We are still on Marco and have been getting to know the boat intimately since we arrived.  We didn’t take pictures of outboard engine repair, detail cleaning, waxing, grill installation and plumbing and many other projects.  We have made uncountable trips to numerous hardware stores that had limited inventory and that were staffed with people more suited to the fast food industry.  We’ve been to West Marine so many times that when we leave they say: “See you tomorrow, John!” (Bendel – thank you for the WM gift cards.  Great to have since a spray bottle of dinghy cleaner is sixteen bucks!)   The ACE hardware on Marco Island deserves special mention here – the owner does know hardware and his store – he’s operated it for 44 years!  He’s the only one who knows where anything is or what it is used for.  He’s hired complete fools but they are nice guys so I’ve provided extensive training to them on many of the products their store sells.  Fools are much easier to suffer when you are retired and its 78 and sunny every day!

Fixing the aft holding discharge pump – a good job for a smaller dude!

Installing the bimini and solar panels

The impeller extraction took 3 days due to lack of proper tools to pull it from the spline shaft it was frozen to.  Hard to believe that no one in Florida knows what a gear puller is.  Without one it was a real MF!

Greasing the winch.  A parts washer would have been nice.

Installing new stereo –  someone before me could benefit from a basic electrical wiring course!  I’m sure I’ll find more surprises – just hope I find them before they start the boat on fire!

Inflating the dinghy – we use a 1.5 HP, 2.5 gal mini shop vac, one of the most frequently used tools on board.

The engine – a 4 cylinder Yanmar Diesel that produces 50 HP.  It now has a new impeller and 5 fresh quarts of Amsoil 15W-40.  Next on the list is inspecting the hear exchanger.

What we call “The Garage” – an over packed storage area located under the port cockpit seat.  It is starting to accumulate numerous tools and equipment.

Our first sail with our first guests, Tonya and Mark

We sailed out 3 miles into the gulf to empty the holding tanks and then returned up the Marco River to anchor and burn some Italian sausages on the new Magma grill.