Repair Completed

Tuesday, April 6
Oasis Boat Yard,
St. Augustine, FL

The morning started cloudy but warm - and that didn't last long.  I took a real shower with really strong water - a first in I can't tell you how long.  Mostly the showers in on this trip have a weak stream - they do the job but not like this shower and lots of hot water.  When I came out - it was POURING - the rain was coming down horizontally and it also got colder.  After it slowed down I ran to the boat and was told would be an all morning rain.

We were planned to get the boat out at 830am but waited until 9am - even though it continued to rain - for the tide to come up.  Phil and I cast off and were on the boat as it was lifted by the straps - then we got off the bow with some assistance from John.  I brought with me the laptop and by bag as didn't know how long the fix would take.  Turns out that the prop had worn out and wobbled on the shaft.  The boat yard replaced the cutlass bearing without having to take off the prop shaft and then put on the original prop that came with Changes.  Job was completed  and we were back in the water by 1030am.  Now the only vibration is the original one from the engine.  Though this prop does not have as much power as the Max Prop - so hope we don't get aground as this prop will have a hard time getting us off.

Pressure washing the bottom

removing the old prop

In the sling ready to go back in

old larger prop one removed

Gold Cutlass Bearing being installed

Original Prop back on prop 

shaft

We spent the morning on the boat - had lunch and then took advantage of our dock neighbors offer to use his truck.  Phil went to West Marine to get the propane gas gauge to get our grill up and running and a temporary anchor light as the one at the top of the mast isn't working while I went next store to the Winn-Dixie grocery store and finished up about the same time.  Next on the agenda was going to Sailor Exchange.  Turns out Greer, Aaron's wife, works there so we met her again.  Phil got what he wanted but they didn't have the material I wanted to make screens to hang from the Bimini and Farouck.  I did find 1 1/4" seam binding in Sunbrella Toast so bought a small reel for $10.  After we got home it looks like we have 20+ yards so was a good deal.

Back to the boat I realized that I had left my bag there but got lucky in that Greer brought it home by 2pm.  We have to check bags there and I forgot it.

One of the aftereffects of the rain is that the hatch in the V-berth was open for the initial deluge while Phil was getting the dinghy taken care of and we have a leak with the fore hatch..  Taking advantage of the dryer - we dried all the towels and then another load for the bedding.  As it's to get down to 49F tonight, will be good to have dry bedding.  We're spending an extra night on the dock so that we can have the heater run tomorrow morning.

So the afternoon was spent drying clothes, making the bed and getting ready for my friend Liz and her friend Dan to come for supper.  We had to change plans back and forth not knowing if they could have dinner on the boat or not, so I'm glad that we ending up having dinner on the boat.  They arrive on time at 6pm and we had a wonderful time.  They brought us a treat of --- Ice cream - really a treat as you can't keep it frozen.  9pm came too soon as they have to work in the morning.  I'm glad to hear that Liz is happy here in St. Augustine and she likes the 90degree temps.

Tomorrow we are planning on getting a mooring ball in the morning staying one more day for the weather to get better.  Then as it's to be SE winds <5 to max 10 kts for the next 3 days - we plan to go outside on the Atlantic Ocean to get to Cumberland Island, GA.  That's about 50nm which is doable for a day sail.