Wk 2 – Mon.Mar.30/Day 30 to Sun.Apr.5/Day 36:
Realized that after a month away we are still only a 7 hr drive from home! Photo of the holding tank and contents prior to pumpout. Noted our daily ‘sniff test’ related to the VacuFlush system we decided. Got some anti-oxidant grease from hardware store for DC connections; along with two new undercounter water line valves, which did not work so resorted to the old one - frustrating. The drain ‘T’ also leaked during all this and FlexTape needed to seal it. Attempted to repair ice maker; found the assembly housing bent at the rear, so can only use it now as a ‘freezer’. Explained how the Propeller Shaft Seal works.
Changed the holding tank sending unit [had to move all the furniture; found the tank roof ‘dented’], cleaned the boat and anchor; and started using DampRid for odors. We went grocery shopping several times using the courtesy car. Lots of covid discussion on the dock and Marg began making cloth masks since there weren’t any in the stores; the stay-at-home order in Alabama began. Took lots of photos of the marina, with many 60’ fishing yachts, and area – including a ‘traffic jam’; and of our home made transom PVC tool rack; and sunsets. Also reorganized how the photos are to be shown. A boater next to us gave us a white perforated awning for our aft deck which helped considerably to control the sun heat. Of note, there was a burglary of the house immediately across the marina channel from us, about 05:00. Noted the helicopter and jet/plane noise from Jack Edwards National Airport 8mi. NW of us.
Comments:
Duane and Joan - 30 Mar 2020: You seem to have one thing after another to deal with but you two handle it so well! Keep up the good work and positive attitude! All is well here. Cheers!
Don - 30 Mar 2020: Sounds like not the best start on your journey. With the health situation might be better in one place. Weather still cool here around zero Celsius . Alberta is almost shut down outside of grocery stores.
Janice • 31 Mar, 2020: A few days back there was an icon with your picture posts that allowed us to re-sort them according to most recent first .... it’s gone 😱!
Jay • 31 Mar, 2020: Hey Rob, I am enjoying your blog. You are a great writer. Sounds like you are having typical issues and are doing a great job fixing them yourself and knowing when to get help. I like your safety measures mentioned. When you take your bicycle ride, you should turn left at the road and ride down to the boat launch for a beautiful view....Capt. Jay
Jay • 31 Mar, 2020: Sorry, it seemed to not be working when I pressed post comment, so I kept pressing.
Jack - 2 Apr 2020: Loving reading your updates! Please stay safe!
Wayne - 2 Apr 2020: Always enjoy reading your posts, you make our life seem so much simpler, at least I can crawl under our rig to fix things even if it's in the snow. Contemplating what we should do next fall depending on the virus of course. Safe travels.
Brooks - 3 Apr 2020: Enjoying your blogs. I'm curious as why your Cummins Engines would be sooting to the point of leaving diesel stains on the transom of your boat. Are your engines not electronic or electro/mechanical? -
Rob - 4 Apr 2020: Brooks, we have Cummins 5.9L, 6BTA, 330hp, from 2004. They were 'tuned' last May when at the boat yard in Cortez and ran hard most of the way back to Florence. Someone suggested our slow rpm travel down the TTW may have contributed? And we needed to run them harder and hotter for awhile. It only occurred on our run from Dog River to Orange Beach - ran 2200rpm for couple of hours, then the usual 1400-1600 in the ICW. The air cleaners I checked in Feb. and were good; so don't think the air/fuel ratio from the air cleaner's perspective is the issue. We had this problem a lot with the previous Trojan but once replaced the air cleaners and kept them clean, it was mostly resolved. Any suggestions appreciated. Hope you are staying well.
Wayne - 4 Apr 2020: Interesting that we are having the same thing for supper, I have absolutely no idea how someone cannot sit around and do "nothing"?
Janice - 4 Apr 2020: It’s impressive how much fun you have.... happy hour sounded good. Cheers.
Don - 4 Apr 2020: I agree happy hour is a great idea, I am also watching the British shows on Prime, Acorn and Brit Box .
Don H - 5 Apr 2020: Marg and Rob i suggest on Prime a show called Code of a Killer, it's a TV 3 parter about the first use of DNA. Based on a true story.