Curacao - maintenance log
If Knot Y Knot
Patricia Day
Sun 14 Dec 2008 16:17
Back into town to get an anchoring permit as I forgot they were closed at the weekend.
Richard came over for an Epoxy afternoon and we set to work. It was nothing that I could not do and would have if I had been on the hard, but he has a big generator and the tools and the inclination, not to mention the epoxy with bulking agent.
We epoxied the fridge insulation back on to the lid and I treated it to a new seal all round, it should not come off again.
Then we filled in the gaps each side of the bow roller to the deck with epoxy, so hopefully the anchor will never get stuck in there again.
Lastly, we stuck the corner of the plexiglas companionway door back on, surprisingly with epoxy.
I was going out to dinner on Puddle Jumper and thought a short sit down was in order. I moved the cushion from under the sprayhood only to come face to face with a 2' 6"-3' iguana. I screamed, I am not sure if he did, but he moved to the deck. I got him to the back of the deck, but he did not seem inclined to jump in, perhaps he could not swim. How did he get on the boat, perhaps at the dock when I checked out in Aruba, perhaps in the dinghy. I called Val, she likes reptiles, and she came over and assured me it could swim very well and it did jump off. It would eat the mosquitoes and flies, but it was a bit big for a pet.
I was shaking for some time and needed that glass of wine at dinner.
Tuesday 9
Today is Hole day. Servicing the engine is always really difficult getting to the filters, surely an access hatch would be a good thing. I have struggled for 6 years, but now it was time to cut the hole in the fibreglass shell that makes the bathroom watertight. We cut the fibreglass away and what did we find, an access hatch, already cut in the wood between the fibreglass and covered over with insulation foam on the inside. A hatch was such a good idea they had already thought of it, but presumably by not finishing the job when they built the boat they saved themselves a few pennies.
Next it was the back of the cupboard. I only have the one real cupboard and it is where they used to put a door opening fridge. They had built the cupboard in and there was a space behind that was wasted and some wires back there that I did not have access to. When I had to replace the 12v socket the wire dropped down there and I had to knock two holes in the back to retrieve it. We cut the back out of the cupboard, which was 1' thick, the original back support for the fridge and the cupboard. The original plan was to extend the shelving back into the space, but the space was so big had a rethink. I had a piece of starboard and this fitted exactly at the back of the cupboard and slides up and down to cover the space.
I filled the hole with charts and pilots of the Med and Canaries and other things that I did not have room for on the shelves, but I was not prepared to get rid of yet; who knows when I might be passing the Azores.
Then I went to Happy Hour, I had to take a gas bottle to be filled, it's as good an excuse as any.
The boat behind me said they had found the iguana in their dinghy and wondered how it got there. Neverland also had seen it on their boat and it has even been on the anchor chain of another for two days and they have dogs. So it is official, I was more scared of that iguana than it was of me.
Wednesday 10
No excuse for it, time to go back to the dentist. The root canal tooth had broken in the two weeks it had been done, not even time to get a crown. It was refilled at a cost of $86, which seemed too expensive. It won't be getting a crown now, it will have to get on with it, there is only so much I am prepared to put into a tooth and that has been exceeded. I have other things to spend my money on, like the boat.
I bought a new cooking gas bottle, it is fibreglass and plastic and will not rust. It is outside by the backstay, but I hope that it will fit in the gas locker when I use it.
Thursday 11
I am cleaning and tidying as the work on the boat is being done and today it was the bilges. I always clean my bilges regularly, but they get muck down the gaps in the boards so easily.
Last night I cooked and was going to put the cleaner on the hot oven and leave it overnight; then I read the instructions on the tin. Use only on cold ovens and do not leave overnight, so that was a plan that went nowhere.
I spent hours cleaning the oven and it sparkles, all I have to do now is never cook again and it will stay that way.
Puddle Jumper took me to Happy Hour to get me off the boat.
Friday 12
Richard brought me the access hatch back with a pine trim, now every morning after my cup of tea I have to stain the trim until it is dark enough to varnish.
I finished the sun blinds for the cockpit, with the sun behind all afternoon it is a wonderful improvement.
Saturday 13
I spent a frustrating 5 hours on the internet trying to choose and order my scuba gear and a waterproof camera. I am having it sent to Steve in the US and he should be able to bring it with him when he comes to Curacao in January.
I covered the epoxy on the bow roller with gel coat filler, but the hardener had hardened in the tube and so I do not know if the filler will ever harden by itself. Lots of acetone later most of me is clean.
Sunday 14
I went on the supermarket bus and bought one 25 litre water jug from the hardware store to replace half my 5 litre bottles. If I find space I may buy another one.