Friday, 9 July 2021 - Having slept like a log last night after having returned from Little Shark River yesterday, my Cruiser's Net went well this morning. I spent most of the rest of the day stowing things away and otherwise getting the boat back into harbor mode, plus I scraped the bottom of the dinghy clean and took it for a spin hoping that the bottom being so barnacle encrusted was keeping it from getting up on a plane. It's clean now, but the problem is still the engine. Tami Shelton called about 5pm and suggested we go out to dinner to celebrate the fact that, after rushing back from Little Shark River to go to work, today was her last day at her job and that her boss had said that she'd give her an excellent recommendation for future employment.

Saturday, 10 July - The dinghy was running so poorly during the trip in the Everglades to avoid hurricane Elsa that I was a little reluctant to go exploring for fear that I might not be able to get back to the boat if it quit running altogether, so today I cleaned the spark plugs and fuel filter, then took it out for another quick spin. The bottom plug was pretty wet and oily, but that didn't help either. It's still running poorly. Perhaps one of the ignition coils is not operating properly, but I don't know how to check that.

Sunday, 11 July - Another reason I was reluctant to explore away from the boat in the dinghy was that the dinghy was missing one oarlock, so I couldn't have rowed it at all if the engine quit. To be honest, however, the only time I might be able to row any distance would be during slack tide. The tidal currents are pretty strong and the soft dinghy rows very poorly. I will feel better, however, with both oarlocks mounted, and I reinstalled the missing one today. I also hot glued the screening on one of the portholes that had come loose. I hope that will hold it. The bronze gets pretty darned warm in the sun and it may soften the hot glue. Time will tell.

Monday, 12 July - I spent some time online researching what hydraulic jack I want to buy and donate to the cruiser's workshop to go in the floor press that they have, but realized that I need to know the dimensions that will fit the press. I played ping-pong with Walt at 3 o'clock and measured the press while I was there. I need that press to straighten the stock on a Fortress anchor that I have. Afterward, I went to Home Depot for a couple of items but they didn't have what I needed, then swung by the food mart on the way back to get a gallon of milk. They were out.

Tuesday, 13 July - I spent about 9 hours today simply trying to order a few LED light bulbs for the boat. It was very frustrating. Pricing on the lights is all over the place. The local marine chandlery wants about $21 each for the lights and I need six. I found all that I needed online at DrLED.com, but they wanted about $26 each. I tried several other online stores, but was only finding one or two at each and I didn't want to have to order from several different places. I finally ended up at LedLight.com and quickly found one of the lights I needed. After that I started running up hill. Searches on their sight would either show me totally unrelated bulbs or say, "Sorry, we have no matches for your query." I found another by simply, but slowly, browsing through hundreds of bulbs. I finally found a third, then started browsing for the fourth. By now, I didn't want to start over on another site. I came across a bulb that had the same base as the one I needed and thought that would help me in my search, but it didn't. Their search engine is the worst I've ever come across. I searched for these legitimate identifiers and found nothing of value: dual contact, dual pin, non-indexed, and dozens of others to no avail. I decided to call the company, but they had no phone number listed. I emailed them explaining that I needed help finishing my order, but got an automated response. I finally decided to order the ones that I had found, but their system rejected my order because my delivery address is different than my billing address and said I needed to change the address at my bank. I gave up after having wasted so much time.

Wednesday, 14 July - I realized that since I had actually found most of the bulbs, it actually would be easier to change the address on my bankcard than to start over on another site, so I did. LedLight.com still rejected my order this morning. I gave up and started my quest over again on several other sites and ended up on SuperBrightLEDs.com. I found three of the lights but couldn't find the fourth. They had a phone number listed, so I called them. I told him that I needed a bright replacement bulb for my light that has dual contacts, non-indexed pins and a BA15D base, and within minutes I had a link on my screen that took me to exactly where I needed to be. Finally, I placed the order and was done. At 3 o'clock I played ping-pong with Walt then went over to the gas station / food mart to get milk again. They still didn't have any.

Thursday, 15 July - I ordered the 12 ton jack this morning from Home Depot because they don't stock it. Soon after, Vicky, at the marina office, called me and asked that I come in and stuff some Cruiser's bags. I did, went to Home Depot for a couple of fuel line connectors for the Yamaha outboard engine. They were out of stock and won't be in for about a week and a half. I stopped by the food mart on the way back and...lo and behold, they appeared to still be out of milk. I asked the attendant if they had quit stocking milk and he said,

Friday, 16 July - I sold all four custom Phiphertex cushions for the cockpit that have just been taking up room in the forepeak ever since I got the boat. I've never used them so it was past time for them to go. I'm sure they probably each cost the two hundred dollars that I got for all four, but that gave me a little bit more space in the forepeak and will make four pieces fewer to move anytime I need to get under the forepeak bunk or into the chain locker.

Saturday, 17 July - I got online and tried, again, to find a service manual for the Yamaha 15FMHS outboard engine I have. The one I downloaded the other day was for a four stroke engine and mine is a two stroke. How can the numbers be the same? In the afternoon and evening I attended the first outdoor festival they've had here at the city park since the start of the Covid virus, a Craft Beer and BBQ Festival called the Florida Keys Brew BQ. The festivals headliner band this evening was very good. Mostly 70s and 80s rock and they played non-stop for an hour and a half, took about a 20 minute break, allowing the crowd to get some craft beer and BBQ, then played non-stop for another hour and a half. Good musicians, good entertainers, and they segued from one song to another without stopping all evening. Very professional. It was "Rock Show" out of the Miami area, I believe... and they got lucky and had great weather for it, too.

Sunday, 18 July - I took Island Time out for the afternoon today. The wind was out of the southeast at around 15 to 17 knots and the water was a beautiful blue green under blue skies. I just went out an tacked a few times and gybed once, then came back into the harbor. There was a pretty good swell further out and I missed one of my tacks. I had tried letting the auto helm make the turn into the wind, but it didn't turn the boat fast enough or quite far enough. I need more practice. For some reason, I was tired this morning when I got up, so I didn't last long. Maybe I'll go out again this week. I'll have to see what the weather is doing.

Monday, 19 July - I managed to sell my old hookah air compressor and air filter today for $50, and I sold the set of cockpit cushions for $200 the other day. That made a bit more room in the forepeak, which is a good thing. Now, if I need to get under the forepeak bunk or into the chain locker for something, that's just 5 fewer things that I'll need to move and put back. Yay! I defrosted the freezer, then at three o'clock I played ping-pong with Walt at the marina's workshop.

Tuesday, 20 July - I tried, once again, to find a downloadable copy of the service manual for the Yamaha outboard motor. The only one that looks right I found a link to on a web forum and the link goes to an insecure site that wants my credit card to verify that I am human. That looks a bit sketchy to me. I'll pass for the moment. I also contacted CDI, the company that made the mainsail furling system for Island Time. They manufactured it, but didn't install it. Apparently, it is custom made and larger than any model they make now. For some reason, the luff won't stay tight against the mast. I tightened it previously till I was afraid to strip the threads on the halyard stud and now it looks loose again, so I had questions. He wanted pictures of the rig, so I just sent those off this evening and hope he'll respond tomorrow.

Wednesday, 21 July - I had hoped to go out sailing again today, but the weather didn't support it, almost no wind. I played Ping-Pong with Walt at 3 o'clock and picked up some LED lights that had been delivered.

Thursday, 22 July - Tami Shelton called this morning and, although I had planned to take the Yamaha outboard motor to the marina and clean the carburetor, we went out to West Sister Rock, a tiny island next to Boot Key, and went snorkeling. She speared a nice Hogfish and, upon returning to my boat, offered to fillet it and give it to me. How could I refuse. Tami and Steve Monaghan both say that hogfish is absolutely the best tasting fish available so I cooked it up for dinner tonight and I'll have to agree. Being a cook of minimalist capabilities, I simply cooked it with a little butter and salt in the pan, then added a bit of pepper on my plate; no distracting flavors added. Very good, indeed. Thank you Tami. Later, we had a dinghy drift that started about 7:30 and ended up under the full moon about 10:30. I couldn't believe how short a distance we drifted in 3 hours. There was no wind and apparently, no current either. We drifted nowhere at all for two hours, then, finally, started moving right down the row to my boat about 300 yards away. When we arrived at my boat, I cast off from the drift and moved fifty feet to the stern of Island Time, stepped onto my swim platform and was home.

Friday, 23 July - Net - removed and attempted to clean the carburetor on the Yamaha outboard. It was perfectly clean, but ran no better when I finished than it did before I started. Later, at Dockside, Fiddle Rock, the guitar/fiddle duo was playing, so I went there for dinner and to listen to them play.

Saturday, 24 July - It rained off and on today, so I finished the third Hornblower book, "Hornblower and the Hot Spur", then at 7 o'clock I went over to the tiki hut for a harbor social, the first since the start of the Covid 19 drama started. Around 8 o'clock I then headed back to Dockside for dinner and to listen to Fiddle Rock again.

Sunday, 25 July - Today was almost a replay of Friday. I waited until a storm shower past over, then head to the marina to tear into the carburetor on the dinghy again. I had gotten to thinking about Friday's teardown and realized that the carburetor float had felt a little heavy. Perhaps it had sprung a leak or absorbed gasoline over the years and wasn't floating high enough in the bowl. I had also talked to Jay Klassen and mentioned that I had no easy way to check the ignition coils and he said he had a tester I could borrow. He met me at the marina and we ran the test on each coil, but they were fine. He suggested that I also remove and clean all the mounting/grounding bolts on the CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) and Lighting Rectifier / Regulator Assembly and I did. I found nothing wrong anywhere, including the carburetor float, so I'm right back where I started except that I know most parts of the Yamaha are in good shape. This reminds me of my first motorcycle: there was never anything wrong with it except that it usually wouldn't start. Ran like a bat out of Hell when it did, though!

Monday, 26 July - I glued the red and green lenses on the outboard motor navigation light to seal it from intruding water and patched over some tiny cracks with GE silicone that Jay Klassen discovered in one of the spark plug caps yesterday. Next, I went to West Marine to buy some fuel line connectors for both the Yamaha and the Johnson outboard motors. After that, I went to the marina to receive the bottle jack that I ordered a couple of weeks ago and to straighten the stock on the Fortress anchor. Unfortunately, like many of my plans, straightening the anchor stock couldn't happen. The bottle jack that I had ordered and that I thought would barely fit into the press at the marina, is shorter than I was thinking. When the jack arrived, there was one piece of the two piece handle missing. I may return it to Home Depot.

Tuesday, 27 July - I was able to adjust the shop press down so that the jack that I bought would be held in place so that no one could take it out of the press easily, but I also put epoxy under the jack so that it can't be removed easily. Notice that I didn't say it can't be removed, but the epoxy should slow a thief down a bit. I hope the boaters get a lot of good use out of it. After installing the jack, I straightened the stock, that's the cross bar, from my Fortress anchor with the press. I got it pretty straight except for a small, tight kink on one side, but straightening will make assembly much easier. I used to have to drive the stock in with a mallet. Now it slides right in.

Wednesday, 28 July - Right after the Net this morning a fellow came to my boat and bought the second pair of swim fins that I'd been advertising. I only recently got them, but the upper edge cut into my instep. I had a list of about five things I wanted to get done, but at the end of the day, although I'd been busy throughout, I hadn't accomplished anything on the list, In fact, the list was longer. I did finally coil all the sheets (sail control lines) that I'd used recently and had hoped to use again before lobster pots went in the water for the new season. I also took in the rain catchment system since no more rain is predicted for awhile. If I don't remove the water lines and dry the filter they warm in the sunshine and quickly get slimey with algae. I reinstalled the back deck awning and the ATN genoa sleeve, too. The inflatable dinghy floor that I found in the mangroves about a month ago had finally lost so much air that it needed to be pumped back up. I assumed that I'd have a pump for it, but no. It has a valve that is totally different than any I have, so I had to jury rig an adapter out some water line.

Thursday, 29 July - I went to the marina today and tied the 3/4" stainless tubing that S/V Ew-We II gave me for the handle of the bottle jack to be used on the shop press. I needed groceries and was hungry so I walked to the Panda Oriental Restaurant, had lunch, then walked across the street to Publix to by the groceries. I bought $170 worth of food, took a taxi back to the marina and returned to the boat just in time to realize that I'd forgotten to purchase butter. My timing was good, however, because before I got the groceries put away, it started raining.

Friday, 30 July - Summer has definitely arrived here in Florida and it's been getting into the 90s here in the saloon on Island Time. I had been putting off installing the deck awning, hoping that I might get out sailing some more before the lobster season started, but the wind died last week to less than 5 mph and the lobster pre-season was on Wednesday and Thursday. Thousands of lobster "enthusiasts" flood into the keys for this whole week and the roads, grocery stores, and waterways turn into a real zoo. Two boaters had died by 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Sailing with the lobster pots, along with their necessary floats, is certainly less than fun. Here's the reason. The state estimates that the commercial lobstermen will fill the ocean with 350,000 lobster pots in Monroe county, where we are located, alone...and that doesn't count the thousands of stone crab pots that will be added in a couple of months. Dodging your way through those is a nightmare, as is removing the polypropylene rope from your propeller if you run over one. Anyway, I installed the deck awning today to put the boat in the shade. That should help with the heat considerably.

Saturday, 31 July - At midnight last night, I was just about to head to bed when there was the sound of bombs bursting it air and a very nice fireworks display erupted and lasted about 15 minutes. Although I wasn't expecting it, I knew it was a celebration of the "Blessing of the Fleet"; the Lobster Fleet, that is. At midnight the lobster fishermen headed out into the darkness to put out 350,000 lobster traps before they can start harvesting them on August 6th. The VHF radios were all abuzz with people trying to find out what all the fireworks were that awoke them so unexpectedly.
                    I thought I'd change the heavyweight oil in the lower case of the Yamaha outboard motor today, but that was put on hold because I smelled gasoline when I stepped into the cockpit this morning. One of my Yamaha gas tanks had started leaking out of a crack ever so slightly caused by pressure build-up as the day warmed. I laid it down on its back so all that leaked out was fumes then rinsed the deck with sea water. I went to West Marine to buy some 3/8" posts for snaps on the dodger, to look at fuel tanks, although I know they don't sell Yamaha tanks, 90W oil, and an adapter to inject the oil into the lower unit. I ended up with only the latter two. On my dinghy, the fuel tank is a tight fit in a compartment in the bow. They have a Moeller tank that "might" fit, but I wanted to make some measurements on the dinghy. That may or may not help. It's a weirdly shaped compartment, being triangular with upward sloping sides. I may have to buy the Moeller to see if it will fit in there. The Yamaha tanks are rectangular and barely fit in. The Moeller is taller, but is trapezoidal, so it may sit lower in the compartment and fit.