Admin and install the new heat exchanger on the generator

Thu 15 Apr, HHN, day 2: Quite a good start for the first day on the boat.
Nice to be woken by the sound of spring with birds singing outside. And for the first time in months, I’m up and about by 7am, with a little help of jet lag. The night wasn’t nearly as cold as I had expected – certainly much warmer than when I left in November. And I’m very happy that the boat is dry, no smells and no sign of dust. So very glad we had it shrink wrapped for the winter. Even the decks are still clean.

First task is to clear the boat out so I can actually move inside. All the various rigging fittings that were scattered around inside the boat were soon on deck ready to be worked on again. Next task is to open all the deliveries that came while I was away. A replacement GoPro (it seems we have to replace each and every new GoPro we buy just lately), a new heat exchanger for the generator, all the replacement seals for the hydraulic systems and various other bits and pieces.

Then a trip to the supermarket for food. Ray had warned me that prices had gone up …. And I can believe him: $90 for just a few essentials! Long-live food prices in Bucharest!
After shopping, the Go-Cycle is the brought out and assembled, and first trip is to get a block of ice for the fridge. The fridges on the boat don’t work while ashore, because there is no water to cool them. So it’s a bit of a camping lifestyle. Although I don’t remember tents that have a 10ft ladder to climb to get into them.

By mid-afternoon I have no domestics left to do and I know it’s time to actually start some maintenance. I always have a barrier at this point with thoughts like, “I should just take it easy today” or “let’s just have a quick cycle ride around the marina”. But instead, I decide to take a nap! Well, I’m jet lagged right? Honestly, it’s nothing to do with not wanting to start work, I tell myself. After an hour of blissful sleep my Mojo is returned after a cup of tea (tea solves all mental blockages for the English!).

I decide the first job should be a relatively simple one – install the new heat exchanger on the generator. But like all boat maintenance theories, it was NOT easy. Despite having the old heat exchanger re-brazed to fix the leak, I decided I should have a new one, and keep the old one for spare. It’s so very difficult to get to when it needs removing, I would rather have a new one in place with the hope of it not needing any intervention for a few years.
And initially, I’m happy to see the new one already has all the hose fittings in place, ready to install. Until that is, I notice 2 of the fittings are almost touching each other. Meaning I cannot get the hoses on. Annoyingly, I have to removed and reposition them and desperately hope that I have managed to make a good seal on the connection using Loctite 275.
Same as last time I did this task, getting the bugger back into place would even be a nightmare for Houdini. I have to dangle almost upside down over the back of the generator. Very very awkward. But after a lot of swearing it’s finally in place and I refill the engine with coolant. So it was tricky and quite frustrating but at least I get one job ticked off the list on the first day.

By the time I go to bed, my old body is feeling the strain of the day. Cycling, up and down the ladder and doing my Houdini act in the engine room. I feel like I’ve been in a boxing ring. But Oana will be happy to know that no blood was drawn. Not bad for the first day. I will surely sleep with the fairies tonight.