Captain’s log
Dateline: 17.08.2022

Wheel brakes

Found two shafts with thread on them that seem to be the wheel brakes for my helms that I’ve learned about only a week ago. Nice surprise. They’re dirty though.

Not even gonna try to use them right now, and probably won’t need at all. The hole in the helm station is really great for insects to get into the boat, and I don’t want that, rather keep the tape on it. I’ll try to see if it’s reasonable to upgrade that Edson wheel to a post-2003 version where the wheel break is integrated into the station and doesn’t leave a hole in it, can’t just roll away and get lost, sink. Maybe my autopilot will have a button on it to hold the helm in place, not sure yet how versatile it is.

Captain’s log
Dateline: 19.08.2022

Diver

Found a local diver to clean the bottom and check my props. Name's Weston. Chill guy, looks like a fireman — tall, porn stache, red hair. Local to Pine Island, originally from Hawaii. Gave me Kamaʻāina, so thanks for that. But no matter what, it's not cheap — not an easy job to do, she's not been cleaned for at least 6 months.

Said my starboard prop seems to have way more growth on it than the other one... which makes sense, I could barely see any effect from running power to that side five days ago. Hope we won't have to take them off, that'd be a real nightmare.

Took some videos from the dock, asked him to film if he finds anything interesting. Maybe will make a video later for my channel.

Lewmar Ocean track car upstands

Installed three shiny white cubes for my mainsheet traveler car. No idea what they’re for, but those were missing, so felt like I had to put the thing back together. I think they’re supposed to hold sheets attached to the boom or something like that... will figure out later.

Zeus

My 16" Zeus Glass Helm is here. Will probably install inside at first, use Bluetooth and my tablet to access charts from outside. It’s $7000, I’m not too comfortable putting that thing outside yet, maybe will do later. Cutting a giant hole for it is also not something I’m dying to do.

It’s alive!

After the diver was done, I fired up the engine and was able to move the boat forward and back, it finally managed to stir some mud in the water behind. Might still have some problems with hydraulics and coolant, but this should be enough for me to get out of Saint James City and head to where I could paint and hopefully haul her out. There’s a ton of electronics that I need to install on this baby.

Bumped into Jim not far from here, he was cheerful today, recommended me to be wary of other people’s lifts and power cables that run under water in the canal. Said that in salt water you can feel the electric current a little bit before it hits you, but in fresh water you don’t feel it at all until the very last moment, pun intended. He said it might be a good idea to buy an electric snorkel mask with like 30' hose, to be able to clean the boat myself when I’m back in Hawaii. That guy is a like a walking encyclopedia, I always learn something new whenever I bump into him.

MMSI

In order to get my AIS working in international waters, I’ll need to obtain MMSI through FCC. One YouTube video outlined this process:

  1. Obtain restricted radiotelephone operator’s permit — $0, never expires
  2. Go to apps.fcc.gov/...
  3. Register to get FCC account, you’ll get an FCC registration number (FRN)
  4. Click on wireless.fcc.gov/..., enter your FRN number and password
  5. "Apply for new license", select "SA or SB - ship"
  6. File the application
  7. Sign the application (first + last name), click submit

Sounds easy enough, hope to be done with it shortly.

Captain’s log
Dateline: 20.08.2022

Battens

Long story short, there’s like seven of them, and somebody before me decided to put a nasty black tape with disgusting gray glue around them, for whatever reason.

I cannot express how much I hate electrical/plumbing tape — it’s sticky, usually smells bad, and it always takes lots of nasty liquid of sorts to remove the glue residue completely. The battens are fiberglass, covered in epoxy, hence can’t use acetone on them, only denaturated alcohol, and even that isn’t too good for them. My Ryobi heat gun helps, but what the fuck, why not just use velcro or zip ties instead, why?

Each batten has at least two spots that need to be carefully scraped, heated, wiped with paper towel, and then scrubbed clean with denaturated alcohol. Oh, and they do leave splinters when covered in epoxy, just way less. Fun.

It’s printed "SAILBONE", "CANADA", "-LUFF->", "NORTH SAILS" on them.

Important handwritings:

# Name Length, cm ? ? ? ? Date made
1 TEKTRON 44 T7 508 2.5 40 8 2200 97/10/16
2 TEKTRON 44 T6 477 3.0 40 9 2100 97/10/16
3 TEKTRON 44 T5 441 3.5 40 10 1850 97/10/16
4 TEKTRON 44 T4 396 4.0 40 12 1700 97/10/16
5 TEKTRON 44 T3 332 4.0 40 12 1200 97/10/16
6 TEKTRON 44 T2 227 5.0 40 15 650 97/10/16
7 TEKTRON 44 T1 137 6.0 40 16 350 97/10/16

T2 is cracked as fuck, needs epoxy.

Well, good news, I have all the battens for my mainsail, even if one of them needs TLC. No idea what theat 8th batten is there for, the ugly duckling that can give you splinters by just looking at it. Unless there supposed to be eight in total, and T8 got destroyed in some kind of terrible sailing accident, with that substituting for it.

Most (if not all) of the glue is off now. Boating seems to be a lot like this — one dude does something quick and weird, and then someone else has to waste hours, days, or weeks undoing whatever the fuck that was.

Impeller

Checked impeller on the diesel, seems to be fine, doesn’t require replacement.

Almost certain the lid on the housing wasn’t properly put on the last time it got changed — the zone where the impeller gets squished was in a different spot on the lid. Put it where it belongs.

If something can be messed up by somebody else on this vessel, it usually is. Not trying to say I’m an expert or a lifelong sailor, it’s just some stuff is very silly and obviously done wrong, often not even related to sailing. But bit-by-bit she’s getting that TLC she wanted to have for so long.