Let me first begin by wishing one and all a Happy New Year.
It has been three months since last posting and it is time to catch up so rummers don't begin that I have given up sailing.
I returned to my boat after Thanksgiving not totally sure what I would find. My new engine was to be installed with a few exceptions that I had requested to wait for my my return so I could give the last few instructions. Two week later it was time for the test. Fingers crossed, I pushed the start button. The engine started after a few seconds. YEA. I put the transmission in gear. The boat went forward as it should and reverse.
I have spent the last month going over everything and making a few adjustments where needed and took the boat out of the harbor for a short shakedown. All is well so far. One must say "so far" so not to jinks things.
Now I am doing the small things before I push off of the dock and head south. Everything being equal, I am scheduled to leave here on Sunday for Puerto Vallarta, my first stop. I want to be back here in Mazatlan by the end of March. My in-laws are coming to Mazatlan with some of their classmates on their class reunion. I will show them around town and take them out for a three hour cruise. After they leave I will fuel up and head for the Sea Of Cortez which I missed last year when my engine blew up.
I promise to take photos to share in my next blog after I finish this years cruising. In June I am traveling to Chicago to visit my brother then onto Minneapolis to vist my sister and a few cousins that live in the area. Then before leaving for California to visit my children and grandchildren I am attending my class reunion in the small town were I grew up. Can you believe it is our 55th year reunion? Someone is getting older.
Sorry, no photos this time. I simply wanted to get everyone caught up on what I have been doing and my next plans.
I hope everyone had a joyous Christmas and are looking forward to a new year.
Take care and be safe out their.
Monday, January 1, 2018
Friday, September 22, 2017
California with family and friends
Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. I've been high and dry in California visiting friends and family since late June. I am using my son's town, Los Osos, as my base if operations and am staying with Joanne when I am not visiting my daughter and her family and friends around
California.
The last blog noted the sad story of the engine burning up on my boat and me having the buy a new engine. I am here to report that it is still not installed. However, since I am not on the boat I try not to get too upset since it isn't going anywhere without me.
I am enjoying visiting with my son and daughter and my five grandchildren. The oldest grandchild is eleven and the youngest is 2 months old. My daughter Robin gave birth to the latest, a baby girl. Her two older brothers are boys as are her two cousins. She is going to be spoiled by all.
My son Steve and wife Jessie had the nerve to allow me, grandpa, to watch their two boys for a week while they were camping. The three of us had a great time together and they were treated to food that their parents would not normally allow them to eat, stay up as long as they wanted, watch as many movies as they wanted and do things that their parents did not allow them to do. I asked them to put together a list of things that they wanted to do with grandpa and include on the list of things their parents did not allow them to do. I would give priority to that part of the list. Their parents returned and found the kids physically in the same condition they left them in. I welcomed them back, wished them well and said they are now your problem and left to join Joanne and drank a bottle of wine.
I count myself lucky to be in good health and reasonably good shape however my two grandsons in Los Osos showed me that I may not have been in as good of shape as I thought. A week after arriving they challenged me to a bike ride on a trail up a 1,500 foot climb to Hazard Peak. They kicked my butt and I had to admit defeat. Those of you that know me know that I am not going to rest until I turn that result around. I have made it my mission to keep up with them on that ride before I leave for Mexico. Since that humbling event I started to first ride on the roads to start my conditioning. I took four separate rides of 14, 17, 24 and 28 miles over the next two weeks. Since then I have been riding every other day, when in town, up the mountain to Montana de Oro which itself is a good climb. I have taken the Hazard Peak trail a few times as well, until I collided with Poison Oak and had to wait for that to heal before taking the trail again. Give me a couple more weeks and I will be ready for rechallenge.
When not here in Los Osos I have been running around California visiting some of my friends and making plans to see the others before returning to Mexico. Those of you who have had to do this would agree that it can wear you out running around, wishing that they would visit you. But even so I find it rewarding. Next month I fly to Phoenix to visit six friends there. The other big treat will be visiting my daughter Robin, husband Hector and their three children. I love holding my baby granddaughter as I rock her to sleep. My daughter has gone on record to state that hell would freeze over before she ever allowed me to be with her children alone. I can't imagine why she feels this way. :)
Enough of my latest story. Let me see if I can treat you to some photos.
This is me after a week alone with Ray and Abe
And here they are. Steve and Jessie's boys.
I had to tie them up one day when they got out of hand
Robin and Hector's two boys Gavin and Gabe held still long enough to get their photo with a family friend Gunnel.
This is our new little girl Lilly at one month old.
I have sailed to this bay a number of times. The bay's name is Morro Bay and this rock at its entrance is Morro Rock. A local landmark.
Family dinner at Steve and Jessie's
I took this photo half way up Hazard Peak
Photos of the coastline on Montana de Oro road. In english this is Mountain of Gold.
Another photo of Morrow Rock
A view that I never get tired of.
More coastline photos.
Sorry no sunset photos this time to end my blog. Instead I have a photo of the machine I am using on land rather than my sailboat on the sea. This will soon carry me past my two grandsons. Wish me luck.
Until next time. Take care and be safe out there.
California.
The last blog noted the sad story of the engine burning up on my boat and me having the buy a new engine. I am here to report that it is still not installed. However, since I am not on the boat I try not to get too upset since it isn't going anywhere without me.
I am enjoying visiting with my son and daughter and my five grandchildren. The oldest grandchild is eleven and the youngest is 2 months old. My daughter Robin gave birth to the latest, a baby girl. Her two older brothers are boys as are her two cousins. She is going to be spoiled by all.
My son Steve and wife Jessie had the nerve to allow me, grandpa, to watch their two boys for a week while they were camping. The three of us had a great time together and they were treated to food that their parents would not normally allow them to eat, stay up as long as they wanted, watch as many movies as they wanted and do things that their parents did not allow them to do. I asked them to put together a list of things that they wanted to do with grandpa and include on the list of things their parents did not allow them to do. I would give priority to that part of the list. Their parents returned and found the kids physically in the same condition they left them in. I welcomed them back, wished them well and said they are now your problem and left to join Joanne and drank a bottle of wine.
I count myself lucky to be in good health and reasonably good shape however my two grandsons in Los Osos showed me that I may not have been in as good of shape as I thought. A week after arriving they challenged me to a bike ride on a trail up a 1,500 foot climb to Hazard Peak. They kicked my butt and I had to admit defeat. Those of you that know me know that I am not going to rest until I turn that result around. I have made it my mission to keep up with them on that ride before I leave for Mexico. Since that humbling event I started to first ride on the roads to start my conditioning. I took four separate rides of 14, 17, 24 and 28 miles over the next two weeks. Since then I have been riding every other day, when in town, up the mountain to Montana de Oro which itself is a good climb. I have taken the Hazard Peak trail a few times as well, until I collided with Poison Oak and had to wait for that to heal before taking the trail again. Give me a couple more weeks and I will be ready for rechallenge.
When not here in Los Osos I have been running around California visiting some of my friends and making plans to see the others before returning to Mexico. Those of you who have had to do this would agree that it can wear you out running around, wishing that they would visit you. But even so I find it rewarding. Next month I fly to Phoenix to visit six friends there. The other big treat will be visiting my daughter Robin, husband Hector and their three children. I love holding my baby granddaughter as I rock her to sleep. My daughter has gone on record to state that hell would freeze over before she ever allowed me to be with her children alone. I can't imagine why she feels this way. :)
Enough of my latest story. Let me see if I can treat you to some photos.
This is me after a week alone with Ray and Abe
And here they are. Steve and Jessie's boys.
I had to tie them up one day when they got out of hand
Robin and Hector's two boys Gavin and Gabe held still long enough to get their photo with a family friend Gunnel.
This is our new little girl Lilly at one month old.
I have sailed to this bay a number of times. The bay's name is Morro Bay and this rock at its entrance is Morro Rock. A local landmark.
Family dinner at Steve and Jessie's
I took this photo half way up Hazard Peak
Photos of the coastline on Montana de Oro road. In english this is Mountain of Gold.
Another photo of Morrow Rock
A view that I never get tired of.
More coastline photos.
Sorry no sunset photos this time to end my blog. Instead I have a photo of the machine I am using on land rather than my sailboat on the sea. This will soon carry me past my two grandsons. Wish me luck.
Until next time. Take care and be safe out there.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Dennis's Beta Marine Engine inspection on arrival
First off, there is no serious visible damage other than scraped off paint with the exception of the exhaust riser. I will point that out with its photo.
I am using my blog since it is easier to select individual photos that can be separated by text to explain images.
I first inspected the boxes which as you can see were damaged and punchered from the outside.
These are the photos of the boxes.
These are taken from the outside of the box that surrounded the engine.
This the the box containing the exhaust riser.
This is the damage. No other evidence of further damage. If there is any unseen damage, it will not become evident until engine is running.
These photos are from the inside of the shipping box showing where paint has been scraped off of the engine. Photos to follow showing the engine where paint was removed.
This is the source of the caused damage. The wood where the engine mount was attached at this point has a knot near the hole where bolt was. There does not seem to be any damage to the engine at this location.
There is pressure on the oil filter as can be seen with paint scraped off. Other than paint there is no visible damage. The question remains however is if the is damage to the filter mounting that cannot be inspected until the engine is removed from the crate.
Paint shown on the inside of the shipping box is from the alternator.
The other scraped paint in the shipping box is from this hose.. Again other than paint there is no visible damage.
engine mounts at the back of the engine are intact.
This engine mount was not bolted to the wooden shipping frame. As can be seen. it has dropped down when the opposite site broke accounting for the possible damage to the oil filter mounting.
So bottom line. Riser should be replaced in case the unit is reformed causing possible leaks when under pressure. The alternator and its mounts seems to be OK as is the metal piping.
question:
Why was the fourth engine mount not bolted?
Why was the engine wooden packing frame built using wood that had a knot located close the where there was a lot of strain?
The shipment was accepted and possible damage was not evident until packing was removed and engine instacted.
Call or email me if there are any questions. Give me the OK to proceed with work on the installation.
Dennis Gade
I am using my blog since it is easier to select individual photos that can be separated by text to explain images.
I first inspected the boxes which as you can see were damaged and punchered from the outside.
These are the photos of the boxes.
These are taken from the outside of the box that surrounded the engine.
This the the box containing the exhaust riser.
This is the damage. No other evidence of further damage. If there is any unseen damage, it will not become evident until engine is running.
These photos are from the inside of the shipping box showing where paint has been scraped off of the engine. Photos to follow showing the engine where paint was removed.
This is the source of the caused damage. The wood where the engine mount was attached at this point has a knot near the hole where bolt was. There does not seem to be any damage to the engine at this location.
There is pressure on the oil filter as can be seen with paint scraped off. Other than paint there is no visible damage. The question remains however is if the is damage to the filter mounting that cannot be inspected until the engine is removed from the crate.
Paint shown on the inside of the shipping box is from the alternator.
The other scraped paint in the shipping box is from this hose.. Again other than paint there is no visible damage.
engine mounts at the back of the engine are intact.
This engine mount was not bolted to the wooden shipping frame. As can be seen. it has dropped down when the opposite site broke accounting for the possible damage to the oil filter mounting.
So bottom line. Riser should be replaced in case the unit is reformed causing possible leaks when under pressure. The alternator and its mounts seems to be OK as is the metal piping.
question:
Why was the fourth engine mount not bolted?
Why was the engine wooden packing frame built using wood that had a knot located close the where there was a lot of strain?
The shipment was accepted and possible damage was not evident until packing was removed and engine instacted.
Call or email me if there are any questions. Give me the OK to proceed with work on the installation.
Dennis Gade
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
THE BEAUTY AND CULTURE OF MEXICO
Marilyn and I rented a car while in Barra de Navidad and drove inland for week visiting sights and small villages. The first place we visited was Mecca. No I didn't take a wrong turn. Mecca here in Mexico also goes by another name. The name of the village is Taquila. We unfortunately didn't have time to take a tasting tour so I was limited to one place where I tasted two types which were very good. We walked around town a bit and had a light lunch before moving along down to road to Lake Chapala. This is north of Mexico city and east of Guadalajara. This is reportedly the largest lake in Mexico. A friend back in California, Bea, has a condo there that she is renting out for now as she studys if she wants to move there and leave California behind.
We walked around one of the towns on the lake to explore a street where there was a number of art galleries and then moved on to a town south of there where we settled in for the evening. The following day we went to a Monarch butterfly reserve to witness thousand of butterflies that migrated there waiting for warmer weather before flying north to Canada. A round trip that takes them 3 years. Joanne and I and our children saw the same butterflies in Pacific Grove, California were they stopped on their trip north.
Let me share some photos that we took during our tour inland that, as the title notes, the beauty and culture of Mexico become visible.
These are photos of some of the butterflies that we saw. To get there we had to walk about 2 miles and climb 2,000 ft. The locations was at an elevation of 10,200 feet. Surprisingly i was able to walk up there with much less effort that i had expected. I had to stop several times for Marilyn to catch up.
This young boy wanted us to talk his photo.
Beautiful flower arrangements at a market that we visited.
I had no idea what she was making but it sure smelled good.
Taken near the market where there were several wood carvings
Mayan ruins in the area. They were meant to be platforms or foundations for structures that were built upon them.
There is a town named San Juan that is now called old San Juan as the town had to be moved as the result of a volcano eruption that covered the town with lava. The only structure that is visible was a church. We walked through the lava with our sandals on. Not exactly hiking boots.
This is a photo of the town before it was destroyed. No one wes killed or insured as they had plenty of warning.
This is a photo of the church which now is buried in lava.
The volcano.
I enjoy looking at the many cathedrals that i have passes in the years i have visited many countries while traveling by land or sea. They are always beautiful.
I have no idea what this is meant to be. My guess this is, what we know today as Mexico, when it was taken over by the spaniards.
Lake Chapala
She told us to take a photo of the horses butt as it was nicer than hers.
Guess who?
Cathedrals during the evening.
Marilyn climbing the hill to see the butterflies.
Time to stop for a rest.
Carnival celebration.
My favorite wood carvings. That's me with the cigar.
Photos of the earlier ruins.
Waking through the lava.
I asked this lady if i could take her photo as i very much enjoyed her tiedyed shirt.
End of a long day sailing. Finally at anchor to rest.
Another couple sailed along with me. They took this photo of my boat.
We walked around one of the towns on the lake to explore a street where there was a number of art galleries and then moved on to a town south of there where we settled in for the evening. The following day we went to a Monarch butterfly reserve to witness thousand of butterflies that migrated there waiting for warmer weather before flying north to Canada. A round trip that takes them 3 years. Joanne and I and our children saw the same butterflies in Pacific Grove, California were they stopped on their trip north.
Let me share some photos that we took during our tour inland that, as the title notes, the beauty and culture of Mexico become visible.
These are photos of some of the butterflies that we saw. To get there we had to walk about 2 miles and climb 2,000 ft. The locations was at an elevation of 10,200 feet. Surprisingly i was able to walk up there with much less effort that i had expected. I had to stop several times for Marilyn to catch up.
This young boy wanted us to talk his photo.
Beautiful flower arrangements at a market that we visited.
I had no idea what she was making but it sure smelled good.
Taken near the market where there were several wood carvings
Mayan ruins in the area. They were meant to be platforms or foundations for structures that were built upon them.
There is a town named San Juan that is now called old San Juan as the town had to be moved as the result of a volcano eruption that covered the town with lava. The only structure that is visible was a church. We walked through the lava with our sandals on. Not exactly hiking boots.
This is a photo of the town before it was destroyed. No one wes killed or insured as they had plenty of warning.
This is a photo of the church which now is buried in lava.
The volcano.
I enjoy looking at the many cathedrals that i have passes in the years i have visited many countries while traveling by land or sea. They are always beautiful.
I have no idea what this is meant to be. My guess this is, what we know today as Mexico, when it was taken over by the spaniards.
Lake Chapala
She told us to take a photo of the horses butt as it was nicer than hers.
Guess who?
Cathedrals during the evening.
Marilyn climbing the hill to see the butterflies.
Time to stop for a rest.
Carnival celebration.
My favorite wood carvings. That's me with the cigar.
Photos of the earlier ruins.
End of a long day sailing. Finally at anchor to rest.
Another couple sailed along with me. They took this photo of my boat.
Sorry, i tried adding a couple of videos taken during the trip but it failed because of the poor internet speeds here in Mexico. The internet down here goes by the name of go-slow.
I am currently back in Mazatlan after returning from my sail south. After revisiting friends here and doing some work on the boat i am going to throw off the dock lines and sail over to the Sea of Cortez and play around there for a few months. Then i return here again to put the boat away for the summer before traveling back to the states to visit family and friends.
My son and his family are driving down to Baja for a visit and i will be able to take my Grandsons out sailing. I can't wait to show off and enjoy their smiles when i let them steer the boat.
That's it for now.
until next time, be safe out there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)