Much Older News! All with regard to "Little Botany Bay" (LB^2)

May 1-16, 2005: The machinery spaces aft of the engine room have gotten a major facelift. Almost everything is painted bright white, the wiring has been cleaned up, the refrigeration compressor is cleaned up and looks nice, the autopilot course computer has a much more easily maintained home. There are still a list of projects to complete before leaving the machinery spaces but it is manageable. 

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, 2005: 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.