April 12, 2012 Georgetown

Thursday April 12, 2012

8:00 sharp Cruisers Net was on the air and Fred was waiting.  Fred put out a call in case anyone had an outboard to sell or one we could borrow until we did find one.  Just after that we had a call we got a call from someone who had a few engines and said he would be over to pick us up within the hour.  Hippo offered us a ride where ever we wanted and I did need some laundry to do but thought that could wait, even though we were running out of clothes, clean ones anyway.  An hour later John and Carol from s/v “Sweet Caroline” dinked over and offered us a ride in also.  They were actually going in to do laundry themselves so I quickly grabbed what I needed for one large load of colored clothes and hopped on their dink, leaving Fred behind to take care of outboard boat business.  We stopped at the market and I bought a loaf of bread, some romaine lettuce, some apples and two small packages of cookies for Fred.  By the time we got back, he talked to the guy with the motor but it wasn’t what he wanted, although the guy did offer to loan it to us until we found what we were looking for.  Fred had decided to just order a new outboard from Mimms water sports here in Georgetown.  He finally got them on the radio about 2:30 but it was too late to make the mail boat so we won’t have it until next Wednesday.  He decided to just get the same kind the ocean swallowed.  We have decided from now on, we will take the motor off the dink when crossing big waters.  This shortcut was costly.  Never underestimate the power of the seas.  It will take what it wants.  And that is no joke!  There is always room to learn and this one was a huge lesson.  On the brighter side, we sealed all the leaks except one, we think.  We opened all the ports and only one hatch since duct tape is holding them tight.  We haven’t really had a chance to test them out in really bad seas or weather but it’s not that hot here anyway and there is a blow coming in tomorrow with possible rain so that may just be the test.  Leaks or no leaks those hatch cover gaskets need replaced.  We look like we are advertising 5200 and silver duct tape both of which are working just fine for the time being.  Hey...it’s a boat!  Boats leak!  Leaks are hard to find on a boat but if you patch it enough, it may not look like a boat any more but it still floats so in my opinion, it’s still a boat.

Fred just went to shore with Jan and Henry from s/v Hippo and is trying to get Internet.  I think I will go topside and read.  It’s beautiful out there today.