Kermit here with more technical details for your more
technical guys.
Fuel Prices have ranged from 3.49/gallon at Wilson Boat
Yards in Oswego just off Lake Ontario. We paid 2.61 at Sylvan Beach on the east
end of Lake Oneida on the Erie Canal. We paid 2.96 yesterday in NYC. It just
supports the idea that diesel is more expensive on the Great Lakes.
So far we have used 570 gallons to get to Ocean City MD,
about 875 miles, about 1.5 miles per gallon. This takes into consideration
running the genny, spending time in locks and going fast on a few occasions.
The engines have not used a drop of oil since we left. We
have put 110 hours on the engines by the end of the day. We plan to change the
oil in Virginia Beach.
You laughed at my Leatherman but it came in handy when
Katherine pulled that boner at Lock 6. By the time I got my knife out that line
really popped.
We put a few nicks into the boat so far. We got stung while
docking again at that marina on the south end of the Welland Canal. The worst
one was getting t-boned by a Cris Craft at Schenectady, probably a cousin of
Tim Toth’s. We are not sure the extent of the damage. On the surface all you
can see if a scratch about ¼ inch deep and about 6 inches long. But we all
heard a cracking noise when he hit so we are not taking any chances. The guy
filed an insurance claim and we will have someone take a better look at it when
we get to Florida or maybe in VA Beach.
The biggest problem
was with the autopilot. Around Utica it just stopped working. No reason. Just
stopped. It is not such a big deal in the locks because the rivers move and
turn pretty regularly but now that we are in a straight away on the ocean it is
a HUGE deal. I was on the phone with Garmin at least 4 or 5 times. We
downloaded updated software but that did nothing. We did sea trials with the
Wizard at least three or four times but no good. It was doing a hard right,
going it circles no matter what we did. Finally yesterday on the ocean I called
again. This time the guy said maybe you have an air bubble in the lines. He
told me to “bleed the hydraulic line” yesterday. That meant I loosened the cap
at the steering column and turning the wheel all the way hard over to one side
then back to the other 20 times. It required a full cocktail and half a cigar
but I did that last night. Then you retighten the cap and it seals the system
again.
This morning I was afraid to turn it on but I tried it
anyway and IT WORKED! Now we have auto pilot. As we write this we are 40 miles
into a 70 mile run and it is performing perfectly. I can walk around, go to the
bathroom, and generally enjoy the trip instead of steering for every minute of
every day. What a relief.
The bow thruster has not worked since we owned the boat.
Paul Bates insisted it needed to be fixed. He ordered a control panel from
England and had it shipped to Oswego NY. Paul and Tony installed it. Mr.
Electrician had to install more wires, go figure. For two days I refused to use
it just to torture Paul. But lo and behold IT WORKS! Now we have a bow
thruster. I even used it once in a lock just to make that funny noise.
It has been wonderful to have such a great crew. It made
life so much easier for the captain!
Here is the upcoming work that must be done:
·
Wash the boat!
·
Laundry and interior clean
·
Oil change for both engines and the genny
·
Install the high def tv antennae
·
Put the clean bikes in their storage bags for
the next leg of travel
Until next time!
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