Cold in Denver, Hot in New Zealand

Just a quick update while we chill (literally) in Denver. I leave on
Tuesday the 6th for New Zealand and get there on Thursday the 8th because of
crossing the International Date Line. I will be back to work on Maggie Drum
with a good list of major and minor projects. I went to the Seattle Boat
Show and met with the owner of Technautics who had a booth there again.

I bought our Technautics refrigeration system three years ago exactly at the
Boat Show from the same guy. We have had a refrigerant leak since we left
Washington state. Technautics sent us a brand new holding plate to Coos
Bay, Oregon, while we were on the way down to Mexico in 2004 but I decided
not to replace the old one at the time because of the amount of work it
would have taken and all the food (read Steaks) we would have lost. I
probably should have done it as it has been a pain to add 134a refrigerant
all the time. I can't complain about the system though as they sent the
part with no questions asked and the system works great otherwise. Ray gave
me some seals to try and fix the problem without removing the cold plate so
that will be my first project. I decommissioned the reefer before I left so
it is nice and empty to work on.

Other projects include replacing the old radar reflector which came with the
boat. The plastic cover on it has been falling apart for some time. It
still works but there are pieces of plastic on deck all the time and without
the cover a line might be cut on the sharp edges of metal inside. The new
one is a TriLens brand and is supposed to be much better than the Firdell
Blipper that is on there now. I also am bringing back a new seacock and
thru-hull for the aft head. I will have to wait for the boat to get hauled
to do that though. I will also clean and repaint the bottom of the boat
with anti-fouling paint to help keep barnacles and other critters from
growing on the bottom. The paint is terribly expensive and nasty but
important.

The biggest projects, and most important, will be to replace or repair the
hydraulic steering cylinder which has been leaking for years. Not a good
thing and messy. This may be expensive in NZ but I did not bring all the
specs I needed to get one in the US and it is too heavy to bring back by
air. I may order one and have it shipped if I cannot get a suitable one in
NZ. The other big project is to try one more time to fix the saltwater leak
around the rudder shaft. I tried to fix it in Anacortes and again in
Mexico. Hopefully, the boatyard and experts in NZ will have a clue and we
can keep the ocean on the right side of the hull of the boat. It is not a
big leak but a small leak can mask a potential new problem and it also gets
things stored low wet when we heel over underway. I would feel better
getting it fixed for once and for all.

The standing rigging is all the stainless steel wires which hold the masts
in place on the boat. It is pretty important and if you saw the post about
the trip from Tonga to NZ you noticed that one of the wires broke which was
a little stressful. So the rigging is getting replaced right now and should
be done when I get back. This is not a cheap project but is obviously
overdue. This is the story of boats - you spend tons of money getting the
boat ready, then you spend tons of money fixing and improving it along the
way. Thank goodness Cindy has this part-time gig in Denver to pay for all
this.

Of course I get a lot of ribbing about Cindy working while I goof off. Just
so you all know, it is real hard work going to coffee every morning and
looking for boat parts online and in the stores and at the boat show. I am
sweating just thinking about it.

Which brings me back to Denver - it is COLD here!! A new record low
temperature was set last night (-18F) with yet another snow storm. The snow
was minor but it caused lots of traffic accidents and makes travel
hazardous. Of all the years we have lived in Colorado before, this is the
worst we can remember. Thankfully the low humidity makes it better than it
could be. I hear from Dianna of S/V White Swan (thank you D for looking
after the car and MD) that it is 90F and HOT in Whangarei - from the high
humidity. I hate humid weather but will trade it for the bitter cold here.

The next update will be from NZ. I have been trying to write an article to
submit to one of the sailing rags but have found it much easier to write the
blog than to write an article. Thank all of you for the kind compliments
about the blog. It is fun for us and we are just happy any one wants to
read it at all.

For the curious, the trip to NZ is easier than to get to Tonga but still a
long way. The flight from Denver to LA is only 2.5 hours but the one from
LA to Auckland is 13 hours. Air New Zealand is great though and you get
free movies, free wine (I don't drink on long flights) and two good meals.
I leave LA at 9pm on Tuesday and arrive at Auckland at 7am the next day,
with several time zone crossings.