Macerator Pump and other Projects

So Phil has the macerator pump in, wired with the switch covered with red electrical tape so no one uses it. Why?  Because you can't use this pump on any inland water ways - have to wait until 3 miles off shore before it can be used.  This is in preparation for where there are no pump out stations or where we are off shore, we'll be able to pump out our holding tank.

Another project Phil has been working on is the ham radio installation (ICom 735 radio).  He has the IC-735 radio screwed onto the shelf close to the chart table and also has the antenna turner attached under the quarter berth shelf so that it doesn't take up valuable shelf space.  Next he has to wire it with coax 2 to the insulated back stay for us to be able to get a better signal.

Katie will be leaving Sunday to return to Dayton.  I'll be taking her and picking up my nephew, Desmond, from my Dad and meeting my sister Cheryl in Columbus.  She has been trying to get her fill of reading, but don't get me wrong, she does more than read.  She's made friends with many of the members and she's has been doing a great job of making sour cherry pies for Friday potluck at Grand River Yacht Club and then make a sweet cherry pies Sunday - which were both great hits with all involved.  She wants to make a strawberry pie just for us - and then I'm hoping that she'll make zucchini crisp - which is suppose to taste like apple crisp, for this Friday's potluck.  But before she can do cooking, she'll be going to the post office to apply for a passport - so if she wants to visit us between Thanksgiving and New Years she can come with us to the Bahamas.

My project has been making a V-berth quilt for when we are still in the States on our way down.  Last year it was cold and when the Port Stanley Sailing Squadron group went, it was also cold for them.  I want to be prepared so at least we're warm sleeping (I hope).  This past weekend, Katie and I layed out the 3 layers and spent the afternoon basting the quilt. Since we have so much to do to get ready, my plan is to tie the quilt and bind it.  Then if I do have the time, I plan to machine quilt it and worry about removing the ties later.  This quilt is layed out on 5 picnic tables on the enclosed patio.  It seems huge, but then when I laid out the current V-berth quilt and decided how much to cut it down, I wasted only about 5" all around.  Lucky for me I'm still flexible to do this, with moving around enough so as not to get stiff.  It's hard to see but the bottom is a maroon flat sheet and the top is the cream colored flannel fabric that I bought a long time ago at Erie Street Fabrics, which has since closed.  This isn't fancy - just something to get the job done.  I have been spending time the last few evenings tieing the quilt, as you can see in the picture above listening to my book on tape while Phil was taking a shower.

The next big project that Phil and I will be working on together is sewing the Bimini cover.  We got the fabric shipped to us this week.   We want to start it on Saturday and hope to get it finished by the next weekend, if not before.  That's one item that is a must to complete on the to do list to complete as it will be too much sun if we don't have shade in the tropics.

To end this post, my parents were up in Cleveland area showing Desmond the sights - so they visited on Sunday.  We took Desmond sailing and here is a picture of them at our dock. We enjoyed having them see our new home and had a nice dinner at the club house.

Macerator Pump Project

July 9, 2010   74F outside.

One of the bigger projects that Phil has to complete is to put the macerator pump in the tubing between the  holding tank and the hose that connects to the outlet at the deck so that the contents can be ground up into tiny bits and released.   The first step in the project was to install a Y-valve in the hose behind the holding tank.  Today was the best day.  First was to empty the holding tank which required asking a boat from Ashtabula to move to another dock on a temporary basis, which they were kind enough to do.  Then Phil pumped the head 50 times and used the pump out to drain the holding tank - repeating this process 5 times - to clear out the holding tank and hose completely of smelly material.

Then he had to cut the hose and try to install the Y-valve - but because this hose has been in Changes since 1978 - it's too hard  and old to force the Y-valve in there.  This necessitate a trip to Blystone's, our local Chandry (marine Store) - to buy 10 feet of hose.  Phil bought the last 2-2" hose clamps, so is on the look out for more (Home Depot doesn't have any).  He's going to to try Joughin Hardware in Painesville to see if they have more for him to finish the project.  Needless to say - he took a shower after the project was completed.  Here is the completed Y-Valve


On other notes - it's been a very busy week at work - being one day short due to the July 4 holiday.  I saw 4-5 patients everyday and needless to say, I'll need to do some charting tomorrow.  We had a relaxing evening at the GRYC Friday Potluck.  The Zucchini and tomatoes are becoming available to the farmer's markets - so I made Zucchini Parmesan tonight as my contribution.  It's tasted very good, if I say so myself, and we have some left over for supper tomorrow.

The 90 - 100F weather has broken - Thank you!! - so we are looking forward to a comfortable night and it's wonderful not to be sticky and sweaty all the time.  It's to be in the low 80's for the rest of the week and we're glad for the change.

It's hard to believe, but Katie has one week left with us on the boat before she goes back to Dayton to go to summer school at Sinclair Community College.  She wishes that she could spend more time with us - so that's a good thing.  She is making friends with many of the members here and was a big hit at potluck last Friday when she made from scratch 2 sour cherry pies.  She wanted to make some more - but then when I went to buy some, learned that that birds had eaten ALL of the sour cherries in one night - so no more left.  It's been so dry, that the birds needed the moisture from the cherries.  At least we had these ones.  I even splurged and had a piece and it was good.

Sunday Mom, Dad and my nephew, Desmond, are coming to the boat.  Desmond will go out on a sail with us and Mom and Dad will meet Uncle Dale and go out to eat.  The weather I hope will be good enough for a sail but not too wavy for him to get sea sick.