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Larry's LogThe next day was busy for Diane as she went to get her airline ticket and then shopping at Plaza Mayor. She left about 10 and didn't get back until 4. We had tried picking up the laundry earlier, around 9, but the laundry woman at PMO wasn't there yet, although she was supposed to be open at 8. I was busy researching windlasses and took the measurements inside the anchor well to make sure that whatever windlass I wanted would fit inside the space. I had decided that it wasn't worth the expense of trying to replace the old windlass' motor, especially since the guy in Scotland didn't have any and wasn't sure if any were to be found. After I got back from the Internet in the morning, I went over to Midnight Stroller to relay a message from Jim but ended up staying for an hour or so visiting with Gaby. At 75, and as a Jew born in Hungary, he's had a very interesting life. We talked for a while, discussing their upcoming trip. Elias had started the port side of the main salon, taping and sanding, so he would be occupied for a few days varnishing that large area. I tried finding the guy from North Sails to find out about the boom vang but he wasn't there all day. When Diane finally got back, we picked up the laundry, came back, had a drink and went up to the restaurant for dinner. We ate with Ray and Norman, another single-hander on Pawnee, an 80-foot sloop currently on the hard in the yard. We had a nice time and got back around 9. Andrea knocked on the boat at 10 to drop off the shrimp she had bought for us on her way back from her beach house she was closing up for their trip. The shrimp Andrea had brought was in a large cooler with ice and we just left it on deck overnight. Unfortunately, we saw in the morning that the drain plug was left out and it made a mess on the deck. Diane cleaned it up - hopefully the smell will disappear soon. We had breakfast and Weedie and Norma came over to get their portion of the shrimp. After that, Diane was busy getting ready for the little bon voyage party we had planned for Andrea and Gaby. Diane reserved the barbeque area so we could have a space to just sit and relax since we couldn't have anyone on the boat with the mess it was in. I dug out the fan I wanted to use to replace the one on the refrigerator compressor. I also did the inventory of the oil and fuel filters so I could get some replacements, if needed, back in the States. Eventually, when Diane finished cooking, I started working on the fan but after I got the old one off and tried getting the new one on, I found that the new one was wider and wouldn't fit properly (of course). After trying several ways to get it mounted, I started to cut the mounting frame with my Dremel tool. I couldn't finish since it was getting close to 'party time' so I just put the old one back on, and Diane and I brought the food and drinks up to the overlook and waited for Andrea and Gaby. They came a little later, bringing a homemade dessert of chopped chestnuts, whipped cream and black cherries, a traditional Hungarian dish. We had a very nice time talking with them and their crew Jose, and finally, after the food was gone and we had our dessert, including the cake Diane had made, we dropped off the dishes at the boat and went to the their boat for a drink. I had actually gotten a bit cold sitting up on the overlook as it was still breezy and it felt good to be in the warmth of the boat. We talked some more and had a wonderful time. We would miss them. Sunday was a nice day - I didn't do much except go to Midnight Stroller to help Andrea with her computer. We got their new printer setup and then got on an old navigation program to work, although I felt was not very good. We then talked for a while and they gave me lunch while Diane was back on Destiny peeling the 10 kilograms of shrimp she had Andrea bring for her. Monday morning I finally replaced the fan on the refrigerator. I was in the process of modifying the bracket that holds the fan but then I decided to just attach it with plastic tie wraps - it worked fine. I then did some more inventory of the boat supplies, this time fasteners and the Dremel tool accessories and waited for North Sails to bring the boom vang back. I had called and he said it was ready except for replacing the little stainless elbow that had bent when I took the vang off. A little later in the afternoon, I went up to North Sails but Mauritzio, the owner, wasn't there. The vang was standing in the corner and looked OK but the new bottom part, where the hose attaches, looked longer than the old one. I went back to the boat and measured the distance between the boom and mast fittings - 72.5 inches, center to center when the boom was at almost the lowest point. I walked back to the shop and measured the vang. It was fully extended, of course, but measured 93 inches. Subtracting the length of the extended piston rod would make the closest distance just about 73 inches. Perhaps it would be OK. Mauritzio came by around 4 and showed me the problem he was having - he couldn't find the elbow to connect the hydraulic hose to the vang in stainless steel, only plain steel. I figured we could connect everything and then get a stainless fitting while in the States and then change it when we got back. Unfortunately, he was also having problems getting the elbow to fit properly. Always something... It was a busy day again on Tuesday, going to the mall where we had the t-shirts and a hat embroidered and then getting the boat ready to put the vang back on. After we picked up the embroidered items, which looked really nice (I got a hat and t-shirt embroidered with 'Destiny' and a sailboat and we bought Elias a t-shirt with the same) we ate lunch there and came back to the boat. Elias was just coming back from lunch and he seemed really pleased to get the gift. Diane went on some errands and saw Mauritzio, who said he would be at the boat between 2 and 3. So, I took down the awning, got the main halyard on the boom as a topping lift and cleared off the deck some more. Sure enough, he came at 2:30 and we put the vang back on. I had lost about an inch of length but it really wasn't critical as the boom almost touched the top of the dodger at full compression. The hose was still long enough and everything worked except that the upward pressure on the boom was much less than before. Before the seals broke, I used to be able to lean on the boom and not have it go down. Now, it would lower by just gentle hand pressure. Mauritizio said that the gas pressure in the cylinder was 1000psi, as recommended by Navtec. He could increase it but it would take a day. I said OK and he told me he would have it back to me on Thursday morning. Now, I had to setup the awning again. But I didn't want to take the main halyard off so I pushed the boom off to the side still held by the halyard. Then I setup the awning and used the spinnaker halyard that I pulled around to the back of the mast to hold up the awning. It all worked, although I wouldn't want to leave it that way for long since there would be chafe on the spinnaker halyard at the top. But for 2 days, it was fine. Andrea and Gaby had invited us to dinner at 8 so Diane relaxed for a while around 5 while I worked on the PC. We went over and had a very nice dinner and enjoyed their company as well as that of 2 other couples they had invited. They were now planning to leave on Thursday, but I think that may change. Wednesday morning, Norma from Happy Ours, came with us to buy more shirts to get embroidered and we all then ate at McDonalds, a treat for Norma. Coming back to the boat I went over to help Andrea again with her computer. They were still planning to leave tomorrow but I had my doubts. Thursday morning, we went to the mall where the embroidery store was. We wanted to get some more hats and shirts made as gifts for our friends and family at home. We knew the store was going to be closed for several days around Easter so we needed to get them done quickly. We came back and Andrea came over to see if I could figure out the problem with the DVD player on her laptop - unfortunately I couldn't but later found out that there was a change in the video card that cleared up the problem. I called North Sails again and the helper said that Mauritizio would be back late in the afternoon. Andrea and Gaby went shopping again so they didn't leave. Mauritzio did come over at 4 but had some disappointing news. The vang was OK once it was sealed but as the shop tried to fill the cylinder with the pressurized gas, it would leak out a little - the check valve inside was slightly defective. He said they would slightly overfill it to compensate for the slight loss during the filling and then bring it back again tomorrow. The problem was that they didn't have the valve and to replace it would mean getting the part from Navtec in the States and also getting new seals again as well. Not wanting to go through the time and expense again, I hope that the refill works. By the end of the day on Friday, Elias had finished the fifth coat on the starboard side of the main salon. It was looking really good. I had taken out the starboard aft lower chainplate to check it and also to let Elias put some varnish on the wood in that area. The chainplate and backing plate were OK although there was some rust on the inner surfaces - probably from some condensation between the metal and the wood. I cleaned out the deck hole and put some tape on the inside so dust couldn't get in and ruin the varnish. That area would now get 2 full coats before I replaced the chainplate. Andrea and Gaby still didn't leave today since they had some last minute errands to run that they couldn't do yesterday. We visited for a while in the afternoon and then I continued working on the refrigerator thermostat. Everything seemed to be working but we'll have to wait and see how the temperature fluctuates now. I found the spare I bought so I can replace it if necessary. I called North Sails in the afternoon and the guy there asked me to go to the office. I walked over but Mauritzio was not there, his helper called him on the phone once I arrived. He called back from the shop where the vang was and explained that they were trying to fix the valve so it wouldn't be a problem later. He said he would bring it to the boat tomorrow in the afternoon. Frustrated, I said OK. After dinner, Diane and I walked over to Midnight Stroller to see if they were still planning to leave tomorrow or if there was anything they needed. I also wanted to tell them that I downloaded some weather information and it looked good for the next several days. We wound up staying for a couple of hours. We would miss them although we only really got to know them over the last 2 months. Saturday morning, we went over to Midnight Stroller about 8:30 and they were almost ready to leave. Their son and new daughter-in-law were there to say goodbye. They had brought breakfast also so we only stayed a few minutes. Andrea asked if I would take Alex out in the dinghy so he could take pictures of them leaving. I said of course and then went to the monthly swap meet for a few minutes while they finished breakfast and said their goodbyes. About 9:30, Alex walked over (he spoke English perfectly since he was educated in the States) and we went out to see them off. Alex took pictures while I drove and Diane waved. We followed them out about as far as the breakwater entrance and then turned back. Alex offered to let us stay in their apartment (its was Andrea and Gaby's they were staying in) and we said we might take them up on the offer someday. They drove off back to Caracas and we went below out of the heat, its was already well into the 90s. I didn't much the rest of the day except walk back to the swap meet for a while and then worked on the PC a bit. Later in the afternoon, I worked on the thermostat again and it seemed to work OK but only time would tell. Still later, Mauritzio came with the boom vang. We got it back on with no problem and the pressure was a bit greater than before so I was happier with it. We left it on, but I was going to bring back a new stainless steel elbow fitting to replace the installed one of plain steel. I might also being back a new internal gas valve so I wouldn't have any future problems. I thanked him for coming on Saturday and said we would come up Monday morning to pay him. After he left, I took off the main halyard that had been supporting the boom, switched the spinnaker halyard for the main on the awning and quit work for the day. It was just five. |