30 23 32.62N 081 25 47.85W The last Blog - Part 2
Pipedream
Thu 22 Mar 2012 21:06
of Green Cove Springs because of the bridge closings. She called back and
said she would meet me there to 'take my lines' when we made shore. When we
arrived she had already arranged for a slip and fortunately had a small
group of boaters assembled to help us in. Some of these people were there
three and a half years ago when while I was trying to back into my slip in a
tidal current I 'lost' the Pipedream and came in sideways against the fronts
and backs of 4 other boats. They likely were glad to see me leave then and
now I was back? I was sure that after all the practice I had gotten backing
in Europe I was ready to show them my stuff...
I turned the bow around to face the current with a 15 kts cross wind. As I
cranked the wheel over... nothing happened. I put it in reverse hard to
keep from crashing into a boat in front of me and was able to stop. Using
only power I backed out of the marina away from the other boats but still
had no real control. I called Mary's cell and explained what had
happened... as luck would have it there was a tow boat operator in the
crowd. He was out in a flash. He side tied to us and was able to push us
into the slip nose first and get us stopped before we ran aground or did any
real damage.
As soon as we were tied down I went below to see what had happened. The
hydraulic cylinder that steers the boat has a fork threaded to the end of it
that pins into the rudder quadrant and pushes the rudder one way or another.
It had unscrewed from the fork and was pushing air instead of Pipedream's
rudder. Dahl! Matt and I had a discussion later over a couple of beers,
about what would have happened to us if the rudder would have come loose in
the worst weather of the crossing, the northeaster we had just come through
the night before... night mare city. What could have been worst?
I then heard the sound of running water... a very bad sound on a boat...the
last drop stuffing box that we had repaired in Malta had started to leak
again but not this bad. A closer look showed that the prop shaft had
actually backed most of the way out of flex coupling and the boat about 3
inches when I went into emergency reverse and a lot of water was coming in
along the keyway slot , now in the stuffing box, in the 1 3/4" propeller
shaft! I quickly carved a wooden plug out of the end of a paint brush and
was able to jam it up keyway slot enough to cut the leak in half and allow
the bilge pump to make some headway. I then used both packets of water
proof epoxy patch I carry 'just in case' and part of a towel to cut the leak
in half again.
When I finally stepped off the boat for a tearful hug from Mary at almost
the same slip we had left from some three years before and everyone's
congratulations... I had to whisper to Mary that the boat was sinking and I
would have to hang around a while to make sure the pumps and batteries could
keep up with the leak.
It was already getting dark when I found that the nearest travel lift was 3
hours up the river from where we had just come and that Boat US would gladly
tow me there in the morning for $785. The next day after some negations, I
was able to get a tow from the brother of the guy docked next to me for only
half price... oh boy. We arrived at St John's Boat Works at about 5 PM an
hour after closing. I stayed on the boat yet another night and then part of
the next day nursing the batteries and bilge pumps until we were able to get
pulled out at high tide.
All I wanted was to get home and have a bowl of beans with my wife in my own
kitchen... but it seems I was now part of the 'adventure that never ends'.
Two weeks later I am still waiting for the boat mover, with the hydraulic
trailer that allows me to unload Pipedream at my place without a crane, to
get out of the hospital so I can get the boat put away safe and sound at the
'Farm' in Orange Park.
In the mean time I have been sending broken stuff out for repair... Balmar
regulator, Forspar whisker pole hinge, Lee main sail, and the list goes on.
Over the next year I plan to be doing a lot of fixing and painting and may
even take another run at local politics. All I can say is what a blast!...
and I hope you've enjoyed sharing some of this with me. Happy Trails.