Captains Log 1

There is a lot to get to here.

First and foremost Hello, I am Theodore Pollock or Captain Pollock, or simply Captain Phish.

Second why Phish, well back in my time during the navy people quickly took to calling me fish, feesh, or phish. Well my name starts with a P, so I went with Phish. Became a running joke because if you wanted something fixed, and did not have the parts I could scam someone into giving me the parts, or could figure something out.

Third and most important on this post the boat.

Oh the boat. Guess I should start at the start. Seems right. I got back from Europe to the Sailboat. Idea was I would do separations from the military while Mrs. Phish was back home getting everything ready for me. So I cleaned the boat. Got groceries, dirtied the boat and slept on it. When time came to leave I started the engine and promptly saw white smoke out the exhaust and it sounded off. I turned off the engine when I looked at the gauge and saw it read 240 F. Much higher then I wanted it to ever get to. Looked around, figured it was the water pump, and called a mechanic. Why call a guy when I knew what was wrong? Well I am not much of a mechanic myself, and could learn a thing or two, and a second pair of eyes is never a bad idea. He agreed and ordered the part. I took the train down to Mrs. Phish and waited for results. We installed it a few weeks later and he even ordered me a second one! I had something to do so I left and a few days later turned it on, which I know, everyone who has ever trouble shot as much as I have knows. You always test after you fix. Well the engine worked well. I loaded up my cat and pushed off to get to the pump out dock, and make my way down the ICW to my grandparents place for thanksgiving. Well that's not how it worked. Around 100 feet past the slip grey smoke billowed out of the cabin. With it being faster to make it to the pump out dock then turn around and go back I continued. A small crowed grabbed my lines and tied me off. A quick check and I found something worrying. My engine was not on fire.

If you have never worked on a piece of equipment that catches fire, I envy you, to those who have worked on a piece of equipment that catches fire you know, this means it is hidden or something new. I hate hidden fires, if they are not put out quick it can quickly ruin a day.

So I searched and searched and found my sea water strainer had fallen off. This was the first part into the cooling system. So engine was not getting cooled, this could be what caused the smoke. I called up the mechanic again, and we quickly found the exhaust pipe was broken in half. So the smoke was exhaust not smoke. IF it was just exhaust that's mostly ok, I leave the hatch open, I sail down the way, wait an hour or so after I drop anchor and close the hatch to warm up the cabin. Easy work. Well the exhaust pipe is water cooled, so by the time I made it back to my slip the small boat had 3 inches of water inside. Bulge pump working, it was cleared out in a jiffy, but still not something I wanted to sail down the ICW with.

So my dad drove me to my grandparents place for thanksgiving, and I had a wonderful time. Parts on order because... there is always something broken I have resolved that the sail boat will be dry docked and engine removed for something newer. Until that day comes, sit down, grab some snacks and water and enjoy the stories I will have to tell ya over the next few years of this blog.

Skipper Phish Captains log 1