One of the issues we had this year was our batteries for the boat died! Dead batteries are a bad thing since we need them to run most of the systems on the boat.
Have you ever had to lift 4 -80lb batteries while laying on your side in the back of an engine room with a temp of 85 degrees? We did. Here is what happens: The batteries are located in the back of the engine room. You must crawl over the engine and lay on your side and lift each battery onto the plank that is now laying over the engine. Once you have the battery on the plank your ever helpful spouse pulls it over the engine and places on the salon floor. The good news is that you get to do this four times.
Before you can replace the batteries you have to order them in Spanish from the local shop in the town of Rio Dulce. It takes 10 days for them to arrive via a chicken bus which is really not that long at all when you think about it. The happy day arrives when your new batteries arrive and you borrow the dolly from the marina and put it in your 10 foot fiberglass launcha and head to town.
That was the easy part. Only 3 batteries will fit on the dolly....so Cindy gets to push the dolly and Michael gets to carry 1-50lb battery 4 blocks fighting traffice that includes; motorcycles, cows in open trucks, other venders, cars and people everywhere. We make it the 4 blocks and down to the ramp and then lift each battery into our launch and head down the river to the big boat. Now you get to lift the batteries onto the dock and then to the boat and down the companion way stairs.
Michael gets to crawl back over the enging and assumes the position. Each battery is lifted onto the plank and lifted into its own little fiberglassed compartment. Then Michael connects them!
Now we have 4 brand new batteries and things are working well on the boat from an energy stand point.
We have more good news. The mechanics just left and we have a transmission that works!
Have you ever had to lift 4 -80lb batteries while laying on your side in the back of an engine room with a temp of 85 degrees? We did. Here is what happens: The batteries are located in the back of the engine room. You must crawl over the engine and lay on your side and lift each battery onto the plank that is now laying over the engine. Once you have the battery on the plank your ever helpful spouse pulls it over the engine and places on the salon floor. The good news is that you get to do this four times.
Before you can replace the batteries you have to order them in Spanish from the local shop in the town of Rio Dulce. It takes 10 days for them to arrive via a chicken bus which is really not that long at all when you think about it. The happy day arrives when your new batteries arrive and you borrow the dolly from the marina and put it in your 10 foot fiberglass launcha and head to town.
That was the easy part. Only 3 batteries will fit on the dolly....so Cindy gets to push the dolly and Michael gets to carry 1-50lb battery 4 blocks fighting traffice that includes; motorcycles, cows in open trucks, other venders, cars and people everywhere. We make it the 4 blocks and down to the ramp and then lift each battery into our launch and head down the river to the big boat. Now you get to lift the batteries onto the dock and then to the boat and down the companion way stairs.
Michael gets to crawl back over the enging and assumes the position. Each battery is lifted onto the plank and lifted into its own little fiberglassed compartment. Then Michael connects them!
Now we have 4 brand new batteries and things are working well on the boat from an energy stand point.
We have more good news. The mechanics just left and we have a transmission that works!
