It's springtime!
That means it's time for a ritual here on
Eolian: the semi-annual changing of the zinc (we only have the one - a D-sized prop nut zinc).
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| Brrrrr... |
Puget Sound has not yet begun to warm up... But that doesn't matter. When I stand on the far edge of the finger pier, I can see the prop and that the zinc is really getting small. So small in fact, that were I spin the prop with the engine, I'd likely throw it. So before we can leave the dock this spring, I've gotta... *shiver* jump in.
My rational self, steeped in self-preservation is humming in my ear, "Put it off as long as possible". But today (Thursday) we had unseasonably warm air temps here in Seattle - 70°, and the wind was calm. That's as good as it is likely to get for a long, long time...
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| Who's that on the foredeck? |
So I suited up, sat on the edge of the dock, had Jane pour a tea kettle full of warm water down my back into the wet suit, and then I jumped in before a conscious thought could form about what I was actually doing. To pull this off, I have to sneak up on myself like that... sadly it's actually pretty easy.
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| A mere shadow of its former self |
The screw was loose, which says that the zinc was truly on its last legs. And when I got it off, I was glad that I had braved the cold - it was nearly gone.
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| Earned. |
Zinc Zen
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5 comments:
I hate the idea of doing that in cold water. Even with a wet suit. . .
The Chesapeake is not much warmer than that now, though it will get a lot warmer than Puget Sound by June. That's the up side of hauling every year - I can do that kind of thing wearing a sweater and shoes.
Screw the beer - I'd be looking for a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top!!
Deb
S/V Kintala
www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
Rick -
Every third year I get to do it that way...
bob
Deb -
Or a peppermint patty!
bob
The strength of the elements over a year is truly incredible. That zinc was definitely on its last legs.
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