Alton, IL, mechanical stuff

600 + miles.  Wow.  At Alton, IL Marina.  Nice place.  Hot tub (like I would use it),  pool (like I would use it) and some of the nicest shower / bathrooms on the loop (I could use a shower). 

OK, for the people that like my mechanical updates:  oil consumption is at an all time low,  temperature for water in the morning is at an all time high but still not 110 (perhaps a sticky thermostat) and new shaft packing seems to be settled in.

Up switch on windlass crapped out the other day.  I had a choice to go with Lewmar (English) or Quick (Italian) and I went with the Italians when I bought it a coupe of years ago.  I kept on thinking Lucas with Lewmar.  Anyway, one switch last year and another now.  I'm going to buy Lewmar switches to repace what I have.  Hell, they are probably all made in China now anyway.  I did hook up a temporary momentary switch up there but Chris gave me the Micky Mouse hand signal upon seeing it. 

Depth meters are still on furlough.  The Raymarine is toast and the Garmin only works when you don't need it.  Tomorrow I'm going to update the Garmin software and if that doesn't work I'll put a choke on the cable.  Next I will pull the data cable away from others in the gangway and after that failure I will drink a 12 pack of Bud Light while looking on the internet to find out who the patron saint of depth meters is. 

OH, and this is strange,  the tach on the upper station goes nuts when I transmit on the radio and they are not even on the same DC circuit AND last spring I added a volt meter on the flybridge that shows the voltage going down all day as we travel.   Now I'm guessing that you motor heads are thinking does this have anything to do with the flybridge Garmin.  I don't know but right now a rock on a piece of twine looks pretty good.

Pat, in answer to your question,  we are indeed running faster than normal.  The current is helping a bit but whereas the old sweet spot was 1750 it is now 1825 RPM.  Guess the rebuilt fuel injection stuff is more efficient.  I also think I may have calculated the hull speed too conservative.

Kerm