Summer in Baltimore
August 30 thru September 2
—Blogpost written by Bob
Friday, August 30
Today was another beautiful day with low humidity and bright sunshine. It was cool in the morning but the temperature rose to near 90 degrees F but it was a comfortable 90 degrees.
After my normal morning routine of sanding and varnishing, we pulled the cushion and platform off the quarter berth to check the problem we're having with the nonfunctioning supplemental cooling pump. We found that one of the wires inside the compressor housing had come loose. Apparently this happened when I changed out the control module recently.
As an explanation of the above photograph, the refrigerator's compressor housing is the white box with the name SeaFrost on it. A BD-50 compressor, the control module, a fan, and a radiator-like coil is enclosed in the housing. The gray colored duct draws air away form the housing and into the cabin. The cooling air comes in through the vented door at the bottom of the image and circulates around to the back of the housing. The refrigerator is located just forward of the bulkhead on the right side of this image.
I recently purchased a new chart chip for our secondary chart plotter in the navigation station--I couldn't get the chart plotter to acknowledge the chip nor display the chart. I'm fairly certain that the problem is in the card readers--there are two. So, I started the process of returning the chart plotter for warranty service. Being a RayMarine product, all such transactions are done through a customer portal. Well, the customer portal could not find a warranty on my unit so I picked one of the [resented possibilities: inspect and return ($90). In the meantime, I recovered the original purchase paperwork (from the GPS Store on 1/9/19, less than nine months ago) which included a 1-year warranty. I forwarded this information through the customer portal but I don't have any confidence that it will get connected to my returned device. We'll see...and hope for the best.
We have been trying various foods that come in packets or pouches as opposed to cans to save weight as well as storage space. Today, we tried a (Bariwise-brand) cream of tomato soup that came in a packet--it was not very good. (However we love the Bariwise-brand hot chocolate!) So, we will continue to try other alternatives in the six or so remaining weeks.
This morning Maggie drove to a family get together in northern New Jersey while I decided to stay here and relax a little. Sure, I have some boat projects to do but I simply don't feel like it today. The first Penn State football game of the season starts at 3:30 PM today--until then I'm "chillin." (Later, Penn State beat Idaho by a score of 79 to 7!)
Through my recent wanderings around the YouTube universe, I found a young female singer and musician that is "out of this world" great. Her name is Allison Young. She is only 20 years old, living on her own in Nashville, and currently working as a waitress. I particularly like the arrangement she does (with Josh Turner on the guitar) of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" which can be found at this link. She has also written a number of her own songs which are pretty good too.
Because we may be waiting for our secondary chart plotter to come back from its warranty repairs, I have made some slight changes to our plan for heading south--we will now leave soon after the Annapolis Sailboat Show which ends on October 14. We will proceed directly to St. Michaels for the Mid-Atlantic C&C Rendezvous. From there, we will casually work our way south. Let's hope we don't have any late season hurricanes!
Our fresh water pump gave up the ghost today! It is much better that if failed before we leave than in the Bahamas but still I really didn't need another boat project before we leave! The 10-year old pump is located in the engine room just above the muffler. I have to access it by removing the quarter berth cushions and the plywood platform beneath.
I ordered a new pump and it will arrive on Thursday. I don't know how we are going to deal without pressurized water for that long. (I removed the alternative foot pump a long time ago because the pumps have become so reliable.) I might have to buy a second new pump in Annapolis on Monday and keep the one that will arrive on Thursday as an onboard spare.
Another relatively cool day awaits! The high temperature for the day is forecast to be only 83 degrees. Today, the northern Abacos (where we spent two recent winters) is getting hammered by Hurricane Dorian. A storm surge of 15 to 20 feet was expected. (Later, it was recorded at over 23 feet!) Knowing how low these islands are and how close the settlements are to the water tells me that there will be a lot of property damage. My thoughts are with the Bahamians today.
On the top of my agenda for today was retightening the galley faucet (again) and adding a locknut this time around so that it won't keep getting loose. Because the attachment is located behind the sinks, all this work must be done blind. This little project took me only 30 minutes.
One of the problems involved with our fresh water pump is that it is located so remote from the cabin that it is difficult to hear it. (I deliberately located it there so that it wouldn't be so noisy and still be in a protected area so that it wouldn't freeze in the winter while I lived aboard.) So, I have been thinking about adding a small pilot light in the galley that will be connected between the pump's pressure switch and the motor. This way, when the motor is energized through the pressure switch, the pilot light will turn on. Consequently, the pump probably won't run for a long time without water flowing through it and it will last much longer. (I'm going to test this idea out before installing the new pump.)
This morning we drove to Annapolis, primarily to get another fresh water pump but there were other items on our list as well.
We got back to the boat and soon started on the changeout of the fresh water pump--it took about 3 hours with both of us working. (Sorry no pictures!) At 6:15 PM the quarter berth has just started to be put back together. It is so nice to have pressurized water again! (Usually in a conventional land-based home, city water arrives already pressurized and there is no need for a pump. Houses with wells usually have a pump in the well itself.)
What will we have to fix next?
Thanks for following our blog!
After my normal morning routine of sanding and varnishing, we pulled the cushion and platform off the quarter berth to check the problem we're having with the nonfunctioning supplemental cooling pump. We found that one of the wires inside the compressor housing had come loose. Apparently this happened when I changed out the control module recently.
 |
| The compartment under the quarter berth where the refrigerator compressor housing resides. |
As an explanation of the above photograph, the refrigerator's compressor housing is the white box with the name SeaFrost on it. A BD-50 compressor, the control module, a fan, and a radiator-like coil is enclosed in the housing. The gray colored duct draws air away form the housing and into the cabin. The cooling air comes in through the vented door at the bottom of the image and circulates around to the back of the housing. The refrigerator is located just forward of the bulkhead on the right side of this image.
----------
I recently purchased a new chart chip for our secondary chart plotter in the navigation station--I couldn't get the chart plotter to acknowledge the chip nor display the chart. I'm fairly certain that the problem is in the card readers--there are two. So, I started the process of returning the chart plotter for warranty service. Being a RayMarine product, all such transactions are done through a customer portal. Well, the customer portal could not find a warranty on my unit so I picked one of the [resented possibilities: inspect and return ($90). In the meantime, I recovered the original purchase paperwork (from the GPS Store on 1/9/19, less than nine months ago) which included a 1-year warranty. I forwarded this information through the customer portal but I don't have any confidence that it will get connected to my returned device. We'll see...and hope for the best.
----------
We have been trying various foods that come in packets or pouches as opposed to cans to save weight as well as storage space. Today, we tried a (Bariwise-brand) cream of tomato soup that came in a packet--it was not very good. (However we love the Bariwise-brand hot chocolate!) So, we will continue to try other alternatives in the six or so remaining weeks.
Saturday, August 31
This morning Maggie drove to a family get together in northern New Jersey while I decided to stay here and relax a little. Sure, I have some boat projects to do but I simply don't feel like it today. The first Penn State football game of the season starts at 3:30 PM today--until then I'm "chillin." (Later, Penn State beat Idaho by a score of 79 to 7!)
Through my recent wanderings around the YouTube universe, I found a young female singer and musician that is "out of this world" great. Her name is Allison Young. She is only 20 years old, living on her own in Nashville, and currently working as a waitress. I particularly like the arrangement she does (with Josh Turner on the guitar) of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" which can be found at this link. She has also written a number of her own songs which are pretty good too.
 |
| An image of Allison Young (with Josh Turner on guitar) singing Patsy Cline's "Crazy." (This image was a screen capture from YouTube.) |
Because we may be waiting for our secondary chart plotter to come back from its warranty repairs, I have made some slight changes to our plan for heading south--we will now leave soon after the Annapolis Sailboat Show which ends on October 14. We will proceed directly to St. Michaels for the Mid-Atlantic C&C Rendezvous. From there, we will casually work our way south. Let's hope we don't have any late season hurricanes!
----------
Our fresh water pump gave up the ghost today! It is much better that if failed before we leave than in the Bahamas but still I really didn't need another boat project before we leave! The 10-year old pump is located in the engine room just above the muffler. I have to access it by removing the quarter berth cushions and the plywood platform beneath.
 |
| The new Shurflo-brand pump that I recently ordered. |
I ordered a new pump and it will arrive on Thursday. I don't know how we are going to deal without pressurized water for that long. (I removed the alternative foot pump a long time ago because the pumps have become so reliable.) I might have to buy a second new pump in Annapolis on Monday and keep the one that will arrive on Thursday as an onboard spare.
Sunday, September 1
Another relatively cool day awaits! The high temperature for the day is forecast to be only 83 degrees. Today, the northern Abacos (where we spent two recent winters) is getting hammered by Hurricane Dorian. A storm surge of 15 to 20 feet was expected. (Later, it was recorded at over 23 feet!) Knowing how low these islands are and how close the settlements are to the water tells me that there will be a lot of property damage. My thoughts are with the Bahamians today.
 |
| Hopetown Harbor on Elbow Cay in 2018. This area is expected to receive a 15 to 20 foot tidal surge, |
On the top of my agenda for today was retightening the galley faucet (again) and adding a locknut this time around so that it won't keep getting loose. Because the attachment is located behind the sinks, all this work must be done blind. This little project took me only 30 minutes.
----------
One of the problems involved with our fresh water pump is that it is located so remote from the cabin that it is difficult to hear it. (I deliberately located it there so that it wouldn't be so noisy and still be in a protected area so that it wouldn't freeze in the winter while I lived aboard.) So, I have been thinking about adding a small pilot light in the galley that will be connected between the pump's pressure switch and the motor. This way, when the motor is energized through the pressure switch, the pilot light will turn on. Consequently, the pump probably won't run for a long time without water flowing through it and it will last much longer. (I'm going to test this idea out before installing the new pump.)
Monday, September 2 (Labor Day)
 |
| One of my packages arrived from Amazon yesterday and in it was my new stash of sixty Crystal Light packets in Classic Orange flavor. (The above little packets called singles makes 16 ounces of sugar-free orange drink.) |
This morning we drove to Annapolis, primarily to get another fresh water pump but there were other items on our list as well.
We got back to the boat and soon started on the changeout of the fresh water pump--it took about 3 hours with both of us working. (Sorry no pictures!) At 6:15 PM the quarter berth has just started to be put back together. It is so nice to have pressurized water again! (Usually in a conventional land-based home, city water arrives already pressurized and there is no need for a pump. Houses with wells usually have a pump in the well itself.)
What will we have to fix next?
Thanks for following our blog!
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