1/29/16    Friday  Ft. Myers Beach


The promise of sunrise this morning was the possibility of sun rather than rain. Score!

Sunrise after two solid days of rain

We left the mooring early to get to the boat yard for rudder inspection, diagnosis, repair. I'll let David tell you the story. It has a happy ending.

David -
Late last week, while on a mooring and getting knocked about by a wind storm, Nancy and I heard a sound we had not heard before. A metal sounding clunk-clunk.  We finally found it was the rudder post coming up through the boat into the Lazarette.  Further examination raised some questions about if a bushing had worn out or dropped down the shaft.  Plus the stuffing box that keeps water out of the boat was leaking again in spite of my having tightened it several times before. We decided to have it looked at.
After shopping around we finally settled on a yard and waited til today to get in line for a mechanic and potentially a haul out ($9 a foot of boat [33'] plus $100 for blocking before a mechanic even climbs into the boat at $100/hr) ahem!  

So I went over yesterday with cellphone photos to meet Mike, the mechanic and plan for today. As I walked in the yard I spied a sign "NO DO IT YOURSELF" Oh-oh!

Mike and I met with office manager. He agreed if we brought the boat in early he could look at it in the water and we would decide if a haul out was necessary. Sooo, 7:30 this morning we arrived and i walked into the office and surprised the office manager. "Hi, please let Mike know we are ready for him whenever he is free." Bingo he was on the boat with coffee a few minutes later. In spite of the sign, he was delighted that I wanted to take all the gear off so he could look at the rudder shaft itself. So, I got to take apart the hydraulics, autopilot and other and fittings so he could get a better look at it all. Bingo #2. I worked (with Nancy) to pull apart the gear attached above the shaft and then went and got Mike. He came back and pulled and prodded and found our problems.  a fitting on top of the rudder shaft with a bronze square key (keeps the fitting from slipping) was sloppy, worn and loose. (clunk clunk.) Plus the stuffing in the stuffing box was installed incorrectly (just like the stuffing on the shaft we discovered lat month). so, drip -drip.
I repacked the stuffing box, Mike showed up with a new key for the keyway we installed it, he looked it over and said "Your good to go." Bingo #3.  He was gone and I was putting everything back together. Whew. It is better than ever! I walked into the office, and got a bill for $115, rather than one for a thousand or more.  Now, we will just check the bolts and fittings frequently for a while to make certain noting works looks and continue on our happy way! Dinner ashore anyone???


Nancy again:

Post happy ending rudder story, which was a lot of waiting around and handing tools for me, we went back to "our" mooring only to discover that someone had taken it. Turns out it was Mary Beth and Joe (we met them at the laundry room later in the day). As we passed by I shouted that "Hey, we paid your mooring fee." We headed to another mooring up river with the Harbor Master following us with the pump out boat. Phew, pumped poop (like that alliteration?) and glad of it.

I felt sort of at sixes and sevens with David today. I think he was distracted by the possible BIG bill if we'd had to haul out the boat for the rudder repair. And I often feel I'm "on alert" and waiting  with David...some things I simply can't do on/around/relative to Grace. We both, I think, try to not make decisions that could negatively effect the other's plans, even if we don't have or think we have plans.
Anyway, from me - impatience; from him - distracted.

But we managed to get the laundry washed. We met and enjoyed Mary Beth and Joe and may travel w/or see them in Key West. We had a great dinner - out - since we "saved" (!) so much money NOT being hauled out. And are making ready to set sail, so to speak, tomorrow.....continuing our journey of adventures.