Slept aboard of course, bed's a tiny low space in the bow they call the V-berth. ("V" is the shape.)

My ~plan was to actually LEAVE here today, but, not capable of rushing, i asked the marina office to let me stay thru Fri. They consented, for only another $15, bargain. It's so easy docked, especially with multi-necessary-trips to the hardware store. So thats a load of pressure off.

I ~adjusted the outboard mount. The main engine is 4-cylinder, but only sensible to have a backup, eh? So the good man who sold me the boat threw in a new outboard too. Trouble is, the mount on the back was for a different-shaft-length OB.

What the mount does is raise and lower the OB, in-water for use, out when not in use, for less drag, corrosion, etc. Some while back I emailed the mount manufacturer about an adapter, but they dont make such. Me, a ~carpenter, figured i could do it with a 2' 2x12.

[Fiji: every village has a carpenter. On a visit to a remote vill, i came to the house where i was to stay. Tools hanging on the wall, i said to the landowner, "You are a carpenter." "I TRY to be a carpenter," his modest reply.]

I've brot certain essential tools (battery-powered & other) with me, because never know when you might have to rebuild a boat mid-journey. [On the Baja trip, 1980s, my sailboat aluminum boom snapped in a storm. Anchored safe the next day, i shaved down a 2x4 to fit the oval shape of the boom, jammed it into the broken hollow ends, and continued as if nothing had happened.] I picked up a scrap pressure-treated 2x10 at Heikes on the way up, it'll do i think fine, tho it was a struggle hanging off the stern, sure my nuts, bolts, and tools would find the bottom of the harbor. (So that heavy awkward outboard would not do the same as i wrassled it to position: the rope.)

The outboard is brand new, so once mounted, i had to fill the oil reservoir. First step take the cowl off. Took long time to finally figure out how, no instructions for that in the manual, which no doubt figured it was obvious. Not. Then there was the oil filling, again juggling oil jug, the dipstick, etc, all in hope of not dropping in the water. [I have experience with that too: Baja, near the end of the 2 month trip, outboard acting up; i thought it mite be the fuel pump. So i removed its cover. As the cover came off, BING the spring-loaded parts flew out; splash. Luckily fuel pumps arent that important, i mounted the fuel tank on the cabin roof and let gravity do its thing.]

While so engaged, the 2 laborers waxing the yacht across the way got into a serious cussing match over a dropped cockpit cover. The boss was afraid it was scratched and he'd be charged; the employee, not so concerned. Employee lost the argument, loudly fired. Exchanged 'Fuck You's went on quite awhile, threats of physical violence. But no shots fired.

Boating: serious stuff.

Meanwhile, the jets. Whidbey Island is a big-time Navy training center for FA-18 fighter-jets. They fly low & slow, the roar in this rich populated recreation area is rather at times extreme.

Out of dread, i put it off, but finally time to START THE ENGINE. My greatest fear is that it won't. And it doesnt. Once again, i wish i never got into this. I dont know engines. But i open the cover. Remove the air cleaner. There's the 1981 carburetor, the butterfly valve, or whatever it's called, (the choke), wide open. Well THAT aint right. I push it shut, and indeed feel a lot of resistance, like the thing was physically stuck. Try the key again. With a couple minor backfire pops, it fires right up. Wow, maybe i know something of even engines.

One of the major problems i discovered on the trip out i took several weeks ago was that when the engine was going cruising speed, 3000rpm, it was putting out 16.5 volts, which is too high, potentially damaging batteries, & causing the inverter (which charges electonic devices) to shut off. So idling here in the slip, i ran it up to 3k rpm, checked the volts again. There's no problem. Which is a ~problem.