Not a Bad Work Weekend after a TERRIBLE Start!!

I had a lot to do this weekend if I was going to make a Thursday Splash Down but ohh the fates were going to have some fun with me.

The drive down was okay. I made a stop at the Food Mart in Durham to gas up with just enough to get the cheap gas in Kinston -- about 20 cents a gallon cheaper than Durham, than again in Kinston, and again in New Bern for groceries. Each time I started the truck it cranked very slowly. I was a little worried. I stopped in Grantsboro -- just 8 miles from Minnesott for diner. When I left I got in the truck and turned the key and NOTHING!! Lights came on but no crank. Damn... I checked the battery with the lights and no dimming when cranking. Thus battery good -- power not getting to the starter, I thought stuck starter relay because I didn't hear it click. I jacked the truck up a bit and climbed under it -- very anxious moment since this is a Burger King parking lot -- worried about someone pulling in beside me and running me over!!

I smacked the starter a few times with a small hammer. Still nothing. Finally a couple of ladies pulled in and I talked one into cranking the ignition for me while I banged on the starter. Nothing except the AC condensation water dripping in my face. After 5 minutes I thanked her and let her go. I pulled the battery cables and cleaned and still nothing.. Damn I don't know anyone here!!

A gentlemen pulls up and I ask him to crank the ignition switch. This time I hit the starter hard a rapid. Finally it starts but the guy leaves the key in start position -- grinding gears!! I yell "release the key but don't turn it off!!" He does. Ohhh boy now dirty and sweaty I continue on to the boat. What a way to start the weekend.

I'm wondering if it will start again!! I call Craig because he is coming down tonight. He has just arrived in New Bern and was headed to BoJangles-- I asked if he could pickup a starter for me. He says -- "no problem -- there is an Advance Auto right across the street!! What a guy..

The boat looked good. They got a lot of work done on it this week. Partial repair on the rudder, new Thru hull/seacocks on both heads, painted the bottom.



I was going to do some work tonight but I didn't. Just relaxed and read.

Saturday morning I started putting the packing assembly back on the prop shaft. Uhh the shaft coupler did not want to go easy. It was going to have to be beat on. Not good because there is a delicate measurement on the shaft locking bolts. They need to line up with dimples in the shaft. It was no fun. I would tap on the prop shaft from outside, climb back into the boat, crawl into the engine compartment and check. It took 7 trips to align ... would have been so easy with an assistant!!

I got it all back together and repacked the packing nut. That went well.

I then assembled the Max Prop back on the shaft. I thought this would be a 40 minute job.. No way!! I had to put the spinner on twice because I missed the index gear the first time, then I tried to put the 3 blades of the prop into the spinner holding them and keeping them in a full feathered position -- that took more than 45 minutes. Things just kept slipping and once on of the blades fell and chaffed my leg -- Ouch!!. Then I put the back on and couldn't start the screws -- damn!!!I finally had to take it and the blades out to see what was wrong. The internal spider that hold all 3 blades need to be flipped. I did learn that if I put the blades in the back and then attached to spinner I had no problem aligning the blades.
Total time -- about 2 hours!!

It was then on to lunch -- 5 hours to put the packing on the prop shaft and install the prop!!

After lunch I cleaned the prop and paitned it with an anti barnacle paint. Kooks GOOD!!


Relaxed a bit then tackled the steering packing. I had asked them to do but they hadn't. So I cleaned it up and packed it myself then went on to install the quadrature. That took till 3:30pm. I called it day and relaxed till Craig came by to pick me up for dinner. He brought along Doc Hoffman and his granddaughter Mallory and my Starter Motor -- what a guy. We went to Gary's for a fine dinner.

Back on the boat around 8pm to crash and read. I was whipped.. Hit the sack about 9:30pm.