Project Update...

This past weekend we finally took apart and fixed our automatic bilge pump.  This is an extremely important piece of safety equipment.  This bilge pump has a float switch so if water is somehow rising in the bilge the float switch will be tripped and the bilge pump will come on and start pumping the water overboard.  If there is more water coming in than the bilge pump can handle, when the water gets high enough and extremely loud bell will start sounding the "high water alarm."  We were having a bit of water in the bilge from our starboard shaft packing, which we have since replaced, and we were running the bilge pump manually to keep the bilge dry.  We noticed that our primary bilge pump, the one on the float switch, was running but not sucking up any water.  So we ordered the rebuild kit and Saturday was the day to fix it.  Matt originally wanted to work on it in place but quickly decided he'd be better off to remove it and work on it in the comfort of the saloon.  One of the drawbacks of our engine room is it is a bit difficult to clamber in and out of, so Matt grabbed a stool that was in the saloon to use as a seat and a step.  It made a fine seat but wasn't so  great as a step.  I was in the galley getting the cinnamon rolls into the oven when I heard a big clatter followed by some cussing.  There was Matt, sprawled out in the engine room.  He hopped up and said he was fine, then he kind of turned gray and said he had to go lie down.  I was seriously worried he'd broken something.  He had a huge knot under his knee and he'd cut one of his toes and was leaving a bloody trail in the engine room. 

I think it was all a ploy to get me to take the bilge pump apart.  While he was icing his knee I got the old diaphragm out and the new one in.  There appeared to be a small hole in it and there was a piece of zip tie in there that may have been keeping the diaphragm from pumping up and down like it is supposed to.  We also replaced the in and out valves as they were in the kit.  Matt had recovered enough by this point to help get the new valves in and to put the pump back together.  He then went back to the engine room (I'd cleaned up the blood) to put the pump back. He was having a hard time reaching it to put the hose clamps back on the intake and discharge so he got me to climb in there.  I was able to get a lot closer to the pump so I ended up remounting it while he ate most of the cinnamon rolls (?!). 

Also this weekend we replaced our anchor chain with the correct type chain for the windlass.  Hopefully this will take care of our problem with the chain wanting to skip off the windlass.  There are I think three types of chain and the type the rode was made from is not the type the windlass was meant to use.  Here is Matt attaching the new chain in the anchor locker.

A friend gave us an inverter from his old boat (it had failed and he'd sent it back to be rebuilt but meanwhile had bought and installed a new one so he did not need this one).  It will be a job to install but we started planning out where and how we were going to do it.  We have a good friend at the marina who has offered to help and actually seems happy to do it, which is really nice!

Our canvas guy brought the screen covers for the windshield. He has a lot more of the canvas close to done but ran out of thread!  He is making covers for all the exposed wood and as soon as those covers are done we plan to give the wood a fresh coat of varnish then get it under cover.  This should mean that with one touch up coat a year the wood will never have to be stripped and completely redone.  We hope. 

We also finally got mineral oil to oil our countertops.  What a difference it makes.

We plan to go to Angel Island for President's Day weekend.  One of our friends is planning to go and they invited us to bring our boat along as well.  It is supposed to rain all week but hopefully clear up for Sunday and Monday.