Fixing Your Boat in Exotic Locations

By Capt. Scott Buckley

I have heard it said that the definition of "cruising" is fixing your boat in exotic location.  Well you are on a boat in exotic locations and boats break so it makes sense. 

Loosing power

In Long Island I have had to deal with bad batteries that had to be replaced. I made a lot of calls and found 3 of the big 4D batteries on Long Island.  It took a while and was a lot of work but we managed to replace all 3.  I could not find AGM batteries but had to install lead acid water filled type.  The terminals were different and the original cable would not fit but $1,300 later I was back in business.

No go.propane

In Georgetown a guy was selling a Lehr propane outboard for $300.  I bought it and found that it would overheat.  I found the thermostat did not work so I removed it and tried the motor again.  It still over heated so I changed the impeller on the cooling water pump.  Fortunately I had a spare and that did the trick. 
I usually run the propane outboard from the big tank connected by a hose.  The motors can be run from a little 1 lb tank that you could carry in case your big tank runs out.  There is no tank gauge so running out is possible even if you are paying attention.  Well I tried to connect the 1 lb tank and had a serious propane leak.  It seems the hose got very stiff after about 7 months and would over stress the swivel connection and cause a leak.  That will need to be replaced.

Can't stay in one place

In Arthur Town Cat Island when the weather got nasty the boat was pitching up and down violently at anchor and was seriously pulling at her anchor.  I connect the boat to the anchor chain with a snubber to absorb the shock load from the anchor that would be transferred to the boat directly by the chain.  When I got to Little San Salvador I noticed the splice was starting to fail.  I jerry rigged a bowline knot in the snubber and pulled the splice out.  It will have to be replaced later.  If bad weather is coming I will have to rig a secondary line so I don't loose the hook in case the knot fails.

These are a few of the things lately but all in all we have been very fortunate with the boat's operation.  Calibers are know to be very sound and Kooky Dance has certainly lived up to the that reputation.