A Gulf 32 affair

Tomorrow I am heading to Aeolus to spend the day doing maintenance and repairs. In a couple weeks we will be aboard for the three day weekend into the islands, so this trip is timely to get some things done.

Sitting at home right now, I am filled with memories of voyages aboard her, and all the adventures my family has shared over the years. What precious reflections!

Amy and I have heard the Call.

The Call is when we know in our bones that it is high time we get aboard and let the boat carry us millions of miles away to a place of deep difference. We  have nothing really to escape from. Our wonderful lives are indeed wonderful. It is a recognition of profound and needed difference, nevertheless.

Doesn't matter where, when. Only that it was. And is. 

We don't have to be unhappy with one thing to need another. And I don't mean a shallow need that is the bane of all people. I mean that we are complex creatures, and that the reasonable life we live can still leave holes where we need filling.

We recognize that we need the intense family time, to pull us together in a non-digital, non-busy way. We recognize a need for wilderness and natural beauty, beyond that which surrounds us on lovely little domesticated Bainbridge Island. We recognize a need for an exposure to risk, to a purposeful life with actual hazards, to a life closer to the edge of real existence. All these things and more compel us to get aboard Aeolus and cast off.

How strange it is that a sailboat became the affair of my lifetime over 10 years ago. None could have ever guessed.

Tomorrow I will be doing several projects that may justify some posting here. Polishing the stone, polishing the stone.

New Walbro pump and maintenance

Today was a  maintenance day on Aeolus and what a day for it. The weather in Anacortes was as beautiful as a day could be, with bright fall sun and temperatures around 65. Just perfect.

My trusty old Walbro 6805 which will be retired into backup status. 

The FRB13-2

My main project today was replacing my main fuel pump, which I did merely out of an abundance of caution. My trust Walbro 6805 had given 10 years of reliable service and about 1500 hours of use. This is far below the rated hours for this pump, but after 10 years, I just felt like it was time to replace it. Fuel issues are by the far the biggest cause of engine failure, and I've had recent experience with stormy conditions that reminded me of the desire to never have my engine fail.

I replace the 6805 older model with the newer FRB13-2. Interesting to note that the 6805 was rated only for diesel fuel, where the FRB13-2 is labeled for all fuels, including ethanol and all biodiesels. Since I run biodiesel, I'm happy about this, though I never did have trouble with my 6805.

The swap out is easy, and even the mounting hole patter is the same.

While down there I also replace my exchanger zinc. Ever since putting a spacer between the transmission and prop shaft I have had much less rapid corrosion of my exchanger zincs. It is now electrically isolated from the shaft, salt water and propeller. They last about a year for me now, and at that time they are only about half gone. A nice interval.