Category Archives: Uncategorized

Helmut goes to the ‘Supermarket’: Reduce, reuse, recycle!

By lizzy | Published: May 26, 2010
…Helmut emerged, a bit confused as to why I was there. “Yes?” He asked. “Um. Hi. Yeah, I was just wondering if you needed some help coming into the marina? You know about the cyclone right?” “Yes.” He replied. “I’ve been listening to the weather on the radio every hour. I don’t want to go [...]
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Shayla and Uncle Lenny

By lizzy | Published: May 2, 2010
“Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce you to Shayla.” Caesar said casually as he walked me through his house. He would be gone for ten days and needed someone to feed his five cats. I needed a place to stay while Fred did the fiberglassing inside the boat, so it worked out perfectly for both [...]
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GET OOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!

By lizzy | Published: March 22, 2010
Adrian, the cheery 6’ 2” Canadian, was low on cash but full of spirit. He had been borrowing my bike for the prior week to ride to town for parts and pieces to fix up his newly acquired steel sloop. He dropped by just as Mike’s overtime charges were about to begin [...]
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Extracteuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur!!! Say it with a french accent…it’s kinda fun.

By lizzy | Published: February 25, 2010
So…I carried the broken parts back across the yard. Everyone looked over at me curiously. “Extracteur!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I yelled. They just wrinkled their foreheads and went back to whatever they were doing…I’m like a bad rash around …impossible to get rid of… So next, Make the washer out of a thick piece of steel. Reinforce and re-weld the end plate. Wait [...]
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Scavenger Hunt: building a ‘slide hammer’, island style

By lizzy | Published: February 24, 2010
I found Cesar leaned up against a shaded post near a fishing boat he was about to paint, talking with Benois, the metal worker. “Belleza pura,” I said, offering the Brazilian greeting he’d taught me. “Hey, do you know where I can find a 6’ steel rod or pipe threaded at both ends?” “Well…the plumbing store sells [...]
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To get something done, you gotta do it yourself…

By lizzy | Published: February 22, 2010
FML I pulled up the email fromCal 40 owner, Fin Beven. It read: “First, we disconnected the propeller shaft from the V-drive and removed shaft and the propeller.” Okay, I already did that… “Next, Doug Grant made up a “slide hammer”.  It was a 1/2″ stainless rod, approximately 6′ long, and threaded at each end.  The rod is inserted in [...]
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OLI’s ‘Pearl’

By lizzy | Published: February 11, 2010
The wind had decreased slightly by morning but it was still gusting over 40 knots. The waves had pulled the dirt away from Swell’s supports in the night, but she remained upright. No boats in the yard had fallen or broken lines in the marina but others whispered of boats that had been beached or [...]
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Don’t Kill the Star!

By lizzy | Published: February 1, 2010
And the next day at ten o’clock sharp, Jimmy circled Swell on his stand-up paddle board. “Come aboard,” I called. “I’m nearly ready!” He descended into Swell’s cabin, eyes wide, taking in all the quotes and photos and details. I showed him my book collection, hoping I could give him one of my favorites, but alas, he’d [...]
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Finding the Needle in the Haystack

By lizzy | Published: February 1, 2010
“Hello, Liz? C’est Manuelle. My clients didn’t show up so we can go now to look for your chain if you wish?” “Yes, great. I’m ready. I can pick you up in town with Swell.” We loaded her dive gear aboard and headed off to the GPS point where, 125 ft below, sat my brand new 10mm [...]
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Motor Mount Showdown: The Final Battle 12/26/09

By lizzy | Published: February 1, 2010
And so despite that Jesse had probably hoped to spend his brief pass through town out enjoying a blue lagoon somewhere, I had no choice but to tackle the engine repair before my brother arrived the following day! We pulled off the stairs to survey what we were up against: The engine was definitely high…way too [...]
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