Long Beach to Cost Rica

Sailing with Dummies (California to Texas, Day 6)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

by Mike

Today was “change the engine fuel filter” day. One of the few things I like doing worse that diesel fuel filter replacing is diesel engine oil changing. A few weeks ago I told Bob if he changed the oil, I’d change the fuel filters. That was when I was in Oklahoma, far from the reality of the engine rooms on the Minnow.

So I decided to bite the bullet and use the smooth sailing today for the messy task. We have three diesel engines on board. One in the right engine room attached to a propeller and two in the left engine room, one for a propeller and the other that runs a generator.

When a diesel filter is taken out and replaced with a new one it lets air in the fuel system. For some reason, the motor won’t run until all the air is bled out of the fuel lines. This involves loosening nuts and connectors and injectors while pumping diesel through the system, using first a hand pump and eventually the starter. It’s messy. It’s in cramped, uncomfortable quarters. And it puts me in a foul mood.

Getting out of the shower 15 minutes later I was in a pretty good mood, knowing it will be awhile before I have to do that again.

Fishing Report:

We caught a few flying fish on different parts of the boat overnight. They fly up in the air and the boat catches them. One time one flew in the living room window, which is about eight feet above the water.

None on rod and reel. Not even a bite!

 

Fine Arts:

We listened to some selections from Bob’s IPod today. Some of the noteworthy selections were War Pigs, The Messiah, a Haydn choral work that I can’t remember the name of, some Primus songs that I don’t want to know the name of, and Choctaw Bingo, one of my favs.

 

Fine Dining:

Blackened tuna steaks again today. It might take awhile to get tired of them.