Secondary propulsion ?

It all started with our surveyor Ron and the brown goo that was oozing from the through hull fitting.  A sunny day not to different from many others is Ventura and we were having Slow flight surveyed.  BLAA… BLAA… BLAAA and the story goes on…So the Goo is from the bilge and yet it was once engine oil that has been spun up by the fly wheel after escaping the engine through the rear main seal. To get to the seal you must snap a 1200 lb engine and a 300 lb transmission apart remove a 100 lb fly wheel that was bolted on by Hercules almost  30 years ago, remove a small aluminum plate that holds a $8 part called a “lip seal” (I neaded a “lip seal” when doing most of this #**?!! Work!)
I can hear my mom right now saying “o…No…”.  I was the kind of kid who loved to take things apart…. Not so good at getting them back together…. But wait…. I am not a kid any more and have learned … Well at least my limitations… We have employed a mechanic to watch over me and give direction and advice, tools and be ready to jump in and help when I need it.  Now we are to the point of getting the new seal and soon putting it back together.

The secondary propulsion on a SAIL boat is the engine and yet it is so very inportant. ” Why don’t we just sail”(Trevor talking to Trevor) , is the question asked when contorting into positions that are more difficult than any yoga pose I have seen or tried. Could the awnser be that we have not yet lived the sailing life. Once I am use to the boat, the sea, the weather then the engine will truly be secondary. A tool that is used to get in and out of a bustling port as a secondary generator or to heat up the water for a shower, That is what the engine will be used for once I am a True Sailor if only because it would require less fixing then.

 

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