Missed Opportunties

Last week we missed a weather window because of a dental appointment for De Anne, so yesterday's window was not to be missed. We spent a hectic Wednesday morning in last minute preparation and stocking. Our indolent lifestyle had left us with many things to do before slipping the mooring ball.

Finally, one more chore - reinstall the speedo. A speedo is a device with a paddlewheel that fits through a hole in the bottom of the boat. The paddleweel turns as the boat moves and measures speed through the water and displays it in the cockpit. The infernal device has not worked most of the year. One well placed barnacle can render it useless. In Fort Myers I had fixed it but not reinstalled it. I was quite proud of the repair since I had used a 99 cent cotter pin instead of the $35 pin that would have to be ordered and shipped. I removed the plug, opening a 2 inch diameter hole underwater. Try to imagine my dismay when the speedo did not slide into place stopping the geyser. I quickly re-inserted the plug and listened to the bilge pump take off.

After inpecting the speedo I realized the cotter pin was interfering with the close tolerance of the speedo and it's fitting. My next mistake was using pliers to "fix" the cotter pin (some boys don't know when to back off!). Now I was ready for the second geyser episode. It fit better but still baulking and of course water was still coming in. Time for the next mistake - hit it with a hammer. That drove the speedo in but still a trickle of water. Nothing the pumps couldn't handle.

It was time to quit making mistakes and do the right thing. I called the closest marina and arrainged for the boat to be pulled. The $35 I saved only cost me an extra $700. I taught the speedo a lesson. I threw it away and had the marina fiberglass the hole. My chartplotter has GPS SOG (speed over ground) and that will now be sufficent.

Some good came of this - we scraped 20 pounds of barnacles from the hull and prop. We now have one less thru-hull to worry about and we saw a manatee up close in the marina.

Rising Star at the boat yard:


Our close encounter with a manatee:


It is aganist the law to feed fresh water to a manatee because it attracts them to marinas where they are injured by boat props. A nice little man walked by and turned the hose on and left telling me to turn it off. I did so, but not before the manatee roled onto his back and got a drink. I then realized the fiendish plot perpetrated on me. My fingerprints were the last on the hose spigot. I have eluded the authorities so far......