Now that we’ve returned with some boat parts – the boat projects begin. Dave replaced a bad bilge pump switch and the engine ignition switch. We also had a mechanic come and polish the fuel. Polishing the fuel is an interesting exercise. Down here in the heat, you can get biologicals that grow in the diesel fuel. That anything could grow in diesel is amazing and makes Melissa wonder if life would be possible on a diesel covered planet? Anyway, the problem is that the biological sludge can clog your fuel filters. There is stuff you can add to your fuel to kill the bacteria that is growing, but a massive kill off of the stuff just makes the fuel filter clog problem worse. If you get an infection the only solution is to pull all the fuel out of the tanks, clean the tanks, and then filter the fuel before you put it back in the tank. Dave had become paranoid that maybe we had a problem based on some of the sludge he saw in the fuel filter last time he changed it. So preventatively we decided to go ahead and pay the $350 to have the fuel polished. Then you can keep putting in the fuel additive that kills the bacteria as a preventative measure. In order to do the work, they had to first cut two access holes in the fuel tank to allow them to hook up the hoses to remove the fuel and then reach in to wipe out the tanks. The fuel tank is under the bed in the master bedroom.
The mechanic then fabricated two large round plates to reseal the holes and secured them down with bolts so that if we ever need to clean the tanks again we will have easy access. However, he didn’t have enough bolts to finish the job. So off to the hardware store he went. Only to discover that they didn’t have the size he needed. So he went back to his shop and welded up some bolts out of longer screws and nuts.
Later that night Dave figures he will put the new ignition switch keys onto the floating key ring where all the boat keys live. But he can’t find the new keys. He enlists Melissa’s help. We tear the boat apart looking for the new keys. No dice. Now we are starting to sweat as without the keys the only way to start the boat is to hot wire it. Dave is muttering under his breath about replacing the damn switch with a button. Finally Dave decides to go through the kitchen trash by pulling everything out of the bag – one slimy item at a time. And VOILA! There are the keys almost at the bottom of the bag. Apparently the keys were on the kitchen counter and tried to make a break for it by going out with the trash.