Chip & Debbie Willis on s\v Elegant'sea: February 2013

Honda oil change - not happening

End of February from Barra-Bahia de Navidad, Mexico. Anchored in the lagoon.

We have tried twice now to change the oil on the Honda 9.9 outboard engine. We assembled all the things needed and put them into a bucket and then the bucket went into the Achilles dinghy. We used the dinghy wheels to hold the motor off the beach. The first time we tried we went to Fortino’s Restaurant in Colimilla, which is a town by the Grand Isla Navidad Resort. (We had our laundry done there because there is not a place in Barra that you can do your own laundry. Anyway they didn't return some of Debbie’s things so we went over to claim them.) When we did we dragged up the dinghy on the beach using the dinghy wheels and then I tried to remove the drain screw on the motor. We were going to drain the oil into a old antifreeze gallon container. The screw would not budge!

The next time we stopped at a beach on the way to the Sands Hotel - we were going to the town of Barra for some grocery things. Anyway we brought an impact-driver screw driver to get that pesky oil drain screw out. Went through the same routine only even after repeatedly hitting the impact with a glass hammer the screw will not budge!?? So now what? A bigger hammer?

Whats with this dam screw!

Getting better with the dingy up-down on davits - 2013

End of February 2013 – Anchored in Bahia de Navidad lagoon

You can see the two straps here in an X. We will have two made from jack line soon. We are playing with the length for now. One is a sail tie.

Anchored in Barra/Bahia de Navidad lagoon, DVD Movies - 2013

End of February 2013 – Anchored in Barra-Bahiade Navidad lagoon

FYI

We digitized all our movies and or daughters movies. We have at least 125 movies? Not sure as some we cannot find. We watch movie and if it is old enough I usually do not even remember it. The point though is we digitized the movies so we did not have hundred or so DVDs around the boat to store. Go ting but…now we have no movies to trade. The cruisers get together at dinghy raft ups or mention over the nets that they have movies to trade. So when we are on out visa visit to the US in a few months we will pick up say a dozen DVD movies at the swap meet or some lace (sending about the price of going to the movies :) on them. Then we will always have movies to swap keeping some fresh ones unhand, of course we will stomp them too 😁
Note 2018:
For the last several years we have been downloading our movies and tv shows. We have portable hard drives to store them on. Also with the phone plans the carriers and an unlocked phones WiFi has been good.

Heat exchange stack tube tested good - 2013

February 2013 – Anchored in the Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon, Mexico

We had gotten the heat exchange stack tube in yesterday and we were waiting to get the system tested. We figure we could pump out the good antifreeze if there was a leak.

Little jam session - Barra-Bahia de Navidad Marina

Early February 2013 - Barra-Bahia de Navidad Marina

We went to a cruisers boat Don and Katie on S\V Valhalla at the Barra-Bahia de Navidad Marina where we were also staying for a guitar jam session. Good time by all four of us and I learned a couple tings and got a compliment on my voice which was need by me, as I am a bit self-conscious about singing at times. They had also gone on the Baja Ha Ha 2012 with us.

Beta heat exchange tube stack - 4th time! - 2013

Middle of February 2013 – Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon, Mexico

OK 4^th time is a charm! Yep we had to remove the heat exchanger tube stack(TS) yet one more time.

Anchored in Barra lagoon - We went to the Sands Hotel for ribs, yummy! - 2013

Middle of February 2013 – Anchored in Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon

Debbie to immediate right (her hair any way) 😎

We went to the Sands Hotel in Barra for a Cruiser's rib dinner.

Our boat docked in Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina) - 2013

Beginning of February 2013 – Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina)

Our boat s\v Elegant'sea as it sat in the Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina) . We were there in early February.

Anchored in Barra-Bahia de Navidad - Sailing to Santiago by Manzanillo? Weather! 2013

Middle of February 2013 – Anchored in Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon

As we are anchored in the lagoon with our Islander Freeport 36' sail boat s\v Elegant'sea.

In these pictures it is a great day, currently though it is blowing an easy 25 knots through here. White caps and oh well the 45 Bruce is holding us as it likes to - nice and firm! It is sunny and other wise a beautiful day. Some white caps and chop but no swell or current to speak of.

Lets talk nets, fish nets and sail boats - 2013

February 2013 – Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon

A panga sitting on the beach in Chamela (Perula Bay).

Before we left on the Baja HA-HA on 10-29-12 in San Diego we had divers come by and put in two under water through hulls (TH) with valves and add a scoop to a third, the water maker one. The divers did a nice job. We got two 3/4 “ through hulls installed. One for the 12000 btu Mermaid HVAC unit and one for the wash down pump.

Anchored in Melaque, video and shrimp boats in Chamela Bay video.- 2013

Beginning of January 2013 - When we were in Chamela Bay (Perula Bay)

Here is a video of Melaque. After a week or so we up anchored bow and stern and went to the Barra-Bahia de Navidad lagoon a dropped anchor.

Beta 250 hour maintenance, not that easy - 2013

Middle of February 2013 – Anchored in Bahia de Navidad lagoon, Mexico

We started our 250 hours maintenance of our Beta Marine 38 hp motor. We are in the Barra lagoon at anchor. We probably have about 325 hours on the motor now.

Spectra water maker gets a new cylinder, working - 2013

Middle of February 2013 –Bahia de Navidad lagoon

Chris from S\V Legacy working on our Spectra Water maker 200T Deluxe water maker.

Pictures of our boat while anchored in Bahia Chamela Bay - 2013

January 2013 Anchored in Bahia Chamela Bay

s\v Elegant'sea at anchor in Bahia Chamela Bay.

Barra Marina - Debbie went up the mast - Daedalus yacht - 2013

Beginning of February 2013 – Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina)

Debbie got geared up in the climbing gear. We have folding mast steps that have worked great.

Anchored in Melaque - Pictures of our boat in Melaque, Mexico - 2013

Mid January 2013 - Anchored in Melaque

s\v Elegant'sea anchored in Melaque, Mexico.

Barra, propane and propane bottles removal - - 2013

February 2013 – Bahia de Navidad - Marina Grand Isla Navidad Resort, Mexico

Removing propane bottles.

The white tape is for measuring cuts.

Ok we rebuilt our old poop filter. Yep we did a re-build of our SEALAND. SaniGard™ Holding Tank Vent Filter. 5/8 hose size #309310002 holding tank vent filter. We purchased the kit from eBay quite a while ago. "SaniGard SeaLand Dometic Vent Filter RECHARGE KIT for marine holding tanks"

Gold Coast Cruisers’ Net VHF Controllers Guidelines - 2013

February 2013 – Bahia de Navidad - Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina) Mexico.

My first time AT Net Controller.

Flopper stopper - La Cruz,,Chamela,, Melaque - 2013

February, 2013 - Anchored in Bahia de Navidad Lagoon, Mexico

Magma Rock N Roll Stabilizer (flopper stopper) .

Anchored in Chamela Bay(Perula), The town of Chamela(Perula()

January 2013 - Anchored in Chamela (Perula Bay), Mexico

Anchored in Chamela (Perula Bay), It rained for three days and three nights - 2013

Beginning of January 2013 - Anchored in Chamela (Perula Bay)

After this video the swells kept building and the rain intensified.

It rained for three days and three nights and on the third day it rained hard, and I am talking really coming down for a good eight hours straight. The storm came out of the South and the anchorage in Chamela Bay has no protection from a south swell, wind etc. We got big rolley swells and some high winds but it was the swells that were concerning at times. They at one point were getting so big I thought the waves might start breaking as they came through the anchorage, they did not.

Enjoying the pool at Barra Marina, Grand Isla Navidad Resort - 2013

Beginning of February 2013 – Barra Bahia de Navidad - Barra Marina

Ok we are at the Grand Isla Navidad Resort and Marina Puterto da la Navidad.

Not anything to dislike at this five star resort!

There is a Super Bowl Party tomorrow and should be a good social event for us.

Now we think the pool is not as fun as El Cid Marina's but it is a close second.

More Shade Tree work, zippers from Hogan from "Hogan Sails" - 2013

Rachel and Hogan from "Hogan Sails" in the back ground with Debbie to the right..

2 stroke verses 4 stoke outboard? We went for 4 stroke - 2013

Beginning of February 2013 – Barra - Bahia de Navidad - Marina Puerto de la Navidad(Barra Marina)

When we were in San Diego, CA say six months before we left on the Baja Ha Ha 2012 which was less than a year ago people on the docks would be saying that two strokes were king in Mexico. That we should even go to Arizona and purchase a two stroke because they still sold them there and you could get a good one at a fresh water lake etc. That in Mexico no one knew how to work on four strokes and there were no parts.

Tried again with the wash down pump

Late January 2013 – Barra lagoon

We tried again with the wash down pump. This time we got it moved but it would not prime. It says no more than 6’ from the source and so I guess they meant it. It was about a foot or so more.

After returning the pump to its former location and having to mess with the pump to get it to prime I think I found the reason. It had an air lock and after removing the out hose and letting the pump work a bit to shoot out some sea water it worked fine.

Debbie doing wiring to new terminal block.

Now to move it again. Only this time we will just make the hose longer at first to see if it will still work. We had to modify some plumbing and wiring last time to move the pump. At least now it is in the right orientation.

The usual, empty some things from the hanging locker and dig out some tools.

New SS Honda 9.9 hp outboard motor lock - 2013

We had bought a new stainless steel outboard motor lock for our Honda 9.9 hp outboard in Puerto Vallarta and I was trying to figure out how to get it on the motor. This pelican seemed to want to give me some advice. Or most likely wanted some fish I might have had but did not.

Chip & Debbie Willis on s\v Elegant'sea