Bahamas Prep Work in-progress

I expect my arthritis will be killing me tomorrow?  spent the morning yesterday in the engine room ripping out the old alternator.  

had to loosen the water pump to remove the first fan belt, so I could take off the second belt to the alternator.  plus it required me to take off an engine cooling hose.  only dropped one screw driver into the bilge and a nut down somewhere?  (still lost) went to NAPA for replacement belts and spares, plus a new alternator.  (its currently up in miami and will be here monday.)  plus I got 5 gallons of oil to do oil changes to both engines. 

The Napa man pointed out - duhhh - a huge wear pattern in the old alternator fan belt.  Said, "it's not the right kind for diesel engines pulleys.  Yours is for a lawnmower."  so the new belts will be wearing better...  (does it ever end?  will I learn it all before I quit?)  good to know something is right, now finally.  hope the brand new alternator solves the problem!  (the old one made some funky noise when spinning by hand)  the napa man put it on a machine and it tested as 'working'.  (he said, 'the bearings are going out.  i bet there's black dust down there?')  WE got it to work some too on the ICW trip.  it was the not working times that bothered me.  also the jumping and bouncing RPM gauge gave me pause.  (at times the gauge on both the alternator and the rpm would jump around and even quit altogether)  I expect both problems to be solved with the new alternator.  It's worth the $80 for piece of mind.  plus, the next option is an electrician on board to check all and that costs over $80 per hr.

Fingers crossed that it all goes in and runs smooth for at least a year!  Hey, a guy can dream....

more later.  it's nap time here now. 

-Skip