Working on the genset on a Home office work day
Working on the genset
Picture of Arnd

Arnd

2023-04-13 Another work day in St. Maarten

Dark

I awoke and started work before sunrise, getting going at 05:00. I want to get cracking on my home office work day early. Then I could concentrate on the generator afterwards. And check the aft pump leak again, too. Then I might need to invest in bottom paint at the chandlery. I leave soon for Antigua, so need to make sure of stocking up and purchasing as many items as possible.

Morning
Cushion Overhang
Cushion Overhang

I fried up my last bread and some eggs for breakfast today, I’ll have to go provisioning again soon. Work went well, I made progress in converting some software and the previews we received from our software vendor look very promising.

Afternoon
Working on the genset
Working on the genset

At 14:00 I called home office work day done and dusted and logged out. I’ve bled the fuel system and it looks good for fuel flow, but the darned generator just won’t fire. Right now the main engine is running to charge the house bank, which I’ve got attached to the generator starter battery using jumper cables. That extra voltage makes the starter turn faster, but there’s still no ignition happening. I’ve checked the glow plug relay and the start relay. Both of those are working just fine.

Happy Hour

I have to stay aboard the boat for the inbound and outbound bridge openings. Zanshin is anchored on the edge of the channel and when a big superyacht comes by I need to motor forward to give them sufficient room. The channel isn’t marked, and I suspect that I’m not in it, but the marina staff pretend I am. If the channel were as big and wide as they say it is, it would be marked. But the absence of markers tells me that they can’t get away with reserving that much space.

I joined some fellow cruisers for another meal at the Bombay Bites and instead of watching the excellent R&R band at the Soggy Dollar, I dinghied the 100 meters to my boat and listened to them from aboard.