Many a slip ’twixt the dock and the ship

5-JAN-2018, Lake Union, Seattle, Wa – Standing fully clothed, soaking wet in the cockpit of CaroBabbo at the dock in Lake Union, Jennifer said, “Would you like to take a picture of me?”

Jennifer always has more sense than I have, but I merely said, “no.”

Instead, a few hours later I took this picture:


Continue reading “Many a slip ’twixt the dock and the ship”

We tear out a cleat, anchor in tight quarters and see bears.

5-AUG-2017, Frosty Bay, AK – We ripped the aft starboard cleat out of the boat today, then glued it back it in at a little two-boat dock in Frosty Bay.

Continue reading “We tear out a cleat, anchor in tight quarters and see bears.”

Mac comes back to life, 12-Volt Adapter dies, Depth Sounder Packs up

22-JUL-2017 Echo Cove, AK – Electronics on a boat oftentimes act differently than ashore.

We’ll be in Auke Bay, which is part of Juneau, tomorrow so I can pick up the shipping container to send my Mac back to Apple for repair – except that I am writing this on my Mac. Continue reading “Mac comes back to life, 12-Volt Adapter dies, Depth Sounder Packs up”

Some electronic issues

The AIS has been signaling errors. I noticed this yesterday. The light on the unit is moving between red (possibly orange) and green.

We’re seeing the RSSI numbers move from high -90s to -60s on both channels (A and B) but generally it is B that has the problem. We receive oaky, but may be having trouble transmitting.

This could be an antenna problem, or a unit problem. I lean towards the unit because nothing that a I know of physically has changed and the unit has worked well the entire trip so far.
Continue reading “Some electronic issues”

The First Thing Breaks: John’s Laptop

13-JUL-2017, Juneau, AK – My laptop died a hard death this morning… no response to pressing the power key, the power supply doesn’t light when attached.

$500 at apple to repair… $395, and a bunch of charges. The final amount should be mid four-hundreds.

Last night Derek from our marina joined us for dinner. He’s crew on the boat, Serenity (which shows on AIS as Talos).

Arriving in Juneau yesterday afternoon, we found we knew the crews of six other boats. Some from this year, and a few from last year. Continue reading “The First Thing Breaks: John’s Laptop”

Push the button, the engine starts. What’s so strange about that?

Or simple pleasures…

A little more than two years ago, I started having trouble getting the engine to start if it sat more than three days.

To remedy the problem, I made sure I started it more often than than that. When went our three week trip up the west side of Vancouver Island that year, it was never a problem: we never went that long without starting the engine. Continue reading “Push the button, the engine starts. What’s so strange about that?”

Our Kill may not be killing, but merely strangling…

We’ve had engine starting problems, but only sometimes — Aside from the known problems with air in the fuel lines — Yep, problems, problems, problems, worse than a house.

Caro Babbo and Ranger 11 dinghy at Port Townsend Boat Haven waiting to sail home to Lake Union

Continue reading “Our Kill may not be killing, but merely strangling…”

Back in the water, again

Caro Babbo went into the water at lunch Thursday. The wind had been blowing mid-twenties gusting to 30. The Travelift operators, who I’ve gotten to know across the five weeks, came by often to find out what I wanted to do. Continue reading “Back in the water, again”

Five weeks on the hard in Port Townsend’s Boat Haven

Rather than the write book that is the five weeks in Port Townsend’s Boat Haven, here is a gallery of pictures. Much of what was done wasn’t photographed, so I guess the book is on the way.

Caro Babbo is due to go back into the water tomorrow – we’re on standby. And then to be sailed back to Lake union on the weekend. There is no mass transit in Jefferson County on Sundays, so we’ll be in Seattle until Monday.

There is still much work to be done: replacing coolant hoses, installed new fuel filter, replacing heater fan, to name three. Continue reading “Five weeks on the hard in Port Townsend’s Boat Haven”