Man vs outboard, Part 2

Yeah!

Lower unit is OFF

You may remember that the Captain attempted to drop the lower half of our port (Loki) Yamaha engine in Oriental (a-week-at-dock-to-do-projects).  It wouldn't budge (apparently, we left Annapolis without the previous owner's jig).  Bored, and a hurricane not longer looming, he decided to try again (he's been spraying it with penetrating oil every time we lifted the engines out of the water and was finally able to buy 2 4x4's.)  He finally got it apart!  The good news?  The impeller didn't look too bad--still usable.  The bad news--the impeller didn't look too bad.  Valve clearances checked.  Timing belt checked.  (Amelia and I were thrown out of the cockpit.  "I didn't let her OUT!")  While taking a break in the a/c and internet shopping, he decided to order some hydrofoils for the outboards ($25/each).  So clean up the mess or wait for parts?  (The engine will be left hanging into cockpit for 2 days.)  Amelia's afternoon cockpit naps were cancelled.

Top:  old impeller.  Bottom:  new impeller.

"How come Daddy gets to go out?!"

Yikes

Hydrofoils arrive and are installed!  (although not totally "plug & play").  The engine is dropped back in the well.  "Don't mention the hydrofoils, until we know they work."  Too late.

I hear a knock on the hull.  When I walk out, there is no one there.  "Hey, hand me a phillips."

Starboard engine is pulled out of the well for routine maintenance.  Another setback.  Shifting cable outer housing was rusted through.  It's the Thursday before the Labor Day holiday.  Luckily, The Captain found it on Amazon with one-day shipping.  We cross our fingers the package doesn't fall off the back of the truck.  Meanwhile, the second hydrofoil goes on, valve clearances and timing belt are adjusted.  Thermostat is replaced.  Having this engine out of the well is highly inconvenient, not just for the cat but for us, since this is our route on and off the boat.  

You won't see him sitting and working very often...

The shifting cables arrive the next day and are installed ("10 ft of cable, no zip ties.  If that was an airplane there would be a 100 zip ties.  Perhaps all that securing of things is overrated.")  It's a two person job to push-pull the cables through and I get to enjoy some of the fun that is laying on the floor with my arm in a hole feeling around for something I can't see.  Good times.  Good news?  The engine cables are the right length.  The bad news?  When he opened up the engine to check the impeller, the casting below the impeller was corroded and the bolt snapped in half.   Ordered new lower end.

An adaption of a recipe from Oriental, NC (D from Southern Cross)

It's a little cooler in the mornings, so I'd been wanting to bake something.  One Thursday, after following the locals to the busier table at the Farmer's Market, I discovered some fig preserves.  SCORE!  

Fig Cake/Muffins (GF)

• 3 Tbsp butter/coconut/olive oil, melted
• 1/4 c. honey (optional, see below)
• 2 eggs, beaten (or gelatin substitute)
• 1 c. fig preserves, chopped (reserve liquid or substitute for honey)
• 1 tsp baking soda stirred into 1 Tbsp hot water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp high-quality vanilla extract
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp allspice (1/2 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 tsp clove)
• 1/2 c. whiskey (or rum)
• 3 c. blanched almond flour (1 bag Bob's Red Mill or blanched almonds ground in a food processor)
• 1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped

• In a mixing bowl, adding almond flour & walnuts last, throughly stir together all ingredients.  Scoop into greased or lined muffin pan, filling each 3/4 full.

• Bake in a preheated 310F oven for 20-25 min (45-50 for cake), or until lightly browned (toothpick comes out clean).  Allow to cool before removing from pan.

• (Force 10 boat oven:  raise shelf as high above flame as possible.  Place 6-muffin pan (ie. cut silicon muffin pan in 1/2.  I cook in two batches for more even baking), on a cookie sheet and put in the oven before lighting--add approx 7 min to cooking time.  Start on high then decrease when oven reaches 310 (mine doesn't like to go that low--below 2 it blow out when you close the door).  Turn frequently--open door if temp get too high.  These muffins burn on the bottom.)  

The marina hosted a Labor Day Low Country Boil.  I discovered at the last minute that it was "potluck--optional."  Dang it.  Quick run to the grocery store for Captain-requested green beans and bacon.  The food was excellent and we left in a food coma.  We may be less experienced than our dock neighbors, but we know from our background in aviation that "It's time to go home when the Jager & Red Bull comes out."

Waiting for parts...

While waiting for the lower end, the Captain did some other routine maintenance around the including cleaning the fridge strainer.  It was really scummy and soon he realized the water-cooling pump had quit working.  Order another part.  (He added a LED light on the front of the locker than houses the pump.  Now we can monitor how often it is running.  He is really worried about his beer getting warm!)

The new, shiny lower end arrives with a bonus zinc.  DONE.  That only took 10 days...

PS.  The dinghy outboard also got new "fins"