MISS PERKY GOES TO THE SPA

18 Feb. 2017
1200 local
Position: 07° 20.28 N 137° 27.07 E
Moored, Palau

Hopefully I am not over grossing my faithful readership with another update so quickly. As some may recall our faithful auxiliary engine an old Perkins fondly named Miss Perky installed as a re manufactured engine back in 2003 or 04 prior to our leaving the states now having just over 6,000 hours of run time has been suffering from numerous oil leaks. She has always run well and there we have had no complaints regarding her excellent service but the rear main seal leaking 1/2 quart every 5 hours is just to much and my attempt at replacing it did not work. She also has other leakages from the pan and valve cover gaskets, some of the oil cooler lines along with some coolant ones too. After consulting with a mechanic here in Palau it was decided to remove Miss Perky from the boat and send her to Jim's shop for a manicure, pedicure and facial. well really new seals and gaskets and a fresh coat of paint.

I spent 4 days readying things for the engine removal. Being a center cockpit vessel the engine come straight up from it's location under the cockpit floor. First it was removing all the items in the cockpit. disconnecting the steering, sailing instruments, shift and throttle cables then removing the entire steering pedestal so the floor could be unbolted. Next was all the engine connections and wiring. Being an old engine Miss Perky does not have just a plug and play harness but individual wires to oil pressure, water temp, alarms, starter etc. etc. All needed to be labeled so I can hopefully have an easy time re-connecting things. We were now ready to be towed to an area where Jim, the mechanic, had his truck which has a crane for lifting. Ah hah you may remember we have had a fancy hard top built while in the Philippines, it's full enclosure had previously been removed but now the top itself also had to come off. Certainly glad that on it's design we remembered that it had to be removable. Slings were wrapped around the top and off it came.

TOPLESS

Next the floor of the cockpit was lifted up and we were ready to lift Miss Perky up to be on her way for a spa treatment.

I SURE HOPE THIS WORKS

JIM PUTTING THE LIFTING STRAPS ON

OP SHE COMES

NEXT STOP THE SPA

With the engine room empty it's now time for that area to be cleaned and painted.

NOW TO CLEAN AND PAINT

Our tow service was provided by one of the dive boats operated by
Sam's Tours. Sam, the owner is a true friend of the cruiser's that visit Palau and his crew did a great job towing us back and forth to our mooring.

OUR DRIVER DID A GREAT JOB

HAPPY TO BE BOATING

Where has all the stuff gone? the guest room.

NOT MUCH SPACE LEFT

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NONI THERAPY

17 Feb. 2017
1700 Local
Position: 07° 29.28 N 137° 27.07 E
Moored

Two months and I am finally back to writing. I made a trip back to the states to visit with both my orthopedic and skin cancer Doctors. Kathy stayed on the boat and took care of things here in Palau along with Chica the wonder cat. My doctors appointment were all taken care of the day after my arrival. The only trauma being the fact that I had a rental care and it was the first time I had driven in 5 years. The freeway was a bit stressful but I managed and only honked at once doing a lane change.

My orthopedist had x-rays taken of both knees and said the fractured patella on my replace knee was basically healed and that the other one would need replacing in the future. For now I got a steroid injection to go with the sinvisc fluid injection I had here in Palau in December. I could have the fluid injection every 6 months if they were available. Perhaps the Taiwanese doctor will return here again.

The rest of my trip to the states was spent visiting friends and doing shopping for things not available here that we would normally we have to have mailed. One special event was Capt. Sandbar and his wife Maryanne hosting a get tother of a group of the old Harbor Patrol guys I used to work with. One thing about this trip was I almost froze having only shorts and flip flops. It was cold and rainy in California, hopefully their drought has ended.

Now to Noni therapy! Here in Micronesia/Polynesia the indigenous people have been using the fruit and leaves of the Noni tree as a holistic medicine. Captain Cook note the use of the Noni tree in Tahiti in his journals in the 1700's. We are using the leaves as a poultice on both my knees. Three or four leaves on each knee and an ace bandage wrap left over night and swelling is down along with easier movement. A number of years there was big marketing of drinking the juice to cure all. Not sure about that but leaves wrapped around a painful joint definitely works.

LEAVES WASHED AND READY FOR APPLICATION

LEAVES PLACED ON MY KNEE

WRAPPING WITH ACE BANDAGE

Coming soon is the reason for perhaps a bit to much of my time spent on my knees but it is necessary.

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