Really, you can go potty on the boat.

We spent Tuesday night on a mooring after being Seatowed into Oyster Bay Marine when our engines quit.  That would be the first time we hadn't been on a dock since we've had the boat, and the first time the dogs couldn't get off to do their business whenever they wanted. 

The critters didn't get it, especially the two dogs.   Chevy kept pacing all around the boat looking for a way off, and then he'd look at me and WOOF!   Pam put a couple of mats and some piddle pads on the foredeck and tried to explain to the dogs that it was OK to go potty there, but they refused.

Ruby looked sad and confused, and Chevy kept looking over the side for a way out.  Finally, we gave up and hailed the marina launch to take the dogs to shore.  This would also be the first small boat ride for the dogs.   Chevy seemed to enjoy the ride, but Ruby cowered at my feet and shook like a leaf.   When we go to the dock, Chevy charged up the ramp dragging Pam behind him.   The first patch of grass he came to, he let loose.   Poor guy.

Yesterday morning, Brian the mechanic came aboard Drift Away.  To make a long story short, he agreed with my assessment that crud in the tanks clogged up the fuel system.  Why?  Because he didn't get any fuel when he tried to bleed the system either until he removed the fuel line attached to the pick-up tube and blew it out.  It was clogged up real good, just like my old 1930 Pontiac used to do.  I got real good at pulling off that fuel line and blowing it out, but I don't want to do that on this boat.

We were hip-towed from our mooring to Oyster Bay's dock so the mechanics can work on the boat easier, and so that 200 gallons of diesel can be pumped out of the boat and the tanks can be scrubbed clean.  Luckilly, we have four access ports the size of small manhole covers.

So what Brian did, at my request, was to re-attach the second Racor so that each engine has its own filter.  He also ordered new fuel filter engine attachment fixtures for the Ford Lehmann's.  I had an awful time replacing the engine filters when the engines died because it is darn next to impossible to get the upper gasket to seat properly.  Gravity kept pulling it out and it took me near an hour to replace both filters on one engine.  Brian said it was a well known design flaw on the Ford Lehmanns and there are replacement fittings that use simple spin on filters.   I told him to go ahead and overnight them from California.

Brian goes on vacation to Myrtle Beach today and Mack the mechanic takes over.  I guess Mack will be removing the four huge access plates to the tanks and scrubbing them down and then pumping our 200 gallons of black gold out.  He'll then install the new engine filter systems, we'll take on a hundred gallons of new diesel and we should be good to go.

The weather on Friday looks horrible.  Heavy rain.  If we can get out of here, though, the plan is to get to City Island or somewhere close to Hell Gate so we can make the run through early on Saturday morning.  The ebb at Hell Gate starts at 7:48 AM.   If we wait until Sunday to do it, the ebb is at 8:39 AM, a more civilized time I guess, but we need to get to upstate New York ASAP.   Only nine days to the wedding.