6 Days Until Cast Off: Life in the Bilge...

Today was Class Day with our mechanics, Rory and Clay.  We learned how to:

• change the drive belts on the Cummins engines
• change the impellers on the Cummins and the Westerbeke generator
• change the fuel filters in both engines and the generator
• the location of the engine and generator zincs
• change the Raycor fuel filter/separators in the fuel lines to the engines and the generator

At the end we were EXHAUSTED!  I think we both understand that younger folks should be climbing and crawling and doing this stuff.  HOWEVER, should we come upon a problem, we have been well introduced to our engines...and they are AWESOME.

You have to love two engines that big !!!

Clay and Todd changing engine fuel filters

Clay and Todd changing the impeller in the port engine

Professor Rory, our bilge class teacher...and boss.  Rory has taken a lot of time helping us, putting together our emergency maintenance kit and supporting our adventure.

Rory cranked those two beautiful Cummins at the end of class day and I gotta tell you, it always brings tears to my eyes.  My dad always told us he'd buy us to nice big diesel engines...and he did.  I see my dad's big smile and proud chest when those two Cummings are humming.  Thank you, dad...I love my boat.

After class day, we weren't yet done.  Todd went about installing a cellular antenna for the signal booster, router and air card.  I did help him run the antenna wire from the arch to the salon but for the most part, he planned and used knowledge he learned while working with the electronics installer.  These next few days he is working with the router and the air card to sync them up with our laptops and, later, our wireless printer.

While he was busy, I installed an LED anchor light and unpacked another load of can goods and supplies....and taking a few more pictures of work completed.

That big bulb on the flybridge is our new Raymarine Satellite dome providing us with Dish TV.  The bimini canvas is new, as well as all of the canvas seat covers, two screens for doors and some other canvas pieces that can't be seen in the picture.  Ocean Breeze is sitting pretty!

I only have our fall clothes to pack into space bags and I'm finished.  I do need to do some of the routine tasks on the boat (defrost the refrigerator, clean the windows, clean out the bilge, etc.), but that's part of boat living.

The only vendor tasks left are:

• the carpeting will be cleaned on Monday
• the boat will be waxed today and tomorrow
• the new bar faucet will be installed today

Tonight we party with our good friends and neighbors who will be keeping an eye on the house in our absence.  We look forward to relaxing and good conversation.  They are truly living the experience with us...and most are planning to meet up with us during different periods of the adventure.  We look forward to that, as well.  Thank you Ann and Dennis, Lyn and Kevin, Dave and Peg, Roger and Donna, and Kim.  We are so very appreciative of your friendship and caring.  You ARE truly special folks!

We will be taking these last days now, to get our house in order.  A new security system will be installed this afternoon.  The lawn and snow removal service has been contracted.  My wonderful cleaning lady will continue to come and keep our home ready for us.  She's hoping we make a few trips back during the adventure...which is not out of the question.  There is more but it exhausts me to think about what we've done and are doing to be ready.

SO, Thursday we will move onto Ocean Breeze and out of our home sweet home.