Last minute details. The minutiae, always more consuming that one would expect. When we compared the worm gear on the old windlass motor to the one on the new motor, we noted they were in very different positions on the shaft. After installation of the new one and using mirrors to observe the engagement point in the gearbox, we determined that the new one was correct. This could also explain why, on occasion, with the old one in place the windlass used to latch up and literally it appeared that the case being pushed apart. That’s a story for another day…

It seems with every project we also “run out” of the spares we’ve cleverly stashed aboard the boat. Yesterday, while I was making new gaskets for the case covers, I used the last of the gasket materials except for the roll of thick cork. For 4 years, I’ve kept a “top-off” quart of Amsoil gear lube handy on a shelf in the galley. Pulling it out, as well as the spare stashed away under the storage bed, we discovered that the 1/2 gallon of gear lube we had aboard was just barely enough to fill the windlass gear case. Not that we needed additional gear lube in the last 4 years, but I feel a little uncomfortable with no extra aboard. Amsoil must be ordered, so we will have to wait until the Bay area to manage that one.

Speaking of spares, I calculated our fuel needs for the trip North and note that we probably have only 2/3 of the fuel necessary (if we motorsail) to make it to the good fuel prices at Pillar Point Harbor outside the Golden Gate. That wouldn’t be a biggie except we’ve managed to give ourselves a time crunch of a couple things to attend to here in SoCal and then a couple things to do in the Bay area. Hopefully the winds are good and the seas are calm so we’ll sail more than the usual expected on the North-bound passage.

Today, David and I work together to get the spare windlass brake installed, so the old one becomes the spare. It is a different design than the original and David spent a couple hours yesterday trying to get it installed without success. We’ll hope that four hands makes quick work of it. Other little things need to be “tied up” including the “put away” of many projects, installing the blocks that replace the foresail sheet horse…oh and that means I must make two thump-pads from our old 1/2″ lines so the blocks don’t beat at the canvass-covered decks. Other things? Washing all the bedding in the large marina washer/dryer–can’t forget that one.