Getting Started With The Work

I started the day by visiting Port Townsend Rigging. I liked the atmosphere and established good rapport with the people I spoke with. They know what is required and will telephone me in a few days before they visit the boat.

I then went on a quest for a grounding plate for the HF radio. One place sent me to another who sent me to another and I was amazed that what I required wasn't immediately at hand. In one business we were reduced to using Google searches to try to find what I wanted. Full of doubts I was pointed to the boat works co-op where eventually I spoke with their electrical specialist. I told him that I had considered having a grounding plate made of stainless steel but he said that s/s is not good for that sort of thing and they prefer to use bronze. I mentioned my lead keel. He asked if it was encased in fiberglass. When he learned that the lead keel is directly in the water he said that they have found that grounding to a keel bolt gives the best results. He said that there is enough mass and surface area in the keel to compensate for the antifouling on it. I asked if there would be resultant galvanic damage to the bolts or keel and he said No. I told him that he had just solved my problem, thanked him, and we shook hands. I plan to use a 2" copper strap to ground the tuner to the keel bolts.

I visited West Marine and asked what the point for each dollar that I spent really meant. He looked and my card and said that I would get a $5 discount for every $500 that I spent. (We both managed to keep a straight face.) There is another card which costs $19 but would give me a 4% discount. I learned that a headless (i.e. no display) Raymarine in-hull depth transducer costs only $120 (plus over 8% sales tax, thank you). The display would be to the C120 chart plotter. I know that a depth display inside the cabin is not nearly as useful as one in the cockpit but I intend this to be a backup in case the Navman depth sounder fails for some reason.

I was disappointed to learn that there is no refrigerator specialist in the precinct but was told that what I require isn't too exotic and a competent marine electrician can do the job. One person has been recommended by two separate parties and I left a message with him this morning but got no response. I will try again tomorrow.

I found a really good chandlery that focuses more on hardware and materials and less on electronics, books, clothing, and other "consumer" marine items. I got the fittings for the salt water galley pump intake. I was surprised that he supplies only bronze and not stainless steel through-hull fittings and valves. I prefer s/s but if bronze is good enough for the locals it should see Pachuca through a few more years of service.

There was good progress with the maintenance of the SABB diesel engine. I have engaged Shoreline Marine Diesel and they seem like a good mob. Unfortunately they can do the maintenance only when the boat is back in the water which I should have realized earlier. They asked for information on the fuel and oil filters required and soon I provided that. Then they asked for the engine model and soon I produced the SABB diesel owner's manual and parts manual. I had put the cooling water temperature sensor on the agenda and decided - wisely, as it turned out - to remove the part from the engine and take it to them. An hour later I learned that it is a European version of the VDO part and is not available in the USA. They left it to me to order the part from SABB. I have already sent them an email. Then there was the very bent bolt that controls the fan belt tension of the small alternator. I wound up and the hardware store across the road that has by far the widest collection of nuts and bolts that I have ever seen in a hardware store. They tried but they could not help me. I went back to Shoreline Marine and Mark put in a lot of time searching through his various boxes of bolts and he identified it as an 8mm metric bolt of standard thread. He has ordered a bit rod of this thread and will make the bolt.

So that was the first day: slow, patient, and methodical. If the past is any guide I'll steadily pick up the pace as I get more hands-on involvement.