12/29/2007 Charleston SC

Hi Folks;
Just a note from me, (Bob). As Ovida mentioned the windlass quit in Dewee Cr.. The motor's permanent magnets came unglued. I hauled up a 44lb. anchor and 20lb. of chain by hand. That was after hauling up 80ft (80lb.) of chain to get the anchor straight up and down. Yikes that was work! As soon as we got to Charleston I called around and found a motor in Fla..... He said 500 bucks. (No hesitation), I said when can you ship. It would take 5 days to get here. I then found out that after 8 or 9 days at the daily marina rate I could pay for a month. We paid for the month. Will probably leave earlier but I told 3 other boaters and they went for the month too. We hang out together some while we work on our boats. Charleston is a nice place to hang out.

I've ordered various stuff from Defender and it gets here in 2 days. Installed the new windlass motor and that fixed it. I will let Ovida tell you about our social and touring activities. I have relocated a wind generator brace that interfered with the genny winch, bought a 5lb. propane cylinder for a spare for when we run out, and changed the oil and filter in the engine. While changing the oil I always look everything over really good. I noticed the collar that I put on the prop shaft to prevent it from sliding over board if the set screws on the coupling should loosen up was hard up against the packing gland nut. It saved my butt like I hoped it would. Hate having a 7/8 hole in the bottom of my boat!!! I have a spare prop but not a shaft. I guess it happened way back when I ran aground at Browns Inlet over 200 miles ago. That was when I ran it in reverse at full throttle... Luckily I still had about a 1/2 inch of shaft still in the coupling. The set screws only hold it in place when in reverse. In fwd the prop is trying to screw it self into the coupling anyway. The set screws were wired in place but........ Now I used locktite and will check them frequently. Actually I check the engine over daily each morning when we are moving and now will be laying on top of the engine checking the shaft.

Still need to go up the mast and install a lighting dissipator. Don't know if they really work but I see a lot of them down here and only $80. Also trying to figure out where to install my spare VHF radio in the cockpit. The depth sounder interferes with the hand held VHF.

Between rainy days, project days, and touring days time goes quickly. But every day I watch boats heading down the ICW and am getting a bit anxious to leave.