Boat Prep

I'm working pretty solid through the week to get the boat ready for leaving on Monday morning. I got a slow start and after allowing air into the fuel lines yesterday and having to bleed the air from the system (an hour long job - by yourself), I finally got back on track to get my list of items checked off.

So far I have:

• replaced my 5hp honda outboard on the dingy with a better (new) 4hp outboard and broken it in.
• installed a vacuum gauge on the fuel system -which allows you to diagnose when the filter needs replacing. (this is important because an engine stopping at the WRONG time is a very bad thing.) While installing this item is when I allowed the air into the fuel system by not completely sealing the filter properly. It turns out that it wasn't my fault - I called tech support for the vacuum gauge and they said I was sent the wrong adapter. It's too long - so it won't allow the gaskets to seal.
• I've dismantled the air conditioner discharge system where it sends water out the 'thru hull' fitting, in preparation to add a second bilge pump.

Here's what I have to do:

• Add a second bilge pump. I'm installing an 'emergency' electric bilge pump approx 8 inches higher than the regular bilge pump. This is so if the regular bilge pump fails for any reason,, the higher one will take over when the water gets higher than normal in the boat. This is a fairly standard thing - but my boat did not have this. To keep from having to drill another hole in the boat hull, I'm putting a Y fitting onto the A/C discharge with check valves on both feeds.

• Change the toilet water intake to the 'screened' water intake at the A/C. This will keep any grass etc out of the toilet system. It will pulll sea water out of a filter/screen.

• Figure out a better way to hold the main shower nozzle. The way the shower is set up on the boat is very efficient. It uses (on both showers) the faucet from the sink with a long 'pullout' hose (like your kitchen sink sprayer) to conver to a shower. A special nozzle allows it to instantly switch from normal 'faucet' stream to 'shower' stream. The original set up is not to my liking. It has the shower attachment at the 5 foot level on the bulkhead. I'm going to fix it 'overhead' in the hatch. It'll be a more enjoyable shower this way.

• Sew some canvas. I have a few spots of canvas covers that need some mending. They're not torn, but some stitching has come loose. I need to spend about 20 minutes and touch them up.

Optional Items (if I have enough time)

• Install some LED lights. I'm a bit of a energy miser when it comes to anchoring out. Currently, most of the lights on the boat are flourescent. They use anywhere from 1.5 amps to 3.5 amps each - depending on what array is on. I've found some 6-light LED fixtures that use much much less. I want to install a couple of these.

• New Anchor. I want (and will have at some point) a Delta anchor to go with my Bruce anchor. Currently, my 2 bow anchors are the Bruce and a Fortress. I want to take the fortress off the bow and use it as my 'back up' anchor and put a Delta 33# on the bow in it's place. We'll see.

Well, I'm not getting it done sitting here typing.