Reeking of diesel; nearly ready to cruise

The job of replacing the fuel gauge sending unit inside Ms. Bettencourt's diesel tank is about 99% finished. The remaining 1% consists of finding and installing a screw I dropped in the bilge.

I abandoned an earlier plan to wait until the tank was dry before beginning the work. Installing the new sender with a nearly full tank wasn't too messy, though it will probably take a few days before I get the diesel smell off my skin. Actually, it may be a week or more before the smell goes away, since I still have to replace the cartridge in the primary fuel filter.

Soon, the boat will be fully serviced and ready for her next cruise.

Meanwhile, I took a day off from Ms. Bettencourt work today and went on Safari.

Safari is the name of Albin-25 #2050, which is owned by my new friend Steve in Greenwood, SC. While Steve's Albin is more than 1,000 production hulls newer than Ms. Bettencourt, it has had a hard life until now. The previous owner had converted it to a ketch rigged motor-sailor before he fell ill and died. The boat was stored and not used for a number of years before Steve acquired it.

Safari is definitely a fixer-upper now, but she came to Steve with a brand-new Yanmar diesel engine and drive train, and most other major systems are in order. He has begun the restoration and I have offered to help.

I was impressed with Steve's boatyard work space. He has erected a 10 x 27 foot canopy over Safari in his back yard.

I think this is a neat idea. This is just the kind of temporary cover I will need when I repaint the topsides and repair a few fiberglass cloth bubbles that have arisen on Ms. Bettencourt's new top.

We have a perfect place for such a temporary structure on a piece of land we own adjacent to our home. Soon, I will be on the hunt for a similar canopy rig.

(One possible complication with this plan is the fact that Ms. Bettencourt sits about 18 inches higher on her trailer than does Safari. I will have to find a work-around for this problem).

But, all that will have to wait until after Ms. Bettencourt's next cruise, which is now moving toward definite dates sometime next month.

My friend Major and I plan to trailer Ms. Bettencourt to Savannah and put her in the water there. Then we'll cruise northward for a few days visiting Beaufort and Charleston, SC. Our plan is to tuck in most nights in comfortable marinas with dockside electricity and restaurants nearby.

Unfortunately, I continue to dither with the new curtains project, so we will be using the curtain rods as towel  racks and our towels for privacy curtains yet again.