s/v Starjewel
I was traveling to and from work and TDY for the month of September. Lisa, Sophia, and I finally made it back down to Starjewel to get some projects done before the long Columbus Day weekend. We also wanted to ensure that hurricane Joaquin wouldn’t be too much of a problem for the boat. Luckily the storm stayed well off shore and there was just some 30 knot winds and rain. The marina had some pretty high water because of the storm and we had to step up about 3’ to get on the boat. It was interesting getting Sophia on and off the boat. I was imagining her doing a nose dive right off the dock .
We did manage to accomplish a couple projects around the boat. We installed a wood plaque with the boat name and design. I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out and it looks great by the companion way. I replaced the jib furler line that tore during our Labor Day sail. I also ran the topping lift back to the cockpit; it was previously cleated at the mast. Running it back will allow for a little more control over the main sail with the topping lift and boom vang sheets going back to the helm. I also checked the battery situation out. One of the batteries had gone bad and wouldn’t hold up to any load. Both were purchased in 2012 so they were likely getting towards the end of their life. I ordered a new house and a new starter battery from Inland Waterway Provision Company. I’ll pick them up on the way into Oriental next weekend and install them in the boat. Lisa started creating the trays for the silverware and utensils in the galley drawers. That will take a couple days to get complete as we wait for the wood glue to set for each tray.
Even with the storm and Sophia running underfoot the trip was going well. Anyone with a boat knows that’s too good to be true. You can’t get off a boat without something breaking or going wrong. Since we haven’t been down to the boat in a month I wanted to run the engine for a few minutes before we left for home Sunday. I opened the seacock, checked the fuel shutoff, put it in neutral, turned the key and pushed the start switch. It fired right up. Unfortunately I couldn’t get the throttle to increase. The transmission would go into forward or reverse but not increase fuel flow. I took a cursory look at the cable and everything seemed alright. I then opened up the engine hatch and tried to manually move the throttle control linkage and I couldn’t get it to budge. It’s as though it had seized up. I don’t really know how that happens and didn’t have time to look into it any further since we were trying to get home in time to watch the Bengals crush the Chiefs. Just another thing to add to the “to do list”. I guess it could be worse. At least it didn’t happen pulling into or out of the slip. That would have made for an even more irritating day.
And so it goes...another boat project.
I was traveling to and from work and TDY for the month of September. Lisa, Sophia, and I finally made it back down to Starjewel to get some projects done before the long Columbus Day weekend. We also wanted to ensure that hurricane Joaquin wouldn’t be too much of a problem for the boat. Luckily the storm stayed well off shore and there was just some 30 knot winds and rain. The marina had some pretty high water because of the storm and we had to step up about 3’ to get on the boat. It was interesting getting Sophia on and off the boat. I was imagining her doing a nose dive right off the dock .
We did manage to accomplish a couple projects around the boat. We installed a wood plaque with the boat name and design. I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out and it looks great by the companion way. I replaced the jib furler line that tore during our Labor Day sail. I also ran the topping lift back to the cockpit; it was previously cleated at the mast. Running it back will allow for a little more control over the main sail with the topping lift and boom vang sheets going back to the helm. I also checked the battery situation out. One of the batteries had gone bad and wouldn’t hold up to any load. Both were purchased in 2012 so they were likely getting towards the end of their life. I ordered a new house and a new starter battery from Inland Waterway Provision Company. I’ll pick them up on the way into Oriental next weekend and install them in the boat. Lisa started creating the trays for the silverware and utensils in the galley drawers. That will take a couple days to get complete as we wait for the wood glue to set for each tray.
Even with the storm and Sophia running underfoot the trip was going well. Anyone with a boat knows that’s too good to be true. You can’t get off a boat without something breaking or going wrong. Since we haven’t been down to the boat in a month I wanted to run the engine for a few minutes before we left for home Sunday. I opened the seacock, checked the fuel shutoff, put it in neutral, turned the key and pushed the start switch. It fired right up. Unfortunately I couldn’t get the throttle to increase. The transmission would go into forward or reverse but not increase fuel flow. I took a cursory look at the cable and everything seemed alright. I then opened up the engine hatch and tried to manually move the throttle control linkage and I couldn’t get it to budge. It’s as though it had seized up. I don’t really know how that happens and didn’t have time to look into it any further since we were trying to get home in time to watch the Bengals crush the Chiefs. Just another thing to add to the “to do list”. I guess it could be worse. At least it didn’t happen pulling into or out of the slip. That would have made for an even more irritating day.
And so it goes...another boat project.
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