cheap but if it kills these bugs it will be worth it.  Tracy vacuumed the  entire boat to get any of the bug that might be hiding in the carpets or under the floorboards.  We're not going any where near a dog again.

We stopped at West Marine to look at paper charts for the trip North.  We have some for the San Juan Islands and part of the Gulf Islands that are in Canada along side Vancouver Island.  Electronic charts have their place, but only a fool would set sail without a decent set of paper charts.  The problem with them is that they cost over $20.00 a piece and it could easily take several dozen for a full set.  I'm off to Fisheries Supply on Saturday after class to see if they have any chart books that will cover the area.  They are your best buy as far as getting charts at a more reasonable price.

We mailed the burned and melted cord ends from our power cords to ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) for their next show and tell booth at the boat shows.  They were pretty badly charred.  I included the inlet connection that Tracy replaced where power comes into Zephyr outside.  The last replacement plug end came in via UPS yesterday so I'll finally get that cord fixed.

Back to Zephyr for a few small jobs.  We've turned off the fresh water pump so it can depressurize so I can swap it out.  It has been acting even more strangely than it was in the past.  Before, it just started and stopped at irregular intervals--no leaks in the system--on and off, on and off.  The factory replaced it but I hadn't installed the new one yet.  Now, it would just loose pressure and have to be turned off at the main circuit breaker to have it pressurize again.  It is supposed to maintain a constant pressure of 40 pounds so that when you turn on a faucet, the water comes out without having to wait for a pump to turn on like many boat systems.  I'd planned on replacing it earlier and had turned off the pump but it always depressurized as we were about to do the dishes so it had to be turned back on and repressurize the system.  I simply planned a bit better so I would be able to change it during the day.

We stopped at Verizon about getting setup for phones while in Canada.  They can set us up for $59.95, about what we pay now.  The problem is that when we come back into the US, the plan we had been on(2 phones, 2 lines, and 550 minutes) has been discontinued and was no longer available.  We would have to step up the a $79.95 plan with 700 minutes.  The plan we are on now was forced on us when we upgraded our phones three years ago.  Our phones were so old(9 years) that Verizon gave them to us for free just to stop using them.  They were old analog phones--not digital like up to date phones.  I'd had no reason to change until I was advised that being analog, they were being phased out and I HAD to change.  Of course, our old plan wasn't available($39.95) and I had to trade up to a $59.95 plan.  It's amazing that with lots more people using cell phones that the prices for service haven't come down, just up.  Oh well, the price of progress.  To stay hooked up to the internet with the current internet connector we have would now cost $139.95 plus taxes!!! That is up from the $59.95  plus taxes we pay now.  We may end up being without either phone or wireless for the computer for the months we are in Canada.  If we can find an internet cafe or hot spot we can hook up then.  Not a lot of choices.  Pay a lot or do without.  Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

Well, it's time to change the water pump.  Have a great day.