The Adventures of Sylphide

Dave: I look forward to reading your posts/adventures. Thanks for letting us tag along!

Moonfish said:

Great stuff, Dave! All of it. But that wormhole bit cracked me up...

Please, feel free to go off the rails whenever you want!

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Be careful what you wish for, lol.

BandB said:

Wifey B: I love love love off the rails stuff. You do it so well, Dave.

I think you're figuring this out. Not cheap but sometimes it's just easier to get some help while you go to work making more money to pay for it. I think you're finding a balance and also balancing the pleasure with some land activity and boating pleasure.

I can't wait to read as you continue south but I know you'll find a way to keep enjoying yourself and your boat.

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Today has been a good day. I'm feeling optimistic. I'm also coming to the conclusion that I just don't like fixing most things... lol. I know it's conventional wisdom around here that the more you can do yourself, the better, and that's absolutely true. But I don't think I get the same joy out of mending things that many folks here do. Honestly, I'd rather pay someone to fix it a lot of the time.

jimdavi said:

Great post. Lots of chuckles ?

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Dan_can said:

Awesome story, I always read it with great interest! Cheers!

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Thanks guys! I'm glad you enjoy my rants

Larry M said:

Dave: I look forward to reading your posts/adventures. Thanks for letting us tag along!

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It's the least I can do. You and so many others before me have let me tag along more times than I can count!

Wayfarer said:

Today has been a good day. I'm feeling optimistic. I'm also coming to the conclusion that I just don't like fixing most things... lol. I know it's conventional wisdom around here that the more you can do yourself, the better, and that's absolutely true. But I don't think I get the same joy out of mending things that many folks here do. Honestly, I'd rather pay someone to fix it a lot of the time.

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I get like that sometimes too. And there are certain things where I'll pay someone because I just don't want to deal with it. But with a lot of stuff, I end up coming to the conclusion that even if it's a miserable job, it's worth doing. By doing it myself, I'm not working around someone else's schedule. And I don't have to worry what might get screwed up or broken or what else might get bumped that I don't know about. And if I have a further issue, I know exactly what's been done and how, so it's faster to track down the second issue instead of having to figure out what was touched while working on the first thing.

Oh, well, there's also the other reason for DIY work. I'm cheap. Less money spent paying someone else to do something I can do myself means more money for upgrades or using the boat or (probably shouldn't say this) non-boat stuff.

rgano said:

Dave, I once had a bilge full of effluent which was leaking through the damaged macerator pump once the holding tank level surpassed the 2/3 point. Just another place to check. I hope it's not the tank. Maybe you could pump out your tank and then fill with shore water to find the leak without having to deal with black water.

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Comodave said:

Glad to see that you are having a better time now. If you do fill the holding tank with water to track down the leak, maybe put some food dye in the tank so it will be easier to see the leak, or just look for the poop...

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I got one of those boroscope camera thingies for Christmas, and I suspect its about to come in really handy. I'm going to be in marinas for the next few stops, so I'm just not going to use the heads on the boat unless I absolutely have to. I'm planning on filling the tanks up with fresh water and having a snoop around when I sum up the courage to yoga my way back down there. The food coloring is a good idea. Maybe a different color in each tank.

'Just look for the poop' reminded me of a guy I used to work with. We would relieve each other, and at turnover we'd say something like 'okay, this stuff is done, this stuff still needs to be done, and I hid a poop somewhere in the room, so you'll want to find that soon, before it gets bad.'

Sailor of Fortune said:

If considering that option, check out C-head.

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Will do! If all else fails:

Great tale and a fun read, Dave.

Wayfarer said:

Today has been a good day. I'm feeling optimistic. I'm also coming to the conclusion that I just don't like fixing most things... lol. I know it's conventional wisdom around here that the more you can do yourself, the better, and that's absolutely true. But I don't think I get the same joy out of mending things that many folks here do. Honestly, I'd rather pay someone to fix it a lot of the time.

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Wifey B: Conventional wisdom is quite often an oxymoron. You decide what to do yourself and what to have others do.

You're also still working and many here are retired and plenty of time for fixing. You want to boat on your time off so that means others fix sometimes.

There are many who would rather work in their chosen field if they must work than to work fixing their boat. There are others who love doing work on their boat.

Neither hubby nor I have any mechanical inclinations and we don't intend to learn or change. I loved spending today in the office, but working on an engine or with sewage, no thanks. Not for me.

Pending sorting out the leak, you could call her "Sulphide"

BruceK said:

Pending sorting out the leak, you could call her "Sulphide"

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The three words that best describe you are as follows and I quote: Stink, Stank, Stunk!

Sorry I forgot to get some pictures of the poo party. Have these instead.

Dave, what is your holding tank made of? Was it pumped out in Annapolis?

Ted

cardude01 said:

A real sh$tty tale!

If you have major problems with your black water system like a tank that needs replacing, I suggest looking at a composting toilet. I got rid of all my leaking black water system— plumbing, valves, toilet, etc and replaced them with a simple Nature’s Head toilet. It’s been odor free for two years, and there is basically nothing to break.

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Airhead!

No, not you Dave, you're the Real Deal, but if you get tired of tending the toilet and its many failure points, check out an Airhead

Thanks for taking us along on your grand adventure...Dare to Dream!

One advantage of doing work yourself is that when you get into a situation where you can't do the work yourself, due to time constraints, lack of proper tools, etc, you will be better able to tell if the repair people are competent, and whether they are trying to take advantage of you!


By the way, love your short jaunts down the rabbit hole!

Wow, it looks deserted in that marina, where is everyone?

Dan_can said:

Wow, it looks deserted in that marina, where is everyone?

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It was like a post zombie apocalypse. I felt like the only person for miles. At one point I went to the marina office to borrow the courtesy rocket, and the one guy working was asleep in his chair. I didn’t have the heart to wake him, so I went back a little later.

O C Diver said:

Dave, what is your holding tank made of? Was it pumped out in Annapolis?

Ted

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The tanks are aluminum. They weren’t pumped out before I left Annapolis, but I hadn’t used them much while I was there. It’s hard to tell what’s in there since I don’t have a gauge.

MurrayM said:

Airhead!



No, not you Dave, you're the Real Deal, but if you get tired of tending the toilet and its many failure points, check out an Airhead



Thanks for taking us along on your grand adventure...Dare to Dream!

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Nope, you had it right. Only an airhead would embark on such a grand adventure, lol. Thanks for the tip!

slowgoesit said:

One advantage of doing work yourself is that when you get into a situation where you can't do the work yourself, due to time constraints, lack of proper tools, etc, you will be better able to tell if the repair people are competent, and whether they are trying to take advantage of you!


By the way, love your short jaunts down the rabbit hole!

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Thanks for reading! There really aren’t many disadvantages to doing the work yourself. It saves money, you know it’s done the way you want it, you know the system better... etc. I’d still recommend that route to anyone that asked. The simple fact is... I’m lazy, lol. Most of the time, I have more money than ambition, which only serves to demonstrate how lazy I am, since I sure as hell ain’t rich.

Wayfarer said:

Thanks for reading! There really aren’t many disadvantages to doing the work yourself. It saves money, you know it’s done the way you want it, you know the system better... etc. I’d still recommend that route to anyone that asked. The simple fact is... I’m lazy, lol. Most of the time, I have more money than ambition, which only serves to demonstrate how lazy I am, since I sure as hell ain’t rich.

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Sometimes it helps to find someone to do the work with you. Even if you're paying them for their time.

As far as the aluminum tanks go, I'd plan to replace them at some point. If they're not the source of your leak, they will be at some point. Metal holding tanks have a pretty finite lifespan, unfortunately. Hopefully they're not too inaccessible on your boat.

Wayfarer said:

Thanks for reading! There really aren’t many disadvantages to doing the work yourself. It saves money, you know it’s done the way you want it, you know the system better... etc. I’d still recommend that route to anyone that asked. The simple fact is... I’m lazy, lol. Most of the time, I have more money than ambition, which only serves to demonstrate how lazy I am, since I sure as hell ain’t rich.

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I'm lazy, but also have various interests and doing maintenance on anything is not one of my interests. I would rather spend a day working in my chosen profession that doing maintenance on a boat. If I still worked regularly, I'd rather the work get done while I was away working.

I also find things like boat maintenance stressful. I don't like stress. I'm far less skilled than most here mechanically. However, I am likely far more skilled than many here in finding good people and companies to do mechanical work.

A leak that's adding significant amounts to the bilge, should be easy to find. Add water to the holding tank and pump out several times, until the pump out is clear. Fill and flush the head several times with water, and start look for leaks.

Ted

Too bad the holding tank is aluminum. Aluminum does not last when exposed to urine. I would plan on replacing it asap with a tank from Ronko. They make really good holding tanks and will put fittings where you need them. No affiliation just happy customer. Good luck...

Fluorescein dye works great for something like this. It's used for many purposes, the stuff I have is used for downed aviators in the water. Also has many other interesting uses, like dying water towers, municipal and private fountains, construction dust spraying equipment, swimming pools, did I mention fountains?

https://www.landfallnavigation.com/...MI7b6P-ceJ5wIVFpSzCh3iPQW1EAQYAyABEgJoMvD_BwE

One source above, there are many others. A packet like above would probably dye a half dozen Olympic sized swimming pools so they look like they are full of automobile antifreeze. . . . Why I once knew a person who shall remain nameless who may or may not have dyed all of Gig Harbor Washington in the mid-80's . . . from the harbor entrance, on an incoming tide . . . .

If you want to try it, a LITTLE goes a LONG way! Did I mention fountains?!? In the pic the user used about 1/4 teaspoon in a gelatin capsule . . . which conveniently didn't dissolve until the not so innocent parties were far away . . . Can you believe that after the third iteration, they actually posted ARMED GUARDS on the fountain? Made it more fun the 4th, 5th, and 6th times! Drove the CSM absolutely batshit crazy!


Dave, if you want to try it, and can't find anyway, I can send you some. Take care, hope you get to the bottom (no pun intended) of the problem soon!

When I retired, I knew I'd have more time than money. If I was going to make a go of this boating thing, I'd have to learn much of the work myself.

There are always specialties that I won't touch like high pressure fuel pump replacement, steering pump rebuild or my first high output alternator installation. Those new skills are beyond my capabilities. I don't even want to think about the future big projects I won't be willing to tackle in my 43 year old boat. (knock wood)

I'll just deal with them as they happen, like this week's job that I can't do...a prop retune.

You can buy it in tablet form. Same stuff that public works has to trace sewers. I have a jar of pink and a jar of green.

Probably the same thing they drop in holding tanks to detect discharge overboard.

You can also buy dye that floresces with UV light. Can find in HVAC repair shops. But then you need a UV light source.

slowgoesit said:

Fluorescein dye works great for something like this. It's used for many purposes, the stuff I have is used for downed aviators in the water. Also has many other interesting uses, like dying water towers, municipal and private fountains, construction dust spraying equipment, swimming pools, did I mention fountains?

https://www.landfallnavigation.com/...MI7b6P-ceJ5wIVFpSzCh3iPQW1EAQYAyABEgJoMvD_BwE

One source above, there are many others. A packet like above would probably dye a half dozen Olympic sized swimming pools so they look like they are full of automobile antifreeze. . . . Why I once knew a person who shall remain nameless who may or may not have dyed all of Gig Harbor Washington in the mid-80's . . . from the harbor entrance, on an incoming tide . . . .

If you want to try it, a LITTLE goes a LONG way! Did I mention fountains?!? In the pic the user used about 1/4 teaspoon in a gelatin capsule . . . which conveniently didn't dissolve until the not so innocent parties were far away . . . Can you believe that after the third iteration, they actually posted ARMED GUARDS on the fountain? Made it more fun the 4th, 5th, and 6th times!

Drove the CSM absolutely batshit crazy!


Dave, if you want to try it, and can't find anyway, I can send you some. Take care, hope you get to the bottom (no pun intended) of the problem soon!

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Northern Spy said:

You can buy it in tablet form. Same stuff that public works has to trace sewers. I have a jar of pink and a jar of green.

Probably the same thing they drop in holding tanks to detect discharge overboard....

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I suppose Dave could just take one of the tablets...........maybe not.
I really should take this more seriously....

FlyWright said:

When I retired, I knew I'd have more time than money. If I was going to make a go of this boating thing, I'd have to learn much of the work myself.

There are always specialties that I won't touch like high pressure fuel pump replacement, steering pump rebuild or my first high output alternator installation. Those new skills are beyond my capabilities. I don't even want to think about the future big projects I won't be willing to tackle in my 43 year old boat. (knock wood)

I'll just deal with them as they happen, like this week's job that I can't do...a prop retune.

Click to expand...

BandB said:

I'm lazy, but also have various interests and doing maintenance on anything is not one of my interests. I would rather spend a day working in my chosen profession that doing maintenance on a boat. If I still worked regularly, I'd rather the work get done while I was away working.

I also find things like boat maintenance stressful. I don't like stress. I'm far less skilled than most here mechanically. However, I am likely far more skilled than many here in finding good people and companies to do mechanical work.

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Yeah, I'm with you on this. Eventually I'll get to know the boat, and will be able to do more stuff on my own, but I'll never be the handiest guy on the dock. I just don't have the interest. I rarely did any DIY at my dirt house either. I had a good contractor that I was usually happy to pay, and the house ended up better for it. I find it a lot less stressful to fork over some cash to know things are done properly. Hopefully by the time I retire, everything will be fixed...

rslifkin said:

Sometimes it helps to find someone to do the work with you. Even if you're paying them for their time.

As far as the aluminum tanks go, I'd plan to replace them at some point. If they're not the source of your leak, they will be at some point. Metal holding tanks have a pretty finite lifespan, unfortunately. Hopefully they're not too inaccessible on your boat.

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I haven't done a full on technical assessment yet, but it looks like it might be an enormous pain in the ass to get those tanks out.

Comodave said:

Too bad the holding tank is aluminum. Aluminum does not last when exposed to urine. I would plan on replacing it asap with a tank from Ronko. They make really good holding tanks and will put fittings where you need them. No affiliation just happy customer. Good luck...

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These tanks are original, so they're 35 years old. I'm sure that's more than enough time for them to have failed. Thanks for the tip on Ronko. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

O C Diver said:

A leak that's adding significant amounts to the bilge, should be easy to find. Add water to the holding tank and pump out several times, until the pump out is clear. Fill and flush the head several times with water, and start look for leaks.

Ted

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This will be the procedure when I get to it. I've been keeping busy with other stuff lately, and haven't gotten around to doing any investigating lately.

slowgoesit said:

Fluorescein dye works great for something like this. It's used for many purposes, the stuff I have is used for downed aviators in the water. Also has many other interesting uses, like dying water towers, municipal and private fountains, construction dust spraying equipment, swimming pools, did I mention fountains?

One source above, there are many others. A packet like above would probably dye a half dozen Olympic sized swimming pools so they look like they are full of automobile antifreeze. . . . Why I once knew a person who shall remain nameless who may or may not have dyed all of Gig Harbor Washington in the mid-80's . . . from the harbor entrance, on an incoming tide . . . .

If you want to try it, a LITTLE goes a LONG way! Did I mention fountains?!? In the pic the user used about 1/4 teaspoon in a gelatin capsule . . . which conveniently didn't dissolve until the not so innocent parties were far away . . . Can you believe that after the third iteration, they actually posted ARMED GUARDS on the fountain? Made it more fun the 4th, 5th, and 6th times!

Drove the CSM absolutely batshit crazy!

Dave, if you want to try it, and can't find anyway, I can send you some. Take care, hope you get to the bottom (no pun intended) of the problem soon!

Click to expand...

Hey, I wonder if that stuff would work in a fountain... hahaha

Northern Spy said:

You can buy it in tablet form. Same stuff that public works has to trace sewers. I have a jar of pink and a jar of green.

Probably the same thing they drop in holding tanks to detect discharge overboard.

You can also buy dye that floresces with UV light. Can find in HVAC repair shops. But then you need a UV light source.

Click to expand...

BruceK said:

I suppose Dave could just take one of the tablets...........maybe not.
I really should take this more seriously....

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Please don't. I'm not, lol. Maybe I'll eat one before my next doctor's appointment. Hey Bruce, congratulations on your rain!

Well, after a few days in Deltaville, I moseyed out of town on a cold, gray and drizzly morning. As was becoming a trend, the seas were lumpy early in the day, and slowly died off as I went along. The first two thirds of the trip were uneventful and pleasant. A mug of hot cocoa kept me cozy, and Stephen Fry read me some Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Then the fog rolled in. Thick as peanut butter soup it was, and me with no radar. As I'm sure you're all aware, this is not a pleasant feeling. I slowed a bit, and opened up the doors to listen for fog signals. I kept a close eye on the Marine Traffic app on my phone for AIS targets. I don't have one of those yet either unfortunately. I am glad I had the app at least, because It alerted me to the presence of 'US Government Vessel 56.' This turned out to be USS San Jacinto, a Ticonderoga class cruiser. She was outbound from the York River, and my path would have crossed hers if I'd continued. I thought better of it, and slowed down to drift outside the channel until she was well clear. I was deeply uncomfortable with the situation, until I realized that the radar she carries could probably tell them what I had for breakfast. She knew where I was. I just had to stay out of her way. She passed within three tenths of a mile, and I never saw or heard a thing.

I toyed with the idea of finding somewhere to drop the hook until things cleared up. There weren't any obvious options nearby that would offer me shelter from the easterly seas that were rolling in from the Atlantic, and the nearest decent anchorage wasn't that much closer than Hampton Roads, so I pressed on.

The fog slowly thinned out as I got closer to port, as did the traffic. I passed a few big fellas once inside the harbor, but visibility was pretty good by then. I was glad to pass by the Navy docks in daylight. What a sight that is. There were a couple of Nimitz class carriers, the hospital ship Comfort, a whole pile of Arleigh Burkes, and the Gerald Ford was in. She's a big girl, that one. Just massive.

I ran the rest of the way to Portsmouth along side a medium sized tugboat, and it was well after dark when I made it to the marina. I'd planned on tying up at Waterside, but when I called ahead, they said they didn't have any lowly 30 amp power for me, so I ended up across the river at Tidewater.

I liked that spot. I'd planned on spending a couple of days there, but that turned into three, and then four. I spent the whole first day just being a lazy slob. I played video games and ate pizza on the boat. It was wonderful. The following day I made my way into Norfolk and wandered around a little. I looked in at Waterside marina, and saw that they only had two customers, both were a great deal larger than Sylphide, and explained why my paltry 30 amp plug didn't give me much street cred there. I did recognize one of the vessels from our 'interesting boats' thread, which was neat.

I took a guided tour of USS Wisconsin, and even though it went half an hour long, it still wasn't enough time to see even half of the ship. There was only one other dude on the tour with me, and after the guided part was over, we wandered around for quite a while longer. All told, I was aboard for over five hours, and still never saw the machinery spaces. She's a big girl.

My new tour buddy and I ended up continuing our 'not a date' with a beer and a really delicious burger. I never would have thought to combine Waygu beef, chorizo, queso, corn, Fritos, and a potato roll, but I'm glad someone did. It was wicked good.

I took yesterday to get some chores done and restock the galley as I expected to be away from civilization for a few days. This morning I set off, with Coinjock in my sights. In the end, today turned out to be a very low mileage day. I lost about forty minutes waiting for NS#7 rail bridge to open. It gave me enough time to wash some Chesapeake salt off the windows, and get the dishes done, and read War and Peace, and build a matchstick model of the Eiffel Tower.

I also timed the Great Bridge lock poorly. I ended up treading water for another 40 minutes or so waiting for a transit, and then I waited a little longer for the Bridge itself. I had plenty of time to peruse the festival of stickers that were plastered all over the inside of the lock wall. I recognized a few names, and decided that I should probably get me some stickers, so that I might do my part to perpetuate the graffiti-ing of government property.

I pulled into Atlantic Yacht Basin to take a splash of fuel and fill the water tanks. I also decided to take my propane tanks for a walk into town. By the time that was all done, it was already after three o'clock, and I still had another four hours of steaming to get to Coinjock. I decided to throw in the towel early, and spend a night at AYB.

Tomorrow looks like a nice short travel day. I'll sleep in, and make my lazy way to Coinjock.

Life is good.

Wifey B: Now you're doing it right. The lazy way and seeing what you want and changing schedules when you wish and having fun. Even video games and pizza when the mood strikes you. Now you're living.

Sounds like you are having a good time, congrats. Have to get a 50 to 30 amp adapter.

Always hooked with your story! The Paul Johansen is stunning, I lust over it

An adapter like this will solve future power availability problems.

https://www.amazon.com/Parkworld-69...0+amp+to+30+amp+adapter&qid=1579434466&sr=8-7


I'll bet radar and 2 way AIS have moved up the priority list.

Ted

O C Diver said:

An adapter like this will solve future power availability problems.

https://www.amazon.com/Parkworld-69...0+amp+to+30+amp+adapter&qid=1579434466&sr=8-7


I'll bet radar and 2 way AIS have moved up the priority list.

Ted

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Great writing again, as usual, Dave. I love the hilarious selfies— here’s me with the propane bottles!

Question on adapters. I have two 30amp connections on my boat and have two 30amp cords. I have a “splitter” that joins those two cords to one 50 amp plug when that’s all that’s available.

Sometimes I only need one 30 amp feed if not using AC. Is it OK to just leave one side of that splitter empty and not use it or am I breaking some kind of ABYC rule?