the long days
Putting the boat back in the water is always a mountain to climb. I always underestimate my capacity - so I add time to my estimates and start with the intention to knock everything out in a shorter time frame that I estimated. Since I overestimated, it should be pretty easy.
And you may have guessed where this is going, but I still can't get anything done in any reasonable amount of time. There are reasons of course, but man - these kinda days are tough.
Quick recap of the plan for today, we're moving aboard tomorrow: Wake up, make some breakfast and help the girls get started on school, head to boat, change oil on both engines, do some work on the electrical system (battery related), build a stand for the newly working a/c unit and if there is time and weather is good - put some or all of the sails on.
Quick recap of the actual day: Wake up, eat a microwave breakfast sandwich, remember that the oil filters I have on the boat have a bit of rust showing, go to store to pick up new filters. Our engines are Vetus brand engines that hard to get parts for - but oil filters are mostly available. 4 stores later, I have two oil filters. In the process, I have also scheduled a technician to head out to boat to check on our generator that has never worked properly. Then, stop back by Airbnb to pick up girls and head to boat. Start oil change on starboard engine. I use a manual pump to extract oil from the dipstick tube - and all is going well. Now, to take off the oil filter. Can't get it off. Nothing I do - awkward location - and have Emma on a hunt for a filter wrench, maybe the previous owner left one on the boat. No luck. Give up and hammer a screwdriver through the filter to get it off. Oil of course is now everywhere. Spin on new filters and fill oil. First task complete.
Generator technicians show up to boat and girls leave to go for lunch while I deal with technicians. They get to work and actually seem to be making progress - these are the 5th set of eyes to look at and work on the generator. To be fair, I spent quite a bit of time on it last and got it running pretty reliably, but it won't make power. The techs diagnose a failed capacitor and actually have the correct one on hand.
The girls come back with a burger and the weather is good, so Erin decides to put up stack pack in prep for putting up mainsail. She needs help - the lazy jacks need to be rigged and each side of the stack pack has a 20ft batten running the length. Most definitely a 2 person job. We get it mostly together in time for the techs to be finished with the generator and claim a good bill of health. Fingers crossed, but not holding my breath.
Mid-afternoon and I've got one oil change complete.
I start to get irritable realizing my day's plan is now out of reach. But at least I have an unexpected working generator? I have a mini meltdown because we're moving aboard tomorrow and everything on the boat is torn apart. Mostly my fault, but I feel like we've lost momentum and won't be ready for tomorrow. Erin, to her credit, jumps into action and starts putting the boat together.
After a bit of a break to regroup, I move to task two - oil change #2. I have to empty the pump of used oil into an empty oil jug and try not to spill too much oil all over everything. I mostly accomplish the task with some help from Emma.
Now, into the engine room. Run the engine for a bit to warm up the oil, and start pumping the old oil out. After 20 or so minutes, it's time to get the oil filter off. I try hand spinning it off, but this time I go straight to the hammer and screwdriver. Get the filter off and oil is everywhere. Get the new filter on and start filling the engine. Run the engine for a few minutes and check the oil to make sure we've got the level good.
Now, it's late afternoon and starting to get dark. Hunger for dinner isn't too far away and we've got to check out of the Airbnb in the morning that we've lived in for a week. Tonight is not stopping yet.
End of day summary:
Success: two oil changes complete, techs fixed (maybe?) generator, sail bag is mostly up (10% of "getting sails up job).
Fail: Electrical work (battery), stand for new a/c, sails up.
Next steps: Overestimate tomorrow and fail to deliver again. If it wasn't required to live this life, a person could eventually feel defeated. But the only way is forward.
