We were excited to get to meet up with friends in Poulsbo for a relaxing long weekend on the hook. Even better was by the time we got going on Saturday there was a lovely breeze and we had a great sail across the sound. I finally dropped a video onto our site, wow! Now I just need to learn how to edit them.
We got there and laboriously chose a spot that was deep enough for us, not in the middle of the boat freeway, and big enough for our raft up. Ned was there sailing the Mara single handed weaving through all the anchored boats like the badass sailor he is. He rafted up with us shortly after we were settled.
Flyer came in a bit later, they also had a nice sail over. Paul and Griffin got busy doing all the things they didn’t get to do when we didn’t raft up with them during our long summer cruise. James was into making a bracelet which worked out great for me since I hadn’t finished Griffin’s remake of his Canadian bracelet that broke a few years ago.
Sunday the Taddys came over on Southern Star and anchored nearby. Everyone entertained themselves in their favorite ways with trips ashore, swimming, sailing, and later Flyer hooked up a rope swing so even adults got wet.
We had a lovely afternoon and evening hanging out, kids went back and forth between boats, and adults chatted about boating.
Sunday morning everyone got on their way home, Southern Star left before anyone else was out of their cabins. Flyer took off not long after and Mara got a head start while we pulled up and washed off the anchor. While we were headed out of the bay Greg noticed that the battery voltage was low, should be charging lots as the solar isn’t quite that stellar! Quick check down below had us turning around fast and dropping the hook in near the exit of the bay. The alternator was hanging at a funny angle and the belts were not engaged at all, we had a problem.
The first winter we had the boat and I did all the work on the engine we had noticed a small crack in the alternator’s bracket and had it welded up. The new crack, break really, was on the edge of that weld and went through a bolt hole. We were so lucky that Greg noticed! Not long ago I had tightened up belts and made a mark on the aluminum arm where the brackets overlapped. More recently I tightened it up again and went past the mark by about 1/4″- I should have taken a closer look around then to see why it could go that far beyond what tight was earlier. There’s that good old 20/20 hindsight that I will do my best to learn from.
A problem with having an engine that wasn’t built for marine installations is that a few of our needs are just outside what it was designed for. The space for a second, larger alternator had to be invented and it’s not perfect. The bracket was heavy steel that didn’t seem possible to fail but here we are with two pieces.
Next up, more engine work. Oh, I am So Excited.