July 14, 2000 -- To Leave or Not To Leave

This morning, we contacted Fisher-Panda about the problems we are currently experiencing with that generator. Aside from the problems that we already know about, I also asked them about a strange problem with the generator not being able to sustain 120 volts over long periods of time. One of the chief questions they asked was about the load on the generator at the time. This got us thinking, and we decided to work on the gauges when we went back to the boat. In the mean time, we also had Fisher-Panda send us 3 new ground solenoids and 6 new 80 Microferrit capacitors. Next we headed into the Yard store and found out that we would have to vacate the dock this morning. After talking with Mary (who is an AWESOME dockmaster) about it, she maneuvered things around so that we could stay. As it turns out, it wasn't difficult to arrange. We also asked if the store sold 5 gallon buckets of oil. Since it was time to change the oil in the main engines, twice up from Florida and once back down there between oil changes not bad. Unfortunately, they don't; however, they offered to pick them up for us in Easton. We headed back to the boat and started working on the AC ammeter gauges. Both of us then had significant brain farts and couldn't remember how to hook up an AC ammeter. I walked up to the office in search of an electrician. I wound up helping the staff shift 3 boats around to make room for a 45' Defever. We continued investigating the AC ammeter issue, and found these doughnut looking things that the gauge wires hooked to. At about that time, the electrician came down so we picked his brains for a few minutes which really cleared things up for us! So, we headed back to the yard store to get some new screws and washers. We replaced the old ones, and we suddenly had a working ammeter! Mike sent me back up to get additional screws and washers so we could replace the rest of the "doughnut connections. While I was at the store, I also received a shirt for stepping in to help shift the boats around; that was a pleasant surprise. Later that afternoon, the store delivered our oil so we can change the oil in our mains this weekend. Storms struck in the evening. We saw winds as high as 40 knots. We checked the lines periodically throughout the night and slept in the main saloon since it looked like the dock would be flooded out