Prelude – 18 December update

Greetings subscribers! We are pleased to announce that our final yard period prior to launching on our cruise in April has been scheduled for the last week in Jan/first week in Feb … at Anacortes instead of Friday Harbor. Major jobs include the usual bottom painting and hull wax n buff and a propulsion train makeover from changing prop blade bearings to replacing the cutlass bearing, the shaft seal, and exchanging a press-fit shaft coupling at the transmission to a mechanical one for ease of future shaft seal replacement. We just had Breeze Canvas install a new dodger and replace the Bimini Shaun Breese installed on Encore some 13 years ago. (See picture below after landing at Eagle Harbor Marina following a transit home through high winds and rain. Acid test passed!!)

Had a little surprise when our electronics guy visited to determine why the radar was apparently dead. It WAS dead, and, having checked power (yes) and signal (no) at the radar dome while swinging from a bosun’s chair, Marc unbolted the thing and slung it to the deck (they’re only about 20#). Got a new one at Fisheries and installed it with technician Carl’s wiring/programming help, Friday 8 December. (Can’t believe it’s taken me nearly 25 years to figure out that a simple block and tackle set up is a FAR easier way to climb the mast! Thank you Greg Anderson (APLUW buddy and sailor).)

On a happier note, Nikos of BIR fame made over our Yanmar 56HP diesel, including changing motor mounts and injectors, and it purrs like a cat now. One happy engine! Also, our EU2200i Honda portable (at #45) generator works great under load including running Encore’s two heat pumps – one at a time! We’ll lash it to the deck forward of the Dodger while underway.

We have been exceedingly grateful to spend time recently with fellow sailors who’ve done the SE AK trip before and learn SO much not the least of which are cool places to see. We will continue visiting with these good folks, including my former boss and NOAA Officer Neil Bogue in the new year, to refine what couldn’t be digested on top of … uh … ‘some’ wine and delicious food!

Merry Christmas All!