Hard to Come By



At the Craig Fuel Dock



Pumping Fuel



When traveling in southeast Alaska, boat supplies can be hard to come by.  Fuel stops are manageable with large fuel tank(s) on the boat, but finding parts and services is a much bigger challenge.  Towns with a significant population are usually able to provide services and supplies for boaters; but when hold up in a remote location, parts have to be flown in by floatplane.  While in Craig, we were able to purchase a battery replacement for our boat’s Genset.  A Genset has a diesel motor that’s connected to an electric generator which provides AC electricity for the boat; the Genset is used when the boat is not connected to shore power at a marina.  The Genset can also be used as a backup battery when the house batteries fail to start the engine(s).  We were anchored out earlier in the week at Appleton Cove when Leonard noticed that the starter motor on the generator sounded weak as a result of the battery’s low voltage.  The fuel dock in Craig had the correct battery for purchase as well as engine oil (the boat is due for an oil change after another 80 hours of motoring).  The more immediate concern was the matter of lifting a 140 pound battery into its housing box in the engine room with little head room and minimal space to move about.  A young strapping teenager from the warehouse put the battery on a dolly and brought it down to our boat.  Older strapped Leonard soon put this young man to work and between the two of them they managed this herculean feat.  Of course they had to get the old battery out first; lifting a 140 pound battery straight up out of a box without damaging other mechanical systems was no easy task.  The new battery was then lifted down into the lazarette of the cockpit, into the engine room, and placed into its housing box.  With success realized, “Hi, I’m Leonard,” “Hi, I’m Tommy,” rang out with enthusiasm in the engine room as they both lay contorted in a confined space.  I am sure this young man had no idea what was in store for him, this was NOT in his job description!  Being a larger individual, he was cramped in a hot engine room with sweat pouring down his brow, we appreciated his help immensely and paid him accordingly for his time, no way we could have done this by ourselves!  We also took on fuel while at the fuel dock.  When we first arrived, the attendant gave us the wrong hose, unleaded gas (UNL), instead of the hose coming from the diesel pump.  We noticed the error and avoided yet another potential disaster!  Gas in a diesel engine ruptures the cylinders and destroys the engine.  Diesel in a gas engine can be cleared out, but gas in a diesel engine is fatal.  When pumping fuel, we always double check, making sure we have the correct hose to the correct pump.  Leonard also tests the fuel by putting a little on his finger; diesel has a distinctive smell and feel.  We motored back to our slip in the marina and finished the day walking around town.



Lifting 140 lbs. into Engine Room



Starting Genset to Test New Battery