Mostly hassle

Thursday 15 Oct, HHN, boat winterizing day 15: Hassle with the aft locker socket, the furling motor from the mast, and most of all with the custom clearance agent.
Another stunning autumn day here. But I fear it’s the last. Tomorrow there is a cold front coming in and the temperatures forecast to stay low after that. I was on-the-go all day as usual, but not much to show for it.

The day started with finalizing the swim-platform hose reinstallation. Last night I finished inside the boat, now I need to finish in the aft locker. Just some ty-wrapping needed, the panel putting back on, and the aft locker re-stowing.
The inspection panel also has an electrical outlet, which we use for a fender inflator pump. And, frustratingly, while I had memorized which DC wire (+ve & -ve) went into which socket, today I’ve forgotten! (yes Oana, I can hear you … “write notes, take photos”!). Also annoying is that this electric socket is glued in place and I’m unable to get to one of the terminal screws. Always a challenge. Eventually, I sort it out but not without melting 2 small tester leads that could not take the current. Another hour lost.
And I muse about how this would have been in my oilfield days. On the oil rigs, some of which cost over a million$ per day, there is the concept of productive time and lost time. Lost time being highly frowned upon. This electric socket issue would have been lost time. But luckily, on Cloudy Bay, it’s only me frowning upon myself, not some supersized Texan breathing down my neck asking for updates every 5 minutes! So, an estimated 30 minutes job runs into 2 hours, and the morning is gone. So much for making the most of the glorious weather outside. But it’s nice to finally have the deck clean again, and one big job crossed off the list (“job 58a: Replace swim platform hoses”).

Outside, I’m determined to remove the furling motor from the mast and get the mast all wrapped in plastic before tomorrow’s rain. I try to follow the instructions East Coast Rigging gave me, but it doesn’t work. I’ve released all the bolts: 4 securing the motor in place, and a big one fixing it to the shaft that drives the furling tube which extends the length of the mast, inside the mast.
After an hour of sweat and sore hands (from squeezing them through rough inspection holes in the mast), I discover that it is simply a matter of inserting a screw driver and levering off the shaft end via a nicely engineered slip-joint. And then the motor simply lifts out like you would dream it should. Amazing how simple things can be when you actually know how! I videoed the whole thing so that other keen DIY yachtsman (AKA cheap-arses, like me) don’t have to go through the same pain.

Just as I finish, Steve from East Coast Rigging comes around. We discuss various aspects of re-rigging and plan to take all the hardware to his shop tomorrow, to lay out and be clear what I want them to do, and how. So during the evening I spend time to write up a document with all the rigging specs, part numbers and measurements. Hopefully, it will save them some time …. even at the risk of them thinking I’m a control freak!
As it starts to get dark, I spend time to cover the mast securely with plastic ready for tomorrow downpour. Actually, I think I can say that I’m done with the mast now, till next visit. Boom outhaul piston and servicing the furling motors/gear boxes will be the next outside tasks. When I return to the boat again, I want to simply add the new rigging, re-install nicely serviced motors, get the mast back up…. and go!

During the afternoon I was interrupted by several messages and calls regarding the new sails. I had been under the impression that I’d paid door-2-door shipping service: Sweden to the marina here. But turns out that I only paid for freight, and all the customs clearance I have to do. So, I contracted a customs agent in New Jersey …. But oh what a hassle. They need POA and all sorts of documents. And it seems the more I give them the more complicated it gets.
Apparently, I’m the first none-US citizen, with no fixed abode, trying to import parts for a foreign registered boat. I smell something a big fishy. I’m sure all this is just to increase their invoice to me. Or is it just my suspicions about the mafia in that part of USA? Whatever, it’s a pain in the butt. Would have been simpler (and likely cheaper) for me to have flown to Sweden and brought them back to USA as luggage.
Last issue today is that the customs agent wants a new invoice written by Elvstrom Sails. So, as I go to bed at 11pm, my alarm is set for 3am to call Sweden before they leave for the weekend …. you know those Scandinavians, most of them have Friday afternoon off!