Maamalni - Leg 4 - Log #6 Twice makes perfect!

Otto having been repaired and made good again seemed to be happily steering along, but the next day there was little squeak coming from below the bunk. There are always noises on the boat when making passage, but some are more beseeching than others. This one wanted our attention. So we open up the whole compartment again, which entails folding and removing the mattress and bed clothes, then removing the cabinetry top to reveal the aft section of the boat where all sorts of equipment resides, and nestle between are bags of spare parts, extra rolls of paper towels and possible trading items. We determine that Otto needs to be burped and the squeak surely must come from air inside the hydraulics, but as the pump is below the ram, this was going to be a difficult burp. So it is decided that we will lift the pump up to see if we can get the air up to the top. This is no mean trick as the various hydraulic lines and electrical wires are just a little short to allow for an easy resting spot.
So Suzan holds that pump up while I steer the boat back and forth to see if we can get the air out. While watching the quadrant, Suzan discovered that the steering quadrant attachment to the rudderpost have come loose. Wow! this could not be good. Visions of loosing steering half way across the Pacific are even more horrifying than loosing Auto. Happily Suzan announced that the coupler reinstalled the day before had been done wrong and all it would take is a redo. So we hove too yet again but this time in the daylight and redid the installation in record time. We are getting really good at some of these repairs and by the third time we will be able to do them blind folded.

You would almost think that we know what we are doing.

Well, until next time. Fair Winds _/) Suzan and Michael