MERRY CHRISTMAS!

If Knot Y Knot
Patricia Day
Sun 21 Dec 2008 17:43
Week ending 21 December 2008
No rest for the wicked - So just what I have done that is so wicked I
cannot think, but I certainly have not had a lot of rest and relaxation
this week.
Monday
Antillean Day, so it was a big holiday, I really should have taken the
time to look up what it actually was all about.
No holiday for me, I fitted the new fuel filler cap. The first one took
me 4 hours, the new fitting not being the same size as the old one and
therefore the hose did not fit. The worry was that it would all go
pearshaped and leave me with a hole in the transom, 6" from the water, and
a tank full of diesel at risk. I am very pleased with the finished
result, but it took some doing.
I looked at the second fuel filler and could not face it, I can see where
I have to get to, but I can't get to it.
I moved on to the water filler, which I had bodged temporarily, duck tape
only lasts for so long, but as it is above the waterline and under the
anchor locker it was no so crucial. I did a different fix for this one,
only being water and not diesel, it was easier and only took 2 hours.
Buoyed up by such successes I took everything out of the cockpit locker to
do the second fuel filler, but again abandoned the idea. The chance of
getting stuck without securing the hull was too great, that really has
been relegated to when I am on land, or a marina at the very least.

Tuesday
The water intake that goes to the loo is always a worry, how to sink a
boat in the shortest possible time. I have a stopcock, but that is too
difficult to get to to close every time. I have another valve, but that
again is too much for each use. If you do not close the lever on the loo
it fills up the bowl and keeps going. I usually find out when there is 3"
of seawater on the bathroom floor to pump out, but what if the loo pump
just gives out. I put another stopcock on the inlet hose actually by the
loo, with a great loop in the hose as an extra measure. So I am getting
into the habit of closing both valves each time, so far so good.
I spent the afternoon sewing my spinnaker. I have cut off the bottom
10-12' and now have to sew the re-inforced corners back on and re-tape the
edge. The corners are very thick and every stitch puts up a tough fight
to get through. The very thick needles are too big and the sharper ones
are breakable given enough pressure and I have a palm to provide just that
pressure.

Wednesday
Still sewing the first corner on to the spinnaker, 3 needles down so far.
I am also sewing a seam on the sprayhood that I ripped off 4 months ago to
have some welding done. I didn't have the welding done and needn't have
broken the seam, so I am plodding along with this. I was having to push
the needle through from inside and then go outside and push the needle
back, again the fabric is thick, with a vinyl trim for extra trouble. I
am getting on really well now that I roll up the window and can do the
whole process from the inside while sitting on the companionway sliding
hatch. I am 2/3 of the way. 4 months ago I would have said I would have
it done by Christmas, because Christmas was such a long way off; now I'm
not so sure, but I will have it done by New Year.

Thursday
I am pushing the boat out and paying Richard to build me some shelves, I
could wait for when I am on the hard and can use my tools, but I would
never get to the standard. The first shelf in the front cabin would be a
bit tricky, the second should be easier and the one in the back cabin
should be a piece of cake. The first shelf in the front cabin was a bit
tricky, the second one was easier and then Richard went home. It all
takes an enormous amount of time and boats slope in all directions. Also
we could not drill to attach them to the wall, as I only had a 1/4" ply
liner, then it was hull.
I did take the opportunity to use the sander to level off the one side of
the cockpit table that was a little wavy.

Friday
The back cabin shelf eventually gave in and fitted, rather wonderfully. I
would have just fitted the trim on the front and used sealant at the back
to cover the gap, which is why Richard is doing the job - he makes them
fit without filler.
Then we fitted some strips to the ceiling where there is a big space over
the shelves that could not be used; now it is.
So I have all this shelving room and I have not filled it all up yet, I
have the same stuff on them, just spaced out.
We also fitted the inspection hatch back over the engine.
Now I have to find stain to match the woodwork and varnish it all. Easier
said than done here and I have been staining the inspection hatch every
day with the teabag after my morning cup of tea. It will take far too
long to do that for all this new wood.
As there was a drill handy we put the three way valve under the bathroom
sink on the wall, which we could now get to the other side as we had cut
the back of the cupboard out previously. This was a five minute job,
expect that I had to re-plumb all the hoses to fit against the wall. Why
can I not get any water into the loo now? It will all be better in the
cold light of day when I am not so tired.

Saturday
It probably would have been all right in the cold light of day, but it was
a hot day and it was not all right. I could not get water to the
watermaker or the loo. It had taken me months to get it all perfect and
no time at all to bring it all crashing down.
I took off all the pipes to the water intake and the valve, take out the
longer hose I had put in yesterday, re-route all the hoses and re-plumb it
all. I got the watermaker to work. I took the loo apart, no good reason
why this should suddenly not work, but I had tried everything else. I put
back the longer hose and re-plumbed everthing again and everything seems
to work. I don't know what the problem was, but it seems ok now.
That took me about 8 hours. Included in this time was a trip to Isis to
pick up my filled gas bottle and a stop at Puddle Jumper for moral support
- an ice lolly and ice cream always helps, oh for a freezer. Oh for a
fridge that works.
When I had finished Richard came by with the remainder of my plywood and
said that he had fixed his transmission. Now everything was clear, the
elf in charge of making things work on boats had been busy all day on Slow
Dancing, only when there was finished did my plumbing suddenly work.
As I had the elf's attention I turned hopefully to the fridge, which has
not worked at all for most of the week. I turned it back on and left it
making slight fridge noises while I went for drinkies on Slow Dancing with
Puddle Jumper. A deserved end to a tough week.

Sunday
Went to a different hardware store and managed to get a few bits.
I found the plastic corners I had been looking for, to stop children
knocking their heads on sharp corners. These are now glued onto the solar
panel, which is going to make me feel less worried on those occasions when
I have to throw myself against the sprayhood.
I still have lots of projects to do, but have decided to take the
afternoon off.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!