Casa de Tortugas - Stories
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Today was about boat projects and more
Today was mostly relaxed, but there were a few projects to get done.
The first big project was to add an additional 12 gallon gas tank to the boat and connect it to the two 6 gallon tanks we already had. Before connecting things together, when one was empty, we had to move the connector over to the other tank. This was a difficult task at times, depending on the wind and waves at the time. Now we can just turn the tank switches. This doubles our fuel and makes switching tanks a lot easier. We had though about buying one large tank, but there are times that we need to get gas at stations that don't have long hoses. In those cases we have to lift the small tanks out for filling. The large tank can only be filled by a hose. The key to living here is flexibility.
After working on the fuel system, attention had to turn to the electrical system. Humidity in the console has caused our switches to go bad. Our lights were coming on randomly even when the switches were turned off. And some things stopped working all together. So the old switches came out and new ones went in. This time I sealed the contacts with dielectric grease to prevent future damage.
Next time we go into town, we'll look for options for ventilating the console to let that humidity out, while preventing rain and sea splash from getting in. There is no way to keep all the moisture out because water gets in the boat and it has to drain through the console. It is just a fact of life with this type of boat.
Finally, the latch to the bodega door broke. That was a royal pain to fix. But it is working now, at least mostly. We may need to revisit that in the future or completely replace the latching system. We are just grateful that we have the skills to deal with almost anything. (almost)
| The yard work never ends Published 01-Dec-2024 | We have stingrays! Published 17-Nov-2024 |
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