Jan 23 - Feb 4 -- Two Work Days Surrounding a Lot of Fun Days

Two work days but only a total of 6.5 hours. It was raining the first time and I got as much done as I could. Big block of ice in the bilge but the recent rain, on top of it, got pumped out. It comes in around the mast boot in driving rain.  I tried to charge the batteries on ILENE and on Ohana. As far as ILENE goes, no juice flowed into the boat. Maybe the rain and or cold? If it was not better the next time I would have the yard people check their source. As a consequence, there was also no heat and the strong light I brought from home did not work. But the electricity did flow the second day.
I sanded the grab handle at the starboard side of the companionway ladder and the wood at the top edge of the galley sink which were looking a bit ratty. This in preparation for re-polyeurethaning these areas when it gets warmer. The second day I taped them but did not have a can for cleaning brushes.

The biggest accomplishment, partial, so far, related to removal of the water I put into the forward fuel tank in Maine last summer. First step was removal of almost the entire cabin sole. The boards are screwed on and some of the screws are stripped. Once off, it makes moving about in the cabin a tricky business but is needed to gain access to the two fuel gauges that are each fitted into a viewing port about 1.5 inches in diameter  cut in the top of each tank and fastened with six sheet metal screws and a big rubber gasket and three wires to take the readings from the gauges to the indicators in the cockpit. Then it was a matter of using a hand pump to get the fuel, one gallon at a time, from the contaminated tank into a clear plastic bottle. After letting it sit for a few minutes I saw no clear white water at the bottom below the pink diesel fuel and poured the gallon through a separating Baja funnel (designed to filter out any water) into the "good", i.e., water free fuel tank. About forty such one gallon transfers and the bad tank will be nearly empty and much lighter. So far I have done eighteen. Then comes the removal of four hoses from the tank: one to pour fuel in from the deck, one leading to the engine's fuel filter and pump, one leading back from the engine to the tank and the last to a vent in case the tank gets overfilled. Once this is done, four "L" shaped wooden blocks must be removed which hold the tank down and stop it from moving from side to side. Then nephew Mendy will be called to lift the much lighter but still heavy and awkward tank out of the boat whereupon any remaining fluids will be dumped out and it will be left to thoroughly dry, before reinstallation. Progress comes slowly but at least the concept works and this WILL be done by spring!

The rest of the time was fun "Other" days. Two four hour shifts working at the Harlem's booth at the New York Boat Show in the Javits Center. The first time it was 4:30 to 9, business was slow and I was the only Harlemite working the booth. Next day, from noon to 4:30 there were 3.5 of us, making it more social and giving time for me to spend money at other booths, though the Admiral did not approve, yet, by phone, the purchase of a $1300 fold-up bicycle. I did get some small tools, a light and some cleaning supplies.

After the Boat Show i joined Lene and Jamie and Laurie, for dinner at a restaurant on the upper west side. We met them in Jewell Island Maine and again in Manchester by the Sea, Mass. last summer. They come in from their home in Boston for the ballet, to which they subscribe, so it is likely that we will be able to reprise the event.

Two days of non water related travel by Ken's car going and air returning, to visit Lene's Brother's new wife up in Niagara Falls, Canada for two days. We were the first of the family to meet and welcome Sabrina. Ken and Sabrina are between us in this picture.

Sabrina is very pretty, short, young, intelligent, sweet, friendly and entrepreneurial.

I realized that Niagara Falls is adjacent to St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, where ILENE was born and we persuaded Ken to take the four of us on a quest for the site of her birth. We had an address but it is now a sail loft and not waterside. The company went bankrupt about twelve years ago and we failed to locate the ways under all that snow and ice. I had fun trying but no luck.

Our hotel room had a spectacular view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

And brunch with Bennett and Harriett, whose "Ohana" is wintering near ILENE, so I'm plugging her in for battery charging when I do this for my boat.