Work, Work, Work!

Leonard Varnishing Cap Rails

Good Looking Cap Rails (masking protects fiberglass while working)

Fuel Injection Pump - port engine

Plug under Fuel Injection Pump

Plug Needing Reset and Sealed

Heading back from Grocery Shopping

Ok, I know it looks like we have been enjoying ourselves and seeing lots of wonderful places but boating also comes with its share of routine maintenance and unexpected challenges.  After coming into port, for example, we routinely wash down the boat to eliminate the buildup of salt and then there’s the big job of waxing the fiberglass every 6-months to protect it from the sun’s UV rays.  Regular oil changes for the two John Deere engines are completed every 200 hours along with changing the fuel filters and cleaning out the sea strainers, plus an oil change is needed for the Genset.  The transmission fluid filters are changed every 300 hours.  Not to be forgotten are the zincs attached to the underside of the boat to prevent electrolysis from eating functional metal parts on the boat – these zincs need to be replaced as they wear down.  We have a total of nine zincs on our boat which usually need to be replaced about every 3-6 months plus two zincs for each engine’s heat exchanger for the coolant. To prevent barnacles from attaching themselves on the underside of the boat, bottom paint is applied every 1-2 years requiring a haul out at a boat yard.  Perhaps the most gratifying but most temperamental project for boaters is keeping the exterior wood looking shiny and new.  During our stay in Santa Barbara, Leonard worked on sanding and varnishing the wood cap rails on our boat.  It can be a frustrating exercise; but also rewarding when you get it right.  Varnish needs to be at the correct consistency and a good quality brush needs be used at all times or you will end up with wrinkles.  (Too bad I can't sand and varnish my face, ha).  Oh, did I mention the sanding and varnishing routine needs to be repeated at least 6-9 times!  And in weather that’s not too hot or too cold.  In addition to routine boat maintenance, the unexpected often comes along.  One day while checking out the engine room, Leonard noticed that the fuel injection pump for the port engine was weeping a small amount of diesel fuel.  He called two John Deere service centers, MER in Seattle and GEM in Ventura located about 20 miles east of Santa Barbara.  One service center said that the shaft seals were bad and the entire fuel injection pump would need to be rebuilt or replaced.  For a rebuild, the fuel pump would need to be removed and shipped to a repair center, probably taking up to two weeks for the work to be completed.  A new pump would cost somewhere between $1,500 and $2,600, ouch!  Both options would require a mechanic for removal and installation.  Unfortunately the service center in Ventura did not have a mechanic available for another week but they did refer us to an independent John Deere mechanic also located in Ventura.  Leonard decided to contact Erith, the Ventura mechanic, and learned he was willing to drive out to Santa Barbara and take a look at the problem.  Leonard had described the problem over the phone and Erith suggested that the fuel injection plug might simply need to be tightened and sealed.  Before the mechanic came out, Leonard took pictures of the problem area and emailed them to MER in Seattle, who confirmed what the mechanic had told Leonard.  Thankfully Erith only charged $100 to come out and fix the problem.  Erith backed the plug on the fuel injection pump part way out and added sealant, then re-tightened.  He explained that the plug should not be taken completely off because the spring, ball, and other small pieces fall out and you can’t get them back in place again!  Problem solved, thanks Erith.  As boaters have come to learn, mechanics are good at finding other systems in need of attention.  Erith suggested that our heat exchangers for the transmission oil should be upgraded because these exchangers don’t have zincs in them, this means they will eventually leak all the oil out.  “You’ll burn up the transmission and you won’t know it until it is too late!”  Ok Erith, thanks again, we’ll add that to our long list of maintenance items.  In addition to routine boat maintenance and those unexpected repairs, day-to-day living aboard a boat also has its challenges.  Buying groceries for example requires some forethought.  Our recent trip to the grocery store in Santa Barbara resulted in four bags of groceries - 2 bags strapped on each bicycle and a 6-pack of “Fat Tire” drinks strapped on the back of Leonard’s bike – “hope he doesn't get a FLAT tire,” I thought.  To stock up on paper goods and canned goods, we rent a car and make a trip to Costco, usually in the larger towns.  Most of our sight-seeing is done by bicycle unless there is something we want to see that’s not within biking or walking distance in which case we use the bus or other means of public transportation.  Household chores like hand-washing dishes and doing the laundry also takes time.  I use the onboard combo washer/dryer for small loads and use the laundry facilities at marinas for large loads such as bed sheets.  One thing is for certain, with all our walking, biking, and yes, working, we aren’t lacking for exercise!

Back at the boat with Groceries