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 ….

Days and Ways to Celebrate

A daily list of mostly obscure holidays and fun ways to celebrate them.

Boy Scout Day

Following in the footsteps of the original UK movement, The American Boy Scout organization was founded in 1910. Hug a Boy Scout today...even an old one!

Water - A Magnetic Attraction

David lost his hat overboard today. We learned early on in our sailing careers that water is a powerful magnetic force for anything on a boat. Keys, two cell phones, miscellaneous tools, a wallet, various and sundry hats, eyeglasses, screws, bolts and clevis pins, lots of screwdrivers, a rod and reel, a boat hook … these are just a few things that come to mind when we think of what's flown, bounced, jumped or flung itself from the boat into the water. We're not sure what the attraction is, but it's definitely there. When it is seemingly impossible for a tiny screw to bounce several times on the deck, find the scupper and scoot down into the water, it's definitely the call of the sea. That “plunk” sound as it hits the water (usually followed by expletives) is nothing new to us. We've learned to cope with it; to anticipate it even. We're usually surprised when something doesn't go into the drink, even when the odds are in our favor. We've seen too many of our personal items willingly commend themselves to Neptune.

We thought it was just us until we watched as our son Brennan's blackberry slipped out of his shirt pocket one afternoon and slide into Davy Jones' locker with not so much as a fare thee well. He watched incredulously, as the phone slipped out of his pocket and in slow motion, tumbled over and over until … plunk (followed by the expletives) and it disappeared. The look on his face was pure amazement, then despair as the full impact of what had happened sunk in … about 30' down into the mud.

We were hauling in a fish we'd caught in the Bahamas and set down the rod and reel on deck for just a second and whoosh … it was history. Marcie's luck with boat hooks tells a similar tale until we finally bought a boat hook that floats. We've never lost old, broken sunglasses or ratty old hats...only new prescription suns that cost us a mint and fine hats that we were particularly fond of.

We've shared stories with other sailors. This is a common occurrence, nearly of epidemic proportions at times. When you're on land and drop a screwdriver, you just bend down and pick it up. On a boat, we just say goodbye and make sure we have spares. We've found several tools while we've been snorkeling and diving, but tools never do well in salt water. Once Neptune has them, he wants to keep them … and he usually does.

This magnetic attraction was in full force when David was loosening the aft stays and removing the forestay for our recent haul-out.  He lost his best, biggest Phillips screwdriver and a mighty big clevis pin from the forestay. They just jumped right in and we watched knowing that the ten feet of water and two feet of mud would have gobbled them up in no time and it wasn't worth worrying about.

I might add that when I try to throw something overboard when we're at sea, an apple core or a wet teabag, it most always flies back in my face even when I've checked that the wind is in my favor. Must be a reverse attraction in those cases.

As we watched Pierrette motor into the anchorage today, an extraordinary thing happened. Maleana lost her hat overboard and Gary was able to turn the boat around in time for her to scoop it up. Such miracles are seldom witnessed. If you're under sail, it would never be worth the effort. That's why we buy our hats at the opp shops for a dollar each.

An aside for the purists out there, David (engineer) and I (marketing person) have had the discussion relative to the fact that “water” cannot be a “magnet”, and even if it was, hats and stainless hardware would never be attracted. I know, I know. Water has no actual magnetic attraction when it comes to physics, but just as iron filings jump towards and cling to a magnet, that's how things on-board are attracted to the water just beyond the lifelines. I'm using literary license here; don't get your knickers twisted in a knot. Go with the flow on this one.

Days and Ways to Celebrate

A daily list of mostly obscure holidays and fun ways to celebrate them.

National Freedom Day

This day commemorates the signing by Abraham Lincoln on February 1, 1865, of the joint resolution adopted by the Senate and the House of Representatives that proposed the 13th amendment to the Constitution making slavery illegal. This is an actual holiday signed into law by President Truman in 1948, though it's not celebrated by a paid day off.

Mirror, Mirror

When I see women stepping off their boats, their clothes all crisp and neat, their makeup perfect, their hair coiffed just so...I know immediately, they're not liveaboard women. If they were, they'd start looking like me. I read a comment somewhere that while men get more “manly” the longer they cruise, women get less feminine and I think it's true.

I went for a long overdue haircut the other day. I usually cut David's hair and he trims mine. Every once in awhile, however, I need some shaping and that's not within the realm of David's many fortes. The fellow who cut my hair wondered what cave I'd crawled out of. “Wow...you really need a good cut, huh?” When I explained I needed a simple cut, shoulder-length so it would still go into a pony tail or a French braid, no blow-drying allowed, no gel, no hairspray, he was perplexed. “I don't own a blow-dryer” I said “and I can't be bothered with all the goop and sometimes I just need my hair out of the way and under a hat.” He shook his head. He wasn't quite listening and I now look like a Dutch boy... with a square cut, all even, chin-length. It'll grow.

The truth is, once you're on the boat for awhile, the make-up, the manicures and pedicures (what are those?), the home facials … all of that goes away and I never even give it a thought until I look into a mirror that actually has some lighting. On the boat, we have a couple of mirrors and actually I find myself thinking I look rather good at times … in the dim light. When I visit the marina showers and look in the mirror there's a rude awakening. OMG! Who's that with all the wrinkles and the dry skin and one eyebrow extending over both eyes? Mottled gray roots an inch long? Someone must be standing behind me? Oh, no...it's really me and it's always a shocker! Lady Clairol, where are you?

Way back when I was part of corporate America, I wore silk blouses, worsted wool suits, scarves, jewelry, bling. I had haircuts and manicures regularly. I even wore leather high-heel shoes. I had a whole closet full of them. I've traded all that for t-shirts, fleeces, jeans, shorts and deck shoes… all complete with rust stains, bleach spots, bottom paint, holes and tears. All purchased at thrift shops instead of Macys or Bloomingdales. Everything I own is either easy-care, non-wrinkle or unwearable. We don't have an iron aboard either. We hang things up in the wind and hope the wrinkles and the diesel fumes will blow out of them. I am a mere shadow of my old self.

The “good old days” included a hot shower every morning, blow dry/curl the hair, full make-up...a 20-30 minute process each and every day. I was pretty fastidious about my dress and appearance. And now? Same jeans or shorts for days, showers regularly, but not necessarily daily and definitely not always hot. Haircuts … a couple of times a year...sometimes less. Manicures/pedicures...ancient history. Make-up? almost never except when we're in town or going to some special occasion and even then, sometimes I forget to put it on. Why put on make-up when you have to goop with sunscreen every time you go out and wear a hat?

When we were back in the States last time, I had to learn how to apply make-up all over again. There was so much more of everything available. All those wrinkle removers and concealers. It seemed weird to feel the necessity to apply make-up everyday. I was pleased when we went camping for a few days, so I had a break and didn't feel the necessity to “put on a face”. I was bummed, however, when there wasn't enough room to bring back extra make-up items in our luggage this last trip. When I returned to the boat, I was surprised to find a stash of extra make-up that I'd brought back last time...two years ago...still in its original packaging, untouched.

David never complains. Perhaps he sees me as I was 20+ years old. I can only hope so. He still tells me I'm beautiful. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and I'm glad he sees me through those eyes. Am I complaining? Not really. It's partly the aging process and partly another one of those compromises we talk about...one which I willingly make. I'm really only aware of how badly I look when I'm looking into a mirror. Easy to rectify that problem, huh?

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Days and Ways to Celebrate

A daily list of mostly obscure holidays and fun ways to celebrate them.

Measure Your Feet Day

Hmmm, mine are big. This might take awhile. Luckily, it's also...

Pie Day

If I can figure out how to eat pie AND measure my feet at the same time, it will be cause for celebration.