As I continued to prepare for our trip I wanted to address an issue that has been a problem for a while with the alternator bracket. The adjustment arm had broken and let the bolt on the engine bore out to the point of almost breaking through. Replacing the mount seems like an easy fix, only the mount is attached to the water pump assembly and it involves removing the water pump, thermostat, hoses etc. It also involves a bunch of parts that can't be here until next week. Oh yeah and a couple hundred dollars for those parts.
I had asked our friend Bill to swing by and see if he could give his assessment as I watched our trip window slowly disappear into a UPS truck. We collectively decided that we might be able to fill the bored out hole with epoxy and re-drill it, but to be honest it was a long shot. It also didn't address the broken adjustment arm. Overall it wasn't looking good for a trip and I decided to just abort and fix it with the correct parts and not go. In short I had ran into so many obstacles I figured it would be better to throw in the towel and regroup for later.
You see this trip was our payoff, our time to enjoy the fruits of months of labor. A window into what we had in store for us in the near future. We needed this trip, for Jess, for the kids and for our moral and sanity. What the hell was I doing? I have never been the type to throw in a towel. Now weather or a safety issue I will always delay or cancel a trip, there is no reason to take chances like that. However this was me just giving it up before my window had passed. We still had a chance damit.
I hopped in the dinghy, drove to Home Depot and grabbed the LAST package of JB Weld! I went home, pulled a paper plate out of the trashcan and mixed the two parts together, stirring with a stick, I knew this was our only hope. I began to pack the tube with epoxy and press with the stick, pack, press, pack, press until I saw it coming out the other side. The only problem was, I was out of epoxy and the remaining on the plate had already hardened. I once again hung my head in defeat until that same voice told me "THINK, THINK" I had Jess dig the tubes out of trash and squeezed as best I could to get the last remaining bit out of the mix and hardener. I looked like I was trying to squeeze the last remaining toothpaste out of a tube as if my life depended on it. I was able to get enough out to mix up and finish the job. Another hurdle out of the way.
This morning I talked to Bill again and we discussed how we were going to set up a drill guide to make sure our hole was perfect. I went to Home Depot again and attempted to pick one up, only to find they didn't carry one. I had some spare aluminum from the solar panel install and thought I'd make a guide for the drill, but that wouldn't work either. Bill couldn't come over until later tonight and I had another poke from that little voice inside that said "Just do it" (Yeah like the Nike commercial) I grabbed the tape measure, found the exact center, grabbed the drill and started my pilot hole. The bit wasn't long enough to reach the other side of the tube ;-( I switched out bits and went with the 5/16th that was the size of the bolt and went at it. Jess held a light and I held the drill straight with the hands of a brain surgeon, knowing if I was off the door was slammed for our trip. When the bit pierced the other side of the tube there was not only light coming from the other side but a glimmer of hope.
Hole drilled after being JB Welded back. The lower left corner had been worn so thin it was almost through the wall.
After fitting the bolt and attempting to wiggle it I again realized this trip might just happen. I then figured I might as well hook everything back up, thread the bolt and put the belt on. So as of now everything is back on except the adjustment arm which is at the welder as I type. That should be done tomorrow and once put on we might be back in business. If so the trip is a GO. Speaking of go, time for work!
Here are some pictures from today
There was also an issue with a nut that came loose from the motor mount, however I found a solution to that. I got a replacement only to find it wouldn't thread because the stud was damaged. The answer? Washers ;-) Self sufficiency is the name of the game while sailing on a boat, that and great friends!
Thank you Zach, Bill and everybody else that always steps up when the crew needs help.
S/V Kainoa
Cory
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