Trailer tyres are now good for 5 years, and I don't know why. Just replace them at that time. Next, we don't make trailer tyres in the USA any more, even Goodyears. Just buy the Chinese tyres they offer you and save the time looking. We buy Big O's because they offer a 3 year workmanship warranty, which we've never used. Their tyres look, tread wise, just like any of the other Chinese trailer tyres we've bought, so I suspect they're all from the same factory. Last, the new tyres have a load rating of E. That may solve the tread seperation problem, and we have 5 years to see if they do.

Honda Outboard

We have a 9.9 Honda outboard on Journey On which we use as a get-me-home motor and for the dinghy motor. Well, this year, I changed the oil and threw it in the back of the pickup, since I was running short of time. So we hung the outboard on the back of Journey On as part of the launch procedure and off we went. Next, I tried starting it in Roche Harbour so that I could take the grandkids for a ride. Wouldn't start, so I used some ether starting spray too see where the problem was; since it ran, I assumed that it was the carb. So we rowed the dinghy the rest of the time. Finally got back to Bellingham and took the motor to the local Honda dealer. He gave me an estimate of $125 (electric start costs more to fix.) Borrowed a dinghy outboard from our Lummi Island friends, Larry and Joanie, and left for another week. A day or so later, got a call from the dealer (cell phones cover the San Juans,) who told me the carburetor was being cleaned since it had algae in it, but I also needed a new prop, the cooling system was leaking, etc, etc. Asked them to fix the carb. Picked up the motor when I got back, the bill was $233, with no explanation. Asked if they started the motor; the guy loading it into my truck said “of course.” Left Bellinghan again, with the Honda kicker this time, and then tried to start the motor. No start, until I pumped the accelerator pump. Dealer told me that it was an electrical problem, and bring it back.  I thanked then, and left. After I got home I took the carb apart, only 4 bolts hold it on (see picture,) and found that indeed they cleaned out the float bowl, but nothing else. Bought $25 worth of gaskets and o-rings from Boats.net, blew out the jets and after reassembling it, it started first pull.

My message is that a lot of dealers are there to sell parts, not solve the problem. When that dealer told me of all the other parts I needed, I should have told them to stop right there and got the motor, ordered a new carb off the internet, had it sent locally and installed it myself. I don't know what else to do, but it'll be a cold day when I visit a Honda dealer when I'm away from home. Oh, and start everything BEFORE I leave home, that was my basic mistake.

The carb is circled in the picture, the other circle is a bare gas coupling I got and installed. I do agree that the fuel caused the problem, and with this fitting I can blow the residual gasoline out when I store the motor. This includes the filter, fuel pump and lines as well as draining the carb (Honda provides a drain screw.)

Anchor Windlass

The anchor windlass failed when we tried to raise the anchor in Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island.  Fortuitously, we found the manual lever Lewmar supplies to manually wind the windlass, and used it. But the windlass was dead, and I couldn't revive it. So we ordered a new one, which was a major expense. However, I searched the internet for a windlass that would fit, as they don't make the one which came with the boat anymore, and got the lowest price. So, instead of a 600 model, I ordered a 700 model, and through the modern miracle of internet purchases was able to have it mailed to friends on Lummi Island. Arrived in a week, and looked good. Note that Lewmar has change their factory from Europe to Thailand, and redesigned the 600 into a 700. It's slightly bigger and the gipsy has changed.

So, there I am, installing the 700, whilst on the dock in Squalicum Harbor, Bellingham. Yanked the old one out after undoing the anchor chain and dumping it into the locker and unbolting the 3 bolts. Note that the required opening is larger for the 700 over the 600. I borrowed a wood rasp from ½ of our Lummi Island friends, Larry, and went to work, since the difference is size wasn't much, but the shape is slightly different. Also, one needs to drill a different hole. Sealed the edge of the new hole with 3M 4200, and popped the darn thing in, rethreaded the anchor rode and off we went. The installation is in the first picture and shows the motor/gearbox and the bottom brace plate, as well as the bolts. You can use that plate as a template for the hole. On the topside the pad the factory made for the 600 is a little small for the 700, but I just ran a bead of 4200 around the base, and called it a day. Looks good. Lewamar supplies a relay with the 700, but for the rest of the trip I used the same switch and wiring. Gotta change that now.

OK, I'd checked to see the motor worked, each way, but at the first anchoring, it turns out the combination chain/rope gypsy has changed. While this gypsy worked well with the chain we had, the rope part just slipped on the gypsy. I had to tail it in by pulling the line through the chain locker. Our 5 year old anchor line was salt soaked and just too stiff to fit into the gypsy. Reading the manual, the windlass was designed to use plaited line or medium lay 3 strand. So I got a great deal on Samson 6 plait line, 200 ft, from Redden Marine in Bellingham and used that. The plaited/braided line is shown to the port. Of course, we have a chain/rope gypsy, so the rope has to be spliced directly onto the chain. Never done just that, but Samson has clear instructions on the web. Spliced the end of the line onto the 1/4” HT chain, and while it wasn't a work of art, it's held, and if you read the cruising side, you'll know we tested it. In addition, they must use some kind of coating on the yarn, because the line slipped the first time I took the rode in, and then worked fine the next time.  I'll soak the whole rope in water when I rewire the relay.

Wallis Stove

Journey On came with a diesel stove, which has a blower in the lid, so that it can act as a heater. Wonderful appliance, and Judy didn't hesitate ordering it when we bought the boat. The stove is made in Finland by Wallis, and has one distributor, in Seattle. It has worked well for us, but when we needed heat this summer, the blower wouldn't turn on. We have an Eco fan, which is heat driven, so we used that for the rest of the summer. By the way, we put the Eco fan on the small stove burner, it takes no electricity, you can point it in any direction and its a lot quieter. I actually prefer it to the lid blower, which is noisier, and just blows across the cabin. But it blows harder.

I disassembled the stove when we got home, and it turns out that the lid switch died. I think the switch is OK, it's just the mounting board got corroded. Talking to Scan Marine, the Switch is a $100 item. So I'll just install a manual switch where Judy can turn the blower on when she wants it, and continue to use the Eco fan. The picture shows the stove with the ECO fan on the small burner, the disassembled lid, and the Eco fan box.

Whilst I talked to the distributor, who was very helpful, the tech pointed out that while I had the stove apart, I should clean the burner and change the start up blower, which has a limited life.. The sum of those parts runs less than the blower switch so I'll do that. The C-Brats site has an instruction manual for the 95 model: Wallis 95 Stove Repair . Scan Marine mentioned that just after we got our model 95, Wallis brought out the model 85, which fixed all the problems. The story of my life.

Propeller

If anyone tells you they've never gone aground, they're not only a liar, but they're a damn liar. I certainly put our sailboat aground on the East Coast as a matter of course, but I never damaged the prop (or hull, for that matter.) Well, I now messed up the propeller this year. Looking at the picture, there's a red circle around the 7 ft. mark, just where I drove the prop into some rocks, finally realized what I was doing, raised the motor and drifted off. Now, normally 7 ft. is OK with us, but notice that there are a lot of obstruction notes around there. I certainly saw the red marker, both on the chart and in real life, but my misteak was in not figuring out where the channel was; if you look below the red mark, there's a lighthouse symbol and that's the green mark. Obvious after the fact. We were coming down into Budd Inlet to Swan Marina, Olympia at 7 knts, enjoying the day and just didn't pay attention, so I earned my reward.

Anyway, we were going slow, only the trailing edges were banged up, and we finished the trip without changing the prop (stainless, 4 blade.) Found a repair shop in San Diego, Propellers of San Diego, and for $150 plus $10 shipping they did a great job. In addition, for another $25, they would repitch the prop, which I didn't need, but sounds good.

Boat Shower and Bilge Pump

And, now for the messiest problem.  I got tired of paying $4 for a shower at the various marinas, especially when Journey On came with a built-in shower in the head and a hot water heater.  So, I decided to take a shower when we were in Roche Harbour.  Everybody else was on a hike, so I would be alone.  Got in there, lathered up and heard the shower sump pump running.  All was well, until I got out of the  shower and saw a couple of gallons of soapy water soaking the cabin rug.  After the comments were over, and we'd cleaned up, I found that the sump pump was not pumping the water out, though the pump was running.  As you can see, it's in a plastic sump, with an inlet from both the shower and hot water heater (in case the heater relief valve relieves.)  It live under the floor of the cabinet across from the shower. The inlets are the white hose and the smaller grey one next to it. The other grey hose is the outlet, going to the overboard fitting.  The pump is a standard Rule 800 bilge pump, connected through a float switch. The pump would pump intermittently, but when it didn't look out, the sump overflows.  I e-mailed the Rule factory, and their only advice was to buy a new unit, with no real explanation as to what was wrong with the old one.  Finally I got hold of some installation instructions for the damn thing (the orginial installation was done by the factory,)  and noted that the required the installation of a vent loop on the outlet.  As you can see on the photo at the right, the factory just coiled the outlet hoses (the cabin bilge pump outlet is coiled,) so that all I had to do is cut the shower outlet, and install the vented loop at the highest point.  Now that we're home, I have to install a vented loop for the cabin bilge pump, because it's the same centrifugal pump, and could have the same intermittent pumping problem.

And Last, But Not Least, the Head Repair

Well, the last subject to discuss is the head seat breaking. The head compartment is a tight fit for anybody of normal size (such as Boris) and the head is a compact bowl (i.e., small.)  So at some point in the trip the lid broke off from the seat, and it was downhill from there.

The main problem is to convince your grandkids to to go when there's no back to the head. I guess they're not sure what's going to happen. However, time works that one out.

It broke because the plastic got brittle; I guess through old age in the marine environment. It was, as is the rest of the boat, 6 years old.

I thought that might be a rare part (for a compact bowl,) and I might have to get a whole new seat. Surprise, the 2 marine supply stores in Bellingham, both had the small bowl hinges, and none for the large bowl. I guess the large bowls have an easier life. I got them from the place that sold me the anchor line at the same time.

The replacement was simple: remove seat, install hinges, replace seat.