Thursday, 31 March 2016 - I got serious about finding the part for the heat exchanger today, but also got frustrated. Apparently no marine suppliers around here carry many Perkins marine diesel engine parts and there are only one distributor state wide. I finally got to talk to one of the salesmen at Perkins Power, the main, statewide distributor, in Jacksonville and he said he could get one out of England for me in 4 to 6 weeks. You've got to be kidding. I can't start my engine and don't want to stay in the Marco Island area for another month. Don't get me wrong, Marco Island is nice, but I'm getting anxious to move on already. I called virtually everyone that I thought might be able to help, including the mechanic that had worked on Island Time in Palmetto, and the previous owner, Rick George, who has been so helpful. The calls finally paid off and I'm now pretty sure that I can get the end cap that is totally unusable, the gaskets, and bolts much sooner. Now I have to determine if I can salvage the body and core of the heat exchanger. When I started cleaning it up today, I discovered that it is in much poorer condition than I initially thought. It appears to me that the metal of the body has suffered some sort of degradation or corrosion that has made the metal soft and porous around the end where it was leaking. I had though it just had salt deposits stuck to it, but that is not the case. When I used a small pick to remove the salt, lots of metal came off, too. I think it's going to be very difficult to build up the missing edge and create a flat enough surface for the new end cap to seal against. I haven't given up on repairing it, but my expectations aren't quite as high, either. I think the end cap is only going to run about $16 + shipping, so about double that, but the body and core will be a totally different story if I can't salvage it.
                  I got replacements for the small bolts and hose for the heat exchanger the other day at the ACE Hardware store and a nearby marina, but they both said I need to go to the ACE at the other end of the island to get the larger bolts. That store is six miles away. I need the exercise I'll get riding my bike down there, but I think I'll call to make sure they have them before I go. That's a lot of peddling for two bolts. The bolts are metric, so there's a good possibility they won't have them, either.

Friday, 1 April - April Fool's Day - I tried and tried this morning to find a phone number for the sheriff's office that is about a quarter mile from me on a channel just off this bay. I found lots written about them, but no phone number. I finally gave up and, since it's their marine office, I thought they might just come by as I readied my dinghy to go to shore. Sure enough, one of their patrol boats came out of the channel and I hailed them to come over. I asked if I could tie my dinghy up at their dock since I really can't find a place to dock, get drinking water, and get rid of trash. He told me "No, you might trip and fall and sue the city," Actually, he was quite nice and realized that there is a problem with that. He said, off the record, that he's not saying it is legal or that he said I could, but if it were him, he would tie up at the end of the channel across from their office and put my trash in their dumpster. That spot has a wall and fence I had to climb to get off the water. No drinking water. I'm really surprised at how "un-user-friendly" this island is for live-aboard sailors. No public dinghy docks, no available water or trash receptacles, no pump-out stations for holding tanks in this whole bay. That's sure different from Ft. Myers Beach. They had all those...and free. They would even come out to your boat to pump your tanks.
                  I headed across town to the south end of the island on my bike after climbing the wall and fence and went to the Ace Hardware store for the two bolts I needed, had lunch, and returned. Of course, while it Ace, I had to check out the whole store and I did find another item I needed; a two foot section of 2" PVC to finish the handle extension for the dinghy. I really only needed 8 inches, so now I'll have two spares. I have no doubt that, given time, one way or another, I'll lose this handle and have to make yet another.
                  I've discovered that there "might" be a way to get the core out of the heat exchanger, making it much easier to repair the body, or, if not that, at least the body, which is cast iron, would be the only piece I need to replace, IF they'll sell just the body. They area listed as two pieces in the parts book.
                  I did get the other o-ring out and discovered that the groove in it is beveled, or triangular in shape, not square-sided as I expected. The damaged end is in such bad shape that I really couldn't tell for sure. I tried driving the core out with a block of wood and a mallet, but since the core is soft copper, I'm afraid to put too much muscle into it. I couldn't budge it, so I'll squirt penetrating oil on it and let it set overnight, then try again in the morning.
                  The wind was at about 10 - 12 kt. all day, so when the wind quit totally at sunset, the batteries had a full charge. Since there's absolutely no wind now, at 11pm, the batteries have already lost over 10% of their charge running the refrigeration. The only lights I've been using are the small, solar-powered yard lanterns I recently purchased. The two of them give off just enough light for most things I do in the evening in the cabin. When I go to bed, I'll put them on deck so no one will run into me in the darkness of the night. Speaking of going to bed, Good Night!

Saturday, 2 April - I had been told the core other heat exchanger would probably be copper, but it is not. It is brass and the casing is not iron, but aluminum. I did get the core to move a bit this morning, but very little about a quarter inch. When the face of the core got down flush with the face of the casing, I stopped. If I had a nice workbench and the resources I had at home, I'm pretty sure I could get it out without damaging it. But I don't. Maybe I'll fiddle with it some more tomorrow.
                  Shortly after noon I went to the grocery store and bought groceries. I almost bit off more than I could chew, are rather bought more than I could carry. I only had a few blocks to go, and it wasn't the weight that was a problem, it was the awkward bulk and the fact that it was hard to set down and pick back up... But I made it.
                  My alarm on an app called "Storm" just went off meaning it's raining within 5 miles of me. I better close up the hatches on the boat. Whew! I'll say it was closer than 5 miles. I got up from typing immediately and it was raining before I got out of this cabin, but not hard. I am glad it's raining. Everything on the outside of the boat needs to be rinsed off with freshwater.

Sunday, 3 April - I surprised myself a little today. I actually got the core of the heat exchanger out of the casing without damaging it. This morning I cut a three inch circle out of a two by four board with a saber saw, then filed it down to a perfect fit to the diameter of the core and the inside of the casing, then used it as a block to drive the core out of the casing with a rubber mallet. I discovered that only the end pieces and some spacers of the core are brass, the tubes are copper. After I got it out, I thought I'd clean it up at a car wash, but there aren't any on the island that are do-it-yourself spray washes. I was going to take it to one of the auto-super-wash and detail places, but on the way, I asked at one of the marinas if I could tie up the dinghy for a few minutes and rinse a part off with their hose. It probably didn't get the core quite as clean as the high pressure car wash would have, but it'll do.
                  That done, I wanted to explore the bay for dinghy docks to tie up to to access a bar with some music. There are no public dinghy docks on the whole bay; all private, and even the bars that are on the water don't have docks available...with one exception. One has some docks, but no signs to indicate that I could see to indicate anything except, "No Docking, Private Property". I finally pulled up right beside the bar in my dinghy and asked where I could park to have a drink. He said at the end of the dock. It was labeled "Slip #17". And people are supposed to know they can park their dinghies there?

Monday, 4 April - I took the heat exchanger over to Marco Small Engine Repair, after the owner assured me that they could "probably" fix it. His welder wasn't in, so I had to leave it and they were to call me when the welder arrived and confirm whether he could repair it or not. I killed the day by exploring the area and looking around for other possible remedies. At 4:30pm, I called them. "No, we can't fix it." I went and got it and they referred me to another welder. I quickly biked over there to discuss it. He highly recommends trying to find a new or used housing/casing. He said that as a last resort, he can do the welding, but not the machining. He referred me to the guys "across the street," but they close at 5pm and it was 5:10. I spent all evening online trying to find a similar unit, but can't. All of the sites use part numbers that are totally different than what I have for this unit and most have no photos of the parts. I guess I'll have to spend tomorrow online and on the phone tracking one down.

Tuesday, 5 April - As predicted, I spent almost all day online and on the phone trying to track down a used heat exchanger or someone that can repair the one I have. Still no success. Several people have told me it ought to be easy to find a marine junk yard that has one online or on eBay, or something similar; and I thought the same. eBay has about 250 of them listed, none of them like mine. One place that I called told me that just by coincidence, someone else had called asking about exactly the same item. Coincidence indeed. Actually it was someone else that I had talked to, calling on my behalf.
                  Finally, around 4pm, I quit that project for the day and am in the process (I'm letting Super Glue dry) of replacing the last screen on my portlights. There was one scrap of screening left from the forward companionway that was just large enough to make this last portlight screen. By the way, if you're wondering what a port light is, it's a porthole that can be opened to let air in. Ones that don't open are called deadlights. The only thing I have that needs a screen now is the companionway to the aft cabin. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to open one companionway screen and make the dash to the other without letting mosquitos in with me. I'll probably need a beekeeper's suit. Ray, do you have an extra? ;nbsp& ;-) Maybe a smoke screen will work. It does for bees!

Wednesday, 6 April - I received a call from a machinist up in Ft. Myers this morning, returning my call about the heat exchanger. He said his partner, who would do the work on the exchanger was down at Marco Island today doing a survey on a boat. I suggested that when the fellow was finished with the survey, perhaps I could meet him at a dock and show the unit to him. That might have saved me an couple of days that the exchanger would be in transit to them, if they can and will repair it. I emailed pictures, but never heard back from either one. I continued to search for the parts or a repairman, but am pretty much out of options now. Perhaps I'll hear back from someone tomorrow.
                  Well, within a minute or two of typing that last sentence, I got the call from the fellow in Ft. Myers. He believes I had better go with the $800 option. From looking at the pictures, he doesn't believe either of us would be happy with any repairs he might do to it. It's just too far gone.
                  I can't believe I've been looking for a whole week. I guess I should have just ordered one from England. If it's this hard to find parts or someone to work on a boat here, I can't imagine how hard it will be down island in the Caribbean.
                  Tomorrow is a new day. We'll see what happens then.

            Until next time. Stay happy, healthy, safe, and in touch.

                        "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