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February 5-6, 2005: The new fire extinguisher is installed, applied white Formica to the outside of the engine room enclosures. Soundproofing project proceeding. Installed Murphy Gauge for the engine water temperature which will allow for an adjustable engine alarm level. Will also get a low oil pressure Murphy Gauge to give a mechanical oil pressure gauge in the engine room. Additionally I replaced all of the oil pressure sensors due to minor leaks (low oil pressure switch, electronic oil pressure monitor)

January 29-30, 2005: Botany Bay's engine finally gets completely enclosed for the first time ever. The engine room blower was moved from the transom to inside the engine room and plywood forms were placed around the engine room. Determined that the engine room fire extinguisher has possibly lost it's overcharge (later determined it may have been a bad pressure gauge as it discharged by accident later and rather violently) The original unit (a Kiddie FM200 system) is no longer supported by the original manufacturer and in fact the support line was not terribly polite in telling me to go away. So I am now the proud owner of a new FireBoy system which is rechargeable.

January 22-23, 2004: Botany Bay's engine runs again for the first time in many months. She seems to be running just fine although a little rough at idle. Probably just needs run in a bit

January 15-16, 2005: Botany Bay's engine room is nearly complete, Tom and I spent the weekend cutting sound proofing foam for the engine room.

December 16, 2004 - January 10, 2005: Not much got done on Botany Bay's projects as I had to have my left knee rebuilt. Dr. Feder did an amazing job cleaning out the joint and following up the post operative recuperation.

November 12-15, 2004: Botany Bay's engine is coming through the refit with only a few problems. I had to replace the dipstick tube (the bottom end broke off, luckily I could retrieve the broken piece off), got the exhaust manifold resurfaced, obtained a honest to goodness Perkin's return spring for the kill solenoid. I readjusted the injection pump because of clearance with the kill switch leaver. It is was offset about a pencil line width to one side, it is probably half as much to the other side. I have the raw water pump off for rebuild. I have removed the fuel lift pump as it is almost 35 years old and probably should be replaced. It turns out it is a 4-108 pump (4 bolts) instead of a 4-107 pump (2 bolts). Probably a cross over year in the production cycle. I also ordered a gear pump for transferring fuel and polishing the fuel. Tom and I will be installing nearly identical systems on Botany Bay and Alegria this weekend!

October 23-24, 2004: The battle is now well joined! It appears that the first winter project will be giving the old Perkins diesel engine a careful once over. The last careful tear down and refit was back in the fall of 1999 before heading out to Kwajalein so she is well due. I have removed the exhaust riser and salt water injection point (I was seeing the start of corrosion around the water injection point), the exhaust manifold (the exhaust manifold to head connection nearest to the transmission was leaking), the header tank (to replace the 5 year old thermostat and make sure that the aluminum tank can be removed from the steel bolts), the injectors (last rebuilt in 1998 with the injector pump) and pipes, raw water heat exchanger (last cleaned of calcium deposits late 2000 while at Kwajalein), swap out the original starter (which has quite a bit of corrosion) with the spare one purchased for the trip home from Kwajalein to LA, the forward/starboard motor mount bracket (under the heat exchanger) will be cleaned up and repainted. The injector rebuild and having the exhaust manifold flange to the cylinder head will be sent out for work and should be back in a week or so. I will also take this opportunity to get the engine controls correct for the new Edson steering system.

October 10, 2004: Well, winter is coming and the fall project season is upon Botany Bay and Alegria. It appears that Alegria has fouled an injector and so we will be delving into removing injectors for service while also doing valve lash adjustments and the like. Botany Bay has quite a few little projects remaining after finishing the big refit of 2003. There is a link below to last years project list and completions as well as the new list for this year. There are quite a few things but unlike last years projects these can be taken into in small chunks and not drive Tom and I to distraction!

October 1-3, 2004: Arrrrrrh! Tis time for a pirates booty to be found at Cat Harbor with the Corsairs of Emerald Bay! In fact it was quite the adventure with Botany Bay and Alegria sailing together for the first time in a while as Tom and I have 

September 18-19, 2004: Corsair Yacht Club's Labor Day cruise was wonderful, the sail over was one of the best of the season, the sail home was the roughest, I was single handing back from the island with a single reef in the main and a bit of the Genoa out and was still a bit overpowered sometimes. The mid channel was 26-28 knts with short periods above 30knts! The seas were about 8 feet with an additional wave train coming in about 30 degrees offset from the first at about 6 feet. A real washing machine!

September 3-6: Labor day at the cove! A wonderful time was had by all, one of my Kwajalein beach towels disappeared from the cockpit rail where it was drying! Luckily Al Kim noticed a blue splotch on the bottom 20+ feet down and retrieved it for me! His free diving skills are amazing, I would not have had a prayer of getting it without diving gear! 

August 20-22, 2004: The second weekend of cruise week! While I had missed the intervening week of festivities (including champagne bingo!) I did make it back for the second weekend of Cruise week! Another day over at the Boy Scout camp seeing the amazing salt water aquarium setup which they maintain to teach salt water biology to the Boy Scouts who cycle through the facility for a week at a time. Quite an amazing operation!

August 13-15, 2004: It is time for the Ashbridge cruise! A race up to West end, around eagle rock and back, staggered start so I bring my crack crew of Kent Nelson and Mike Fuchs to help in my assault on the trophy. We departed King Harbor in the early afternoon on Friday the 13th (sounds ominous to me as you Never sail on Friday much less the 13th) and were ready for the racing on Saturday. We did pretty well, holding our own but as I (yes the captain did choose and thus must be held responsible) chose to take the outward passage and the racing boats took the inward passage I lost some significant distance to the old timers but did reasonably well. We were 4th out of a field of 6 but the top 2 were hard core lightweight racers so I would say second out of a field of four "real vessels of merit"! Dinner and the punch bowl were wonderful and we had a wonderful sail home with a crew of four as we picked up Lance who needed to work like the rest of us instead of spending the rest of the week over at the cove! 

July 17-19, 2004: One fish, Two fish, Red fish, New Fish! It is new fish in the cove weekend as as there are not many new fish for 2004 I was drafted although I won't be a full member until the August Dinner Meeting. The fire was HOT, the coals were ready and the Luau was planned by the new fish in the cove (i.e. new members) of Corsair YC! We cooked and we cooked and made a huge mess of ourselves, our aprons, and the like! I think everyone would agree that is was one of the most memorable dinners in the cove for the year. Those of us who helped with the decorations will always remember the "folded fish" which drove grown men to tears!!! 

Older News

Botany Bay sailing along at about 5knts with 9 knts of wind on deck!

David having a grand time sailing back from Emerald Bay, Botany Bay's hull is VERY Bright!!! The paint job came out really well!