Chapter 5>Nav Light

Step 5-Nav Light:

This is where it all started to get out of hand. I looked at the condition of the nav light and went ahead and ordered a 20$ new LED light. It arrived a few days later and it was beautiful and as a result, it encouraged me to go ahead and do more cosmetic work on the boat.

The Sun and seawater caused older light to calcify and dull.

This is the new LED light

So the next day after installing the light I went and purchased a table saw, fine blade, and portable wet-dry vacuum. I have also purchased or ordered a new detail sander, sanding discs for my orbital sander, Black Topside paint, mixing bowls (ripped off?) Muriatic acid, black topside paint, 1” brush,  the trailer jack and wheel, Dremel (so that I can cut out the “spider web” fractures), wool bonnets for the polisher, McGuire polishing system, black 1/4" starboard, Quicksilver Phantom paint for the lower unit, pneumatic sander, 2” sanding discs for the pneumatic sander, batteries for my drill and driver, (I almost gave them to my brother but realized the generic replacement batteries cost 32$ for two), more acetone, adapter for the vacuum, Silica to harden the Gelcoat (it arrived today) so that I could use it as a filler, more sandpaper sheets 400-1200 grit, and did I mention a new winch? Needless to say that I am feeling quite guilty and went ahead and took care of a number of Sandra's bills. I believe I’ve done my part but I am sleepless thinking of what would happen if I lost my job. By the same token I realize I don’t want to go back to work.

So, back to the boat….

Step 9-May 06> The Nav Light disconnects-A Step back: Yesterday I went to show how well the LED light worked and it didn’t turn on. Today I finally uninstalled it and found the ground wire had come loose. It is stuck inside the boat and there’s no way of getting it. You would think all I would have to do is pull the wire but it is put in such a crazy way that I don’t see any easy way of getting out of there. I am thinking of using some very thin long tweezers or a “flex claw”.

The next day I asked Sandra to help me and she came up with the idea to "lasso the wire with a string".  I didn’t think it would work but her persistence paid off and she was able, after considerable effort, to pick up the wire and take it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Afterward I secured it but decided I needed a rachet crimper for any future wiring and ordered one.