Stink Boat

     The rebuilt transmission arrived at 11:15 this morning. Strike up the band!  When the transmission was removed from the boat last week, the two mechanics had one heck of a time getting it off of the boat.  The marina we are staying at is new and has a strange "new" dock design.  In addition to the normal pilings for the dock, there are also extra pilings that stand off from the dock an extra 18 inches.  Hence the boat is an additional 18 inches further away from the dock than with a conventional design.  Just getting on or off the boat is a challenge.  The dock master claims it's to keep the bigger boats off of the dock pilings.  These pilings are not attached to the dock and are independent of anything (see photo below).  As our luck would have it, the extra piling falls amid ship on Big Run.  So, after the near drowning of the transmission last week while removing the transmission from the boat, I suggested that when they return with the rebuilt transmission, they should come by water so that we can unload the transmission from their skiff onto Big Run's swim step.  Guess what?  Somebody actually listened to yours truly, and we were able to safely and easily transfer the 200lb+ transmission from the skiff to Big Run.

The "don't crash my dock" piling

     While the mechanics were installing the transmission, I requested them to tag along for the sea trials.  You know misery loves company.  After all the clamps were double checked, linkage tested, oil lines snugged up one more time and the all important seacock opened, we left the dock for sea trials.   We actually stayed in the harbor to conduct sea trials.  We headed east only to find a very strong current from the ebbing tide.  Perfect.  The very strong current applied extra loading of the transmission without over revving the engine.  Our normal cruising engine revs of 1500rpm yielded 4.3 knots instead of 6.5 knots.  After traveling east for about 4 miles I turned the boat around and headed back to the marina at a mind numbing speed of 8.5 knots with the current.  Now we be sailing! Oh, pardon me, I almost forgot we're not a stick boat, we're a stink boat!