A Little Work and Play

Dwayne and Paul spent the day working off items from their "TO DO" lists which seem to never get shorter. Dwayne's goal was to replace the chaffed marine wet exhaust hose which runs from the mixing elbow to the muffler and to replace the engine's raw water impeller which has done good service for over 800 hours.  Paul needed a few parts for projects aimed at improving his electrical power system.  So, it was off to the hardware store in Deale and later numerous stops in Annapolis.

Paul at Chick and Ruth's

Dwayne picked up Paul shortly before 9.  The parking lot across from the Happy Harbor Restaurant was packed.  The sport fishermen were out and the restaurant was serving the breakfast crowd. A stop at the Happy Harbor was added to the "TO DO" list for later in the week.  Dwayne picked up a three to two prong adapter for the extension cord at Deale Hardware.  Paul got a 2 1/2 inch hole saw.  Both were essential to getting our projects done.  They were our cheapest purchases of the day.

We returned to Foreign Affair to remove the marine wet exhaust hose so we could take it with us to get the exact length we needed at Bay Shore Marine.  We also replaced the impeller before heading to Annapolis.

First stop in Annapolis was Fawcett's to check out availability and pricing on electrical components for Paul's projects.  Dwayne bought a kill switch with lanyard for his outboard motor and some grease.  Paul got the information he needed and somehow left without spending any money. This is unheard of as no boat owner can leave a marine store without buying something.

Next, it was Bay Shore Marine for the exhaust hose and some oil filters. A small fortune was spent on those five feet of hose.  The wire they use in those hoses must be white gold or platinum.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped to see if either Marine Electric Systems or Yacht Electronic Systems (YES) were open.  Dwayne wants to add a solar system to Foreign Affair.  As expected, both were closed on Saturdays.

On to Bacon's for fun and to find things we needed but haven't yet realized we needed. Dwayne bought 4 used snap hooks for the spreader flag halyard. He also bought 25 feet of poly rope to replace the dinghy painter which was cut by a vandal at the Cumberland Island dock. Dwayne put the old marine wet exhaust hose on consignment just to get rid of it and perhaps save someone who needed a few feet of hose a few bucks.  This was Paul's first trip to Bacon's. We had a great time.  Once again, Paul got out without spending any money.  What kind of boater is he?  How does he do it?

With our parts run done and our stomachs running on empty, we headed to Chick and Ruth's for lunch. The waiting line wasn't too long.  Uncle Teddy got us in shortly after our arrival.  Dwayne ordered the Half Pound Lump Crab Sandwich and a small vanilla malt.  Paul had a beef brisket on rye sandwich and potato salad with a chocolate malt.  We hurt ourselves but it was worth it.  We picked up a Carmel, Walnut Apple Pie for the road.  Love that Chick and Ruth's.

After lunch, we made a quick tour of the Annapolis historic district and harbor.  Since we both have military ID cards, we were able to pass through the gate and do a driving tour of the Naval Academy. Graduation was yesterday. So, the place was pretty empty of midshipmen.  A few weddings were still taking place at the chapel and the usual tours were in progress for visitors.  Needless to say, it is beautiful and amazing place.

Upon returning to Herrington Harbour, we installed the exhaust hose without any problems. Neither the impeller nor the exhaust hose showed any signs of leaking when we cranked up the engine.  There was very good water flow from the muffler. A very successful day. We agreed it was nap time. Dwayne drove Paul back to Herrington Harbour North and returned to Foreign Affair for a well deserved rest.