Every month ,Bert starts the engine, checks all the connections, runs the engine till warm, then puts the boat in forward, then reverse, and we can watch all the funny ,salt water stuff come off the hull!!     Amazing what grows down there, plus quite a bit of “stuff” comes off near the galley through hull, but i am very careful all the time, no grease, no strange things!!!    He then checks all the batteries and fills them up with distilled water.  he then checks the hydraulic oil level for the steering system, we also have hydraulic propulsion, and he checks all the connections , the hydraulic motor and the pump.

We have always had an expansion tank for the water system, it had a certain amount of air in it, at the top, the rest water, and it gave the system pressure, but the poor water pump seemed to always have trouble with this, it would work great one day, then the next, it would sputter and cough, keep on running, or not run at all, always complaining, so finally, after 14 years (yes!!!) we took it out, or rather Bert took it out, we also took the filters off the taps, the galley one had a special Brita on it, the head one a small filter, but, both these systems would cause a back pressure,   and again, constant coughing and sputtering from the pump.     So, we got ride off it all, bought a Brita canister, fill that every evening, water tastes great, the pump is super happy, and it only took 14 years!!!!

Next week, i bring all the carpets away, for cleaning, there is a super good business here in Victoria, http://www.luvarug.com   , most boats dont have carpet, but we like it, its warm, soft, soundproof, comes in several pieces , all bound on the edges, easy to work with.  So, other then that, i have to wash the ceiling, that happens tomorrow…….i think……..