Jim is the newest member of my book group, though, while he has been reading our books, he has not yet met the other members. He and Wijnanda sail “Anodyne”, a very seaworthy, heavily ballasted, slower, European built, aluminum boat moored at the City Island YC. They paddled over to say hello in their kayaks. And later, plans were made to get together.
The “one night stand”, actually a “one night float”, was Saturday night in Manhasset Bay, only four miles away, off the mooring field of the MBYC, in 12 feet of water at low tide. Only an hour away, but a world away. So pleasant that for the first hour after sunset we had forgotten to light the anchor light!
No other boats within 150 yards. It became “nostalgic” when I recalled that at about this time of the season in 1997, Lene spent her first night aboard. It was a Harlem “Rendezvous” of about a dozen boats anchored or rafted up near each other. We were on my first boat, the Pearson 28, “Just Cause”. We visited “Sea Scudder” a 30 foot boat, and Lene, who I’d known at that time for only about a month, saw that it had hot water and an indoor shower. She exclaimed: “We need a bigger boat!” Next morning, in very thick fog, without a chart plotter, we miraculously made our way the four miles home across The Sound; I had been scared.
We have a new temporary neighbor, “Chanson Ma Vie”; Song of My Life, if my HS French is still any good. 
About 185 feet long, you and eleven friends can have her for a week for less that $250,000 (plus food) in season. But apparently not chartered this week, the owner apparently directed that his crew anchor her (in about 25 feet of water) in Hart Island Sound for a few days. Saved a lot of dockage fees.
No other boats within 150 yards. It became “nostalgic” when I recalled that at about this time of the season in 1997, Lene spent her first night aboard. It was a Harlem “Rendezvous” of about a dozen boats anchored or rafted up near each other. We were on my first boat, the Pearson 28, “Just Cause”. We visited “Sea Scudder” a 30 foot boat, and Lene, who I’d known at that time for only about a month, saw that it had hot water and an indoor shower. She exclaimed: “We need a bigger boat!” Next morning, in very thick fog, without a chart plotter, we miraculously made our way the four miles home across The Sound; I had been scared.
This year no fog, good instruments and we went out with just the small jib and diesel (well we had to run the diesel for an hour anyway, for the refrigeration). We could not use the more powerful Genoa because when rigger Jeff Lazar climbed to the masthead to install the new Windex (a bird had perched on and broken the old one) he reported that the Genoa was mounted too high — the furler’s top end was rubbing against the mast; it needed to be lowered a couple of inches. While in Manhasset Bay I shortened the strap that holds the sail’s tack down, so we were able to use the Genny on the return trip.
About 185 feet long, you and eleven friends can have her for a week for less that $250,000 (plus food) in season. But apparently not chartered this week, the owner apparently directed that his crew anchor her (in about 25 feet of water) in Hart Island Sound for a few days. Saved a lot of dockage fees.
In Manhasset Bay we tried the new way to run the snubber line with the Manson hook and it worked quite well. When raising the anchor, after the snubber had been removed, however, the windlass strained and made little progress in hauling up the chain at one point. The same hook, hooked to the chain on deck with the snubber led to the mast-mounted halyard winch, permitted about two feet of chain to be brought up on deck. This was let gently down into the chain locker. We repeated for another two feet of chain, and then tried the windlass again, which performed magnificently.
The next night Jim and Wijnanda came over for a lovely shared dinner on ILENE. The only slight wrinkle, a five minute delay, because I started too late in lowering our dinghy, which I needed to do for them to be able to mount ILENE from their kayaks. They brought the salad, dessert and a bottle of wine. We supplied the other bottle, the appetizers and the main course. I lovely evening of interesting conversation. Jim took a look at our new old water problem and came over the next morning with a bag of tricks. He is extremely knowledgeable, imaginative and able about electrical, plumbing and all other mechanical issues involving boats.
What had happened was that first, only a trickle of water was coming to the sink. What was the matter? I looked under the cabin sole where one stands when doing the dishes. There is a rats nest of piping down there as hot and cold branch off to go the other faucets. Maybe one of those connections had blown off; it happened in 2010! But no leak there. I checked and the faucets in the two heads were getting hot water, so the blockage was only to the galley sink. It seems that the plumber who had done the work of wrapping tape around the hard plastic (PEX) inner hose, had let some of the wraps extend beyond the end of that inner tube. Heat and pressure had closed the tape over the hose end, blocking the water! I tried again, more neatly wrapping gorilla tape, careful not to let it extend too far.
It seemed to work for a while but then the pressure blew the narrower hose out of the end of the wider one. Lene had heard a hissing sound and looking below the galley sink, saw hot water spewing all over the place. We managed that night’s dinner dishes with soap but without hot water and next day Jim came over with several potential solutions, one of which worked. He has three different sized barbed brass fittings, with a different size at each end. The thin end would go into the PEX pipe and the thick end into the rubber-like pipe. The barbs (ridges) would keep the fittings from blowing out. But none quite fit. But Jim also had about a foot of rubber-like hose of a different diameter. The PEX pipe fit snugly into it and it fit snugly into the rubber-like hose. A couple of hose clamps and it works!
It seemed to work for a while but then the pressure blew the narrower hose out of the end of the wider one. Lene had heard a hissing sound and looking below the galley sink, saw hot water spewing all over the place. We managed that night’s dinner dishes with soap but without hot water and next day Jim came over with several potential solutions, one of which worked. He has three different sized barbed brass fittings, with a different size at each end. The thin end would go into the PEX pipe and the thick end into the rubber-like pipe. The barbs (ridges) would keep the fittings from blowing out. But none quite fit. But Jim also had about a foot of rubber-like hose of a different diameter. The PEX pipe fit snugly into it and it fit snugly into the rubber-like hose. A couple of hose clamps and it works!
Another problem was the recidivism of the malfunctioning Autopilot. I had replaced the plastic piece containing the brass pin, but now we got the same error message. A look below showed the same type of pin, but at the other end of the threaded connecting rod, had now fallen out. And this pin fit into a hole in a significant piece of the autopilot itself, rather than a mere detachable bolted on plastic bracket. I had a tube of 5200 glue. The instructions say, in effect, do not use this product if you may ever want to remove the two pieces you are gluing together! A tube is not cheap and the instructions also say that once opened the glue quickly becomes unusable if not used up. So it killed me to waste 99% of the tube, but a little dab will do it — if it works. This time I used a vise grip wrench to ram the gluey pin fully into its hole. I tied the steering wheel firmly to give the glue a chance to cure. I’m hoping it worked.
Independence Day was celebrated by a large happy crowd at the Harlem’s all you can eat barbecue, from 5 to 7 pm, with DJ and toys for the kids and adults. I’ve learned in recent years that “all you can eat” is no longer my friend, but the food was good and plentiful, I did not eat too much and the event provided the opportunity for friends to catch each other up.
One day for a run to the City Island fuel dock, which is about 90% of the way around the island, on the opposite side from us, of the low bridge from the mainland to the island. We put 41 gallons of diesel into the forward tank, the one I dried bone dry last fall. The highest fuel bill I’ve ever paid — probably enough for the season. We also filled both fresh water tanks to the brim.
And next day we filled the propane tank, though it was still an estimated 1/3 full. Same small price, $10, to fill it if it is empty or 90% full. Later, a scare, when I heard a hissing sound and smelled propane. There is a “recertification” process to insure the soundness of tanks and ours, built in 1998, and which we last recertified in 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, was overdue. About twenty phone calls to places that said they did this service had proved fruitless— they don’t. Most venders want to swap your empty can for a full one of theirs. But our old can is heavy grade non-rusting aluminum, and fits the dimensions of the locker in our boat. The only weak link in such cans is where the liquified gas enters and leaves the tank. Lene is yelling at me: “Just get a new tank!” But that is expensive and not so easy to accomplish, especially on short notice. Finally a place in South Norwalk CT which does this service for $25. It is only 30 miles away so I drove there. But contrary to what the operator had told me, recertification can only be done when the can is near empty. But the good news: the hissing, and bubbling through soapy water, evidencing a leak, was coming from the pressure release valve, where it is supposed to be. The technicians noted that I had filled the tank in the relatively cool of the morning and the pressure had built up in the heat of the day.
“Don’t worry; enjoy it this summer; bring it back near empty in the fall, and we will retest it, put on the official sticker and charge you the $25.”
So ILENE is full of fuel, water, propane, newly washed clothing, bedding, etc, and groceries; she is raring to go! All we need now is the mainsail and wind.
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