What's Broken Now?

 

It's time to play that fun cruising game “What's Broken Now?”. The object of the game is to sail long enough or hard enough, so that things start breaking. Actually, it doesn't have to be that long or that hard, things just break kind of naturally, even if you're sitting in a marina. You make a list of all the broken stuff and start fixing things. If you're lucky, you're in an exotic place for this game. It makes it more fun. Yes, Deal Island does qualify as exotic. Here we sit in the middle of the notorious Bass Strait playing that age old game. I mean when the HMS Beagle arrived here in 1847, even THEY had a long list of repairs to do. We're in venerable company.

Let's see. We already talked about the three sail slides that broke in the big winds off Flinder's east coast. We repaired those as soon as we arrived at Deal Island, so check one thing off the list. But wait … there's more. Perhaps an actual list is more appropriate:

speed transducer not working – fixed, just needed a nudge

red/green bow navigation lights not working – still tracking down - meanwhile using backup tricolor lights

spare propane tank retaining straps are not “retaining” - replaced straps and buckle

wood support for the wind generator is loose and needs relashing - done

dinghy oars are not secure – added twist-lock closures to replace velcro

slow leak in the dinghy – still not found (dinghy in the water, but not under water)

two machine screws found on deck, just rolling around...now where did they come from? (one from a stanchion and one from the mast pulpit; replaced and then the rest were checked and tightened as necessary)

Where do you start? Some minor tasks, some requiring more work, but all requiring time. We allot part of the day for repairs, while still trying to enjoy our surroundings. Major issues, like the sail slides, take priority and cannot wait. Others wait their turn in the queue. There's a section of our daily passage log for “Comments” in which we note any things that will need to be fixed. It's easy to consult it when we arrive and start the to-do list all over again.

We accept this as part of living aboard a boat. But then, if we were on land, wouldn't there always seem to be something to repair or replace on the car or the house? Besides, playing this game keeps us amused and occupied. All play and no work ….

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