Sunday, August 7, 2022

More little things

 Was aboard this weekend to do a number of small projects, and over the years it's the small projects that add up to make a wonderfully safe and comfortable boat to journey aboard. One of the simplest and most important updates for our happiness was finally getting around to replacing the old cigarette lighter fixture on the electrical panel with a dedicated USB charging unit. For these many years, we've used a USB insert into the cigarette lighter unit and it consistently failed to maintain contact and would stop charging. 

What a little thing! And yet, now we have two USB charging outlets on this unit and no more fiddling with the cigarette lighter connection. 

About time! 

I also: 

  • Replaced all the fender lines with double braided, having used 3 strand forever. Much easier to work with! 
  • Reinstalled Mantus anchor as I had taken it home to rezinc some areas that had chipped and become rusty. 
  • Added distilled water to all 5 lead acid batteries aboard. Never, ever forget to do this on a regular basis. 
  • Treated the dodger with waterproofing liquid. 
  • Greased the port side Lewmar winch with Green Grease. 
  • Cleaned the top sides. 
  • Installed a new towel hook in the head to replace an old knob that once held the shower head that we have never and will never use. 
  • Replaced the oil absorbing roll in the bilge. Old one wasn't too oily but just gets stinky and nasty with accumulated detritus that gravity takes down there. 
  • Took the fire extinguisher home to get the annual recertification. 
I think I did a few other things, but this is enough to give you an idea of what I did in only one day. The life of a boat captain who does his own maintenance. 

Aeolus is in such great shape. I could literally throw some food aboard and leave for a Vancouver Island circumnavigation tomorrow, and believe me I'm tempted. 

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