While we were in Annapolis we had our annual Warranty Service and had 2 guys crawl all over the boat checking her out. Fred from Annapolis Yacht Sales was very knowledgeable about these Farr 57 and we had quite a discussion about making a hard top bimini with removable spray hood for next years budget.

 

His colleague Karl then came to do al the engineering checks and he was great. He was an ex USAF Master Sergeant and had been a Crew Chief on C-141 Starlifters, the stories he told about the special extradition of Taliban to Guantanamo Bay were really interesting, he definitely has a few books in him. But his knowledge on the Yanmar engine was superb, I felt like a rookie as he said the engine anodes had not been changed, I told him once a year and he said “No, get me the manual”, and he was right every 250 hours.

 

Then he started on with the fuel filters, alternator belts and gas struts for the stairs and I felt suitably chastised, I mean I look after this boat better than most, but there were things I had not done. He even re-aligned the engine – I have never had that done before and he said it was quite a way out which causes vibration on the prop shaft – so maybe that’s why the prop anodes come loose after a couple of months. The usual tolerance is 0.005” but he adjusted it to his standard of 0.004”. Anyway we cancelled the planned evening meal and I worked into the night doing everything Karl had recommended, so if you go by Annapolis look up Karl Marine Services – a really good guy.