Up slow again, (what is the rush anyway?) breakfast, the net, bible reading and then Reneé will walk over to the office, we are supposed to have a couple of packages from Amazon, and then the laundry will get taken in. We have some lines that need to find a home somewhere on the boat. The freezer appears happy todayt is , at about 14 degree’s (back to normal). We have someone coming by to look at/fix the dinghy wheels, maybe today maybe mañana. I will also check in with Mike about our boom vang. That pretty well covers the plans for today.
Reneé added this:
Laundry got done.Reneé put up Christmas lights.Eddie Vargas stopped by and said he knew of a guy who could fix the issue with the dinghy wheels.The new mounts have holes in different places than the old mounts.When the sun went down, the Christmas lights turned on.There is a boat decorating contest here at the marina so Neil and I walked around to see all the decorated boats (all 10 of them) on the 12 docks.Some sailors handed out bribes to get your vote like spiked egg nog, mulled wine, or cookies.Yeah, we got into the spirit a little and offered brownies.
Up slow, breakfast, the net and bible reading. Reneé is making bread and I will work on the dinghy this morning. We got the stuff for the new dinghy wheels, and the dinghy needs air. So, that will take up the morning. But first we will go visit Patrick and Lisa that we met in Barra.
We visited Patrick and Lisa, he wants to leave on 12/23, she wants to spend Christmas here with her relatives, it is an interesting dynamic, he is the captain and she is crew. As in the connected on find crew/find captain.
Then as we were walking back to our boat, there was a refrigeration guy coming down to work on our neighbors boat. We asked him to take a look at our freezer. So, when he got done next door, he worked on ours. We will see.
We started into the project of dinghy wheels, and found out the new ones use different holes. This quickly escalated beyond my ability, so about that time Eddie Vargas (the guy working on our mast boot, waiting on parts) came by and checked in about the parts issue. I told him we would be here until mid January and that we had not given up yet. While he was there I asked about the dinghy wheels, and he said he had “a guy” who could handle this and would have them come by this week. And, with that it is time to go to Puerto Vallarta for the plastic work, and dinner down town.
We took two busses and a cab and got to the place for the plastic work. The guy said he could have it done Thursday, and will meet Reneé at Sam’s club on Thursday at 9 am. This will save a huge trip. After dropping off the piece, we walked down to the Malecon (walkway at the beach) and had dinner and walked some more, then had dessert and walked some more. Finally sitting for a bit to watch 4 guys dressed in indigenous people clothing climb a tall tower, then wind 4 ropes around the top of the tower, then tie the ropes around themselves and lowered themselves down spinning around the pole, while one played the flute and beat a drum. Pretty impressive. Not something I would ever do.
At the end of the evening, we looked at getting an Uber back to the marina, 750 pesos (at 20 pesos to the dollar, $37.50) we elected to take the busses again. It took three bus rides at about 90 pesos ($4.50) for the two of us. Then showers and bed.
New and old dinghy wheel tracks, the old ones have four bolt holes on the outside.New and old dinghy wheel tracks, the new one is quite a bit thicker than the old one.Outside of the dinghy where the track bolts on.Inside of the dinghy where the track bolts on.Up the pole, where the 4 guys on ropes were.This might help put the pole into perspective.A close up of the guys at the top of the pole.The guys nearing the ground. Reneé post a video of this on her Facebook page.Yes they even have an ice rink here in Puerto Vallarta.A Christmas train here in Puerto VallartaWe have to get a picture with all these signs.The desert menu. Reneé had the flan, I had the crepe’s with tequila.Us with our deserts, mine was served with a lighter.Just another sunset.
Up at 7 am, breakfast, the Net and our bible reading. Listened to the Panama Posse call as well.
I contacted Maureen Chadwick
Coastal Climate Control, Inc. – Veco NA
Annapolis MD USA
301-352-5738
About our freezer issue. I found out that our freezer is almost certainly overcharged, and I got instructions on how to “fix this”. The advice I have had locally has been to just replace the compressor (about $1200 +/-) it appears I just need to let some freon out.
Our new sails were put up! We started the order process in March, we were promised September, and kept getting told “about 3 weeks”. So, today they went up. Slight issue when the staysail was the wrong size, the guys putting the sails up started with that sail as it is the smallest. They had it all the way to the top, but still had about 10 feet of sail on the deck. Turned out, the company making the sails mixed the bags up, and reversed the staysail and the mainsail. Anyway all the sails are up. But we found that the boom vang is stuck. This is a spring loaded piston used to support the boom. So, they took it back to the shop. If it isn’t one thing it’s something else.
We had planned to take the engine control cover in to Puerto Vallarta to get it replaced. This is an example of just how much harder things are to do while in cruising. We have found 1 company that can do this, the guy is only available between 4 and 6 pm. The location is in Puerto Vallarta so it means rush hour traffic to get there and the last time we left here at 5 pm, it took 2 and half hours to get across PV (~25 miles). When we get there, he will look at what we have and tell us if he can do it. Also, he said he is pretty busy, so we don’t know how long to do this. But, while we planned to go at about 3pm, to head off, that was when I was getting info about the freezer, so this has been deferred until tomorrow.
We took a walk at sunset out to the beach and then into town. Finally called it a day and went back for a game of cards and bed.
Our new Jib going upThe new MainsailWorking on the mainsailA Nativity in the local squareJust another sunset
Reneé was up at 3:30 to continue with the rolls, I did not sleep well at all, not really sure what I was thinking about but every time I closed my eyes there was something else going on. Anyway, we got off to the bus and church which was a breakfast and then a service. We left after the sermon and headed back to the bus and the marina. We needed to check in, as they were closed by the time we got tied up yesterday, and they are only open from 9 am to 1 pm on Sunday. We checked in and walked through the shops on the breakwater then back to the boat. A nap for me and Reneé went to the other market in town, then back to the boat. A quiet day, while I continued to nap. At the end of the day a dinner, a movie (A Soldiers Story) and bed. A pretty quiet day.
Up at 7 am breakfast, the net, and bible reading. That is how we start our day. We organized our stuff and checked out of the Inn, We will splash our boat today! We have a wagon that we use to move things and so we were able to get it all in one trip. Back to the boat, and hauled everything up to the boat. We spoke with Peter Vargas, the guy in charge of our boat repairs and verified we were ready to splash, we paid our bill with him and with the yard and by then it was time to lift the boat (about 11 am). Once the boat was in the straps, the touch up to the bottom paint was completed and then left to dry for a few hours. We went out and had lunch and arrived back at about 12:45, a friend we had helped the other day (Pat) was on hand to help us move the boat. An uneventful move from the spot in the yard to the water, then across the marina and back into a slip. The boat was tied up and we got a key to the gate from security, then we washed the boat, it is amazing how dirty a boat gets in the yard.
We got showers and headed into town for dinner and found a new (to us) restaurant next door to the Red Chair place (so named because of …. Oh yeah the red chairs!) finally back to the boat. Reneé started making cinnamon rolls for church tomorrow. Then off to bed at the end of a pretty productive day.
No pictures today. (They all wound up in the post titled ROCKS).
