Friday, 10 August 2018 - My emergency backup Whale Gusher Titan Hand Bilge Pump has quit working, so today I headed over to West Marine to get a repair kit for it. They didn't have one in stock, so I ordered and paid for one to be delivered next week. I hope the boat doesn't spring a leak in the meantime.

Saturday, 11 August - From 11 am to 5:30 pm I turned the dinghy over and over every 15 minutes up in the project room at the marina to spread a sealant I had injected into it. Unfortunately, after all that effort, I still have three leaks that didn't seal. That's twice I've tried this technique at a cost of about $130. Last time I wasn't absolutely sure that I got good coverage, but this time I know I did. The sealant was bubbling out of the holes, but just didn't seal.

Sunday, 12 August - I pumped the dinghy up, sprayed it with soapy water to relocate the leaks, cleaned and lubricated the valves, washed the soap off, let it dry, and attempted to seal the leaks from the outside once again with 3M 4200 sealant. I'll let it dry overnight and see how well it worked this time.

Monday, 13 August - Hey, I think two but of the three air compartments in the dinghy are holding air now. That's an improvement. One to go!

Tuesday, 14 August - House cleaning on Island Time today and changing gas tanks for the dinghy. Also, I'm really enjoying the solar energy I'm getting from the newly installed panels. Since I got them, I haven't had to start the auxiliary generator at all. In fact, my batteries are all topped off by about 11 am each morning and stay that way all day. I'm not even having to run the wind generator! Yahoo! Under load testing, my batteries tested marginal and I had thought I needed to replace all my batteries, but I now think that won't be necessary. I should have installed more solar a long time ago.

Wednesday, 15 August - Just prior to the Cruiser's Net this morning, I managed to sell a $5 used foot pump for a dinghy, a good start for the day. Then, at 11 o'clock, a fellow that had seen my advertisement on the CSY Owner's Forum arrived, after having flown his plane from Georgia, and bought the sail that I've been trying to sell for a year and a half. Not a bad day at all.
                    After seeing a movie at the library, I decided to go to the Hurricane Bar and Grill and listen to open mic night music celebrating the anniversary of Woodstock. I joined one two of the musicians, both of which I already knew and one of which was at Woodstock himself. He and his wife actually know and are good friends with the couple who's photograph is on the Woodstock record cover.

Thursday, 16 August - On the Cruiser's VHF radio net this morning, during the section they call "Buy, Sell, or Trade," the first person to chime in, once again announced that he had a used mainsail for sail. He's announced it about twice a week for several months. When he finished, the net control said, "...and does Island Time have a sail for sale, too?" He was totally shocked, since I've announced mine for sale EVERYday for the last year and a half, when I said, "Negative." Everybody was in disbelief, so much so that they actually had me repeat my whole add one last time, since they all said the net won't be the same without it. I think they all have it memorized anyway. In fact, one morning several months ago, I was on Bob Dahmer's boat when the net came on. Since I wasn't on my boat, I wasn't going to announce it, but as we were listening, Larry Baker came on and said, "Island Time." The net controller acknowledged him as if it were me and Larry did my whole ad verbatim from memory, as if it were me, including all its features, dimensions and price. That was quite a surprise! I think he was hoping for a finder's fee if it sold that day. We all thought it was hilarious.
                    In order to sell the sail, I had to remove it from under the forepeak berths. It was stored all the way forward, so I not only had to remove everything on the berth, but everything below them to get to the sail, but it certainly opened up some space down there. This morning, I had to figure out what to fill that space with and put everything back. Now I don't have to pack it so full and I have less piled on top of the berths. There's still not enough room to sleep up there, but it is less cluttered...well, a bit anyway.

            Until next time.

                        "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson

                                          Rick