When the screw is loose

We all know that, an action that the other does not understand and you already have the saying, "You must have a screw loose". The saying could also be applied to the latest government decisions in Germany, but that's another topic. What if the screw is not loose? 

A small window is leaking

On a boat, this is an everyday occurrence. In particular, German engineers like to use the material pairing of aluminum and stainless steel. The latter gladly used as V2A or V4A. CrNiMo steels love aluminum and aluminum loves CrNi steels. Together with a little moisture, they grow together to form a permanent bond. In other words, you can do whatever you want, you can't get them apart. So to say, until death do you part. One of the side windows has been leaking for some time now, and much like on our Chancellor, the pressure on me has been mounting, so I finally give in and take care of the problem. Through the leak always drips a little water on the clothes and leaves unsightly stains. Before I go shopping for new clothes with Gaby now, the repair comes more favorably. But unfortunately the thought is far wrong. Four of the eight screws that hold the frame are stuck because of the thing mentioned above. Only brute force helps. The screw heads are drilled out so that the frame can be removed. Then the threaded stubs are unscrewed from the threads and the threads are recut. Duration of the whole operation, one day. Great!

Shelter Bay Marina BBQ Area

Meanwhile, the measurer comes on board to measure our ship for the lock. The dimensions are given in the ship's documents, but the canal company goes by the motto: Better safe than sorry. The length and width are measured with a tape measure and the measurer is quite amazed that what is measured matches the documents. I wonder which of us has the screws loose. Now the data is simply taken from the papers and in half an hour everything is done. An hour later the agent is standing at the boat and wants to collect the money. Before not paid, there is no appointment. Since the World ARC is breathing down our necks, I ask him on board and pull out my credit card. 2725US$ without the linehandlers, which, if we don't find our own, also cost another 500US$. Again I ask myself who has the screws loose here and if it can't even be that they are really tight. But anyway, we get our appointment and if all goes well we are in the Pacific by the beginning of February. Until then we still have a lot of work to do. The packages from the USA are slowly arriving and there is always something to do on board. For the channel passage, for example, a horn is mandatory. I had a truck horn sent over from the States and tried it out right away. Fantastic! As loud as a big one. What still worries me a lot are the pulleys in the mast. So far I have no one who can make me the things to measure. Everything I have found so far was either too big, too thick or both. Of those who got the order from me to procure such a roll, no one was still to be seen. But a solution will be found here as well. To make matters worse, during a harbor maneuver, once again a boat rammed us. With the anchor he gets stuck in our dinghy and destroys a paddle. Fortunately nothing more happened. This time the owner is reasonable and pays for the damage. What we have already experienced differently.

Shelter Bay Marina Pool Area

With our Swabian potato salad Gaby could score this week, at our first Pot Luck. Here in Shelter Bay are many who are like us with the Panama Posse. The flag is flying in some salings. So we were invited to the Pot Luck. Everyone brings something and then the pots and bowls go around. Gaby made a potato salad and a green salad. Somewhere she dug up some Italian salami. All in all, a nice evening. Then on February 3 we have the big Panama Posse party here at Shelter Bay. We have learned that a whole pig will be barbecued. We are very excited about that. Yes, and then there is Gaby's tooth. The root canal treatment is done, also the dental impression is done. At the moment the crown is being made and we hope that it will be in place by the time the canal passes. How will that look when she goes to the Pacific with an incomplete set of teeth. But I'm probably worrying too much about that again. It just seems like there's a screw loose.

Shelter Bay Marina Restaurant

In the meantime, the plans for the Pacific are becoming more concrete. It looks like we will have a buddy boat at least for the first part. The sailing yacht Mare will accompany us to Ecuador and we will sail together to the Gambier Islands. But more about that later. In this sense, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.