It’s Wednesday morning at 07:30 and today is the day. It’s the day that my crew arrives and we depart for our run to Annapolis. With unfavorable winds scheduled to hit Cape May on Friday it is important that we get out of Dodge today, and as early as possible.
That will be a bit tough for me as I lost all of yesterday to last minute mechanical issues on Pandora. After tense and awkward discussions with the yard manager, we finally agreed on the “who pays what” details (I find out exactly what I owe today) and a mechanic, or two, attended to Pandora off and on all day. The problem is that there was a miss-communication about some vibration issues in the engine early on so they were never adequately addressed. As a result, when Pandora went back in the water there was a moderate vibration in the engine and shaft and it had to be fixed.
After much discussion we decided to pull Pandora out of the water again and have the shaft straightened. As I had to take the $%^& Max Prop (I am not loving that prop right now) off AGAIN and then remove the shaft to have it straightened at the machine shop.
After the prop was removed, the shaft was pulled out. They used a neat slide weight to pull it from the coupling and out of the boat. Now the clock was really running! Let the payments resume!
Luckily, Paul, at the machine shop, who had done some work for me while Pandora was on the hard, was very accommodating and dealt with it right away. Interestingly, when he saw the shaft he recognized it immediately as a shaft that he had made years ago. I had this shaft installed in Bridgeport at Captain’s Cove.
It’s a small world. While he doesn’t normally allow folks to watch him work, he let me observe as he worked his magic. These massive pieces of equipment are really impressive. To watch him put the shaft in a press and twist it was fascinating. 
This lathe was a monster. 
I won’t go into nauseating detail about the process but it looked like art as he bent the shaft this way and that, finally declaring it true and ready for the high seas.
However, big equipment and all, the real bills started piling up as the mechanic messed around in the aft cabin tweaking this and that to get the shaft out and back in again. I don’t know how many times he ran back and forth to his shop to find just the perfect bolt, or two, several times. While he looks uncomfortable squirming around I can assure you that I was squirming more, not knowing how it would all end up or how much it would cost. 
So, when all was said and done, and plenty was said and done, I can assure you. Much of the vibration was gone and Pandora declared fit to head out to see. Actually, the yard never said that as they won’t take on the liability. Such is life.
So, now what? The plan is for crew to arrive in New London just before noon today. My good friend Rodney agreed to pick them up and deposit them and me at the marina for our departure early afternoon so I can clean up Pandora and do some last minute shopping.
As I don’t want to leave my car sitting at the marina for a month till I return from Florida, I have to have someone deposit us at the boat so my car can stay in the garage at home, but I still have to contact door opener experts like A-Dependable Overhead Door Company since it’s currently stuck. Back to the land home for an errand I guess.
It’s about a 36 hour run to the Delaware River entrance from Essex, so let’s hope that the weather holds till we get to Cape May and head up the river and into sheltered waters. Yesterday was long enough, so I hope that all runs smoothly from now on. I don’t need too many more vibrations, engine or otherwise, in my life.
I had better wrap this up as I still have to secure groceries and a few last minute items to prepare for our departure.
Don’t forget to watch on “where’s Pandora” if you are interested in where and when we are. For inquiring minds…