When Fuel Lines Go Bad

Here's a shot of the fuel line from the primary fuel filters to the secondarys on the engine. Oh dear.

We have replaced it. Twice. First time we used some chrome braided race hose left over from our muscle car days. Had uber-expensive stainless steel compression fittings swaged on each end, fitted it up, only to discover the hose was like swiss cheese...  So much for saving a few bucks.

Domestic Duties

Only about 6 months after buying it I have finally installed the washing machine. Getting it into the engine room was not a simple task - big props to Sharon for putting all those hours at the gym to good use.   :-)

Still have to plumb up the discharge, so not quite fully domestic yet...

Running Backstays Defeated At Last

From day one stowing the leeward running backstay on Kamalii has been a mission - no obvious place to attach it, no system for stowing it, you just had to get a piece of line and lash it out of the way, and it was always highly likely to come free and fly around bashing everything around it. It really is hard to believe that there has never been a proper stowage system for the runners in place before, but if there was then it is long gone.

I have set up a simple double-purchase block system with some cam cleats and snap hooks that make stowing and unstowing the runner waaaaay simpler and quicker. As a bonus, it hardly cost me a thing: When we were in California I was in Minneys used chandlery store and a guy dumped a pile of Schaefer blocks and cam cleats on the bench and told the counter clerk it was a donation and walked out. The bemused clerk turned to me and asked if I wanted them? Yes please! And now they have a useful purpose in life again...

Runner in use...

...and runner stowed.

Now I plan to set up a similar system for the mizzen runners.

(And in case you're wondering "When are they going to paint those bulwarks?", it will be this season, we have just started work on the transom area.)

Back On The Job...

Enough of that sailing stuff - back to doing jobs...

My Dad used his special powers to sense that the transmission oil cooler was not working as effectively as it should. Sure enough it was about 75% choked up with calcium deposits. We have stripped it down and cleaned it out, one more item off the list...,

Before

After

I've also finished off the wiring to the binnacle switches so you can now operate the nav lights, flood lights, etc, directly from the binnacle, and am now in the process of sorting out the horn.

More Pics

Some more random pics from over the holiday period.

Lost our bloody dinghy on the way past the Poor Knights Islands in 40 knot gusts - if anyone hears of someone finding one please let us know, though I strongly suspect it's a fair way to South America by now...