071209 Dinner Offer - more breakdowns

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2007 2:27 PM

Subject: Rose's Offer - could be the only way to get a seafood meal - more breakdowns

Yes - well that could be the only way a bloke who lives on a yacht can get a seafood meal - by going out to dinner at the Casino (which I've still never yet visited). But I'm just not sure about leaving the yacht for a few days yet - and certainly at night could be a problem until we get ourselves sorted out on the mooring and the ship to shore arrangements. So I just can't say right now - if & how I can go - please leave it with me for a few days.

We are still tied to the dock - and Cliff seems in no hurry to move me off - so we may as well sit here - using the power etc - for as long as possible. I asked him yesterday about moving out - and he said that maybe sometime this week when the tides were high - but that he'd need to go out and 'grappling hook' drag up a mooring line someone had cut - on the 'big mooring' - for me to use. So he's apparently not really ready for me out there yet.

It is in the vicinity of where the salvage barge is moored at the left of the photo above. He also tells me that there are about 3 people living on yachts moored out there - and they don't seem to have any trouble from Maritime Services - and just keep a low profile. And having a couple of other 'yachties' out there - could make it all the more secure for leaving the yacht.

The 'Navy Minesweeper' out in the middle - DOES belong to the bloke who made the big anchor for me - just as we thought - and Cliff says that he's got someone living on it.

He says I can leave the car parked inside - in the front of the shipyard as it is now - no problem - and come and go with the dinghy from the shipyard docks as I like.

Which would be just fine too - except for the fact - that right at this moment - I can't get the 2 small outboards going. The 3.3 Johnson that was on the Dory - that sunk - did start up after I cleaned it up - and I ran it for about 20 seconds - then I turned it off.

But as of yesterday - Saturday - when I decided to take it for a run - out to visit the other yachts - (I even had Penny in the dinghy ready to go) - it would not start again. And despite spending about 2 hours on it - and then on another 2hp Yamaha - I could not get either of them going. The Johnson would not spark - no matter what - even with a new plug. I rang John at Riverlands - who suggested cleaning the points - which I did - but still nothing. So I'll leave it for a day or so - and have another look at it.

You see Chris - this is exactly what happens - I've said again and again - when you live on a yacht - you can't have enough - little outboard motors. Because 99% of all you do is just going back and forth to shore - and now see - we do not presently have a working outboard motor. The other couple in the Lazarette haven't been run in several years either. I will get to them - but right now there are other jobs to do.

and she has emailed me a couple of times to see if we could go - but the same problem arises - it is difficult right now - and with the yard locked on Sunday too.

And just now - unbelievably - the washing machine will not work. There's power there - but you turn the machine on - and it's completely dead.

You'd suspect that it's a fuse in it or something - but I'm not inclined to start pulling it out and apart - until I give Uncle Dick a call tonight (free). It wouldn't be the first time we've had to do the washing by hand in the tub or shower - and it probably won't be the last either. When I lived aboard the previous yacht for years - there was no washing machine.

I DON'T recall you mentioning - about putting several ropes on it - when you were here - maybe you thought it - and just didn't say it - or maybe you said it - and I missed it.

so that should give something solid to hang onto - getting on and off - but I still have to make a new boarding ladder sometime. Do you have the 2 - 4' long sheets of perforated SS - that I used on the swim platform for the runabout? As you can see the stern floor still needs a new sheet of plywood fibreglassed in. (There's a Mister Plywood just around the corner) So that's another important job on the list.

Everything to do with the main engine and gearbox - seems to be working fine - so the next job might be to have a serious look at the big Diesel Generator in the Engine Room. It has also been sitting unstarted for a few years - and it's 10 KVA power will be needed out on the mooring for any equipment or welding to be done - and also for the 240v Anchor Winch to be used. Also it's necessary if we're going to have HOT water - as it powers the heater - and also has it's own homemade Hot water system we can use. So we might make that the job for tomorrow.

That's all for now. It's a nice sunny day - with a lovely sea breeze - and Penny's upstairs asleep on her soft high cushions.