news | archive | contact us | links | home February 2001 diary 27th February 2001The dinghi project was making progress for a couple of days and is now in a "dramatic pause". After two days of messing with the sticky resin I wish I had the money for a new and ready dinghi. I have a calculated materia prize of under 100$ for the dinghi. I hope I manage. 25th February 2001"hasta manjana" To many open projects determine our daily boat live. In Spain, business is as slow as in Turkey. "manjana" (Tomorrow) is the slogan. So I have removed the chain plates for the backstay and have new made. When are they ready? manjana! While I was waiting for this I removed the salt water pump of the engine. When is the modification of the pump ready? Manjana! The pump project is a learning process again. Actually I wanted to align the engine to the prop shaft, but discovered that it was impossible to do it without removing the water pump. Than I discovered that removal of the pump is only possible if the mounting bracket of the engine is removed. The designer of that engine must have been asleep at this point. But the bracket is unreachable because of the pump. There we are. I spend 3 days figuring it out and oiled the screws with WD40. When I had a solution I dissembled the pump partly, (like hoses and fittings) and could reach the screw that hold the bracket on the engine. After I removed them I unscrewed the bolts of the other 3 brackets and lifted the engine with a car jack. Only than I was able to reach the screw of the 4th engine bracket and removed the bracket and the pump all together. The pump since it is removed, will be now modified, and I change the seals. Well and after being bored waiting for these parts to come back I started to think about to build a small dinghy from fiber glass. Since I started it I really regret this idea. What a messy work it is. I used Michel's old dinghi as a positive mold and have now the shape ready. More about this project soon. 15th of Februar 2001 Since a couple of days we hear the rattling of an old sewing machine. Nina is sewing new cushions. The fabric we had used for the now 2 years old cushions has never been a very wise idea, so now Nina found the right thing. At first she was very excited about the idea and started right away with the hardest part sewing a cord into the fabric. But the first cushion did not fit properly and she was very upset about the result. Than she got some advise from fellow sailors (Wego, Uschi and Len) and smiles now every day a cushion is perfectly completed. 13th of Februar 2001Since our Januar01 entry, we get tons of email from fellow sailors or friends of Amberella's homepage. They cheer us on or give advise. We would like to thank all who have send us their notes. Nina contributes with her entry children on board another page to the subject and would like to discuss the matter with everyone who likes to participate. Selina offers her birthday cake children on board milk for the little ones   More entries in January 2001 or check thearchive or go back to top