Yesterday morning I decided to remeasure everything and get my plans straight in my mind in terms of what I need to do with the batteries. I discovered, much to my regret, that the house bank battery boxes are tapered top to bottom. While the top of the battery boxes are big enough to fit four Trojans, the bottom certainly isn’t. Double checking the drive bank I was able to confirm the cases were ok. This meant I’d have to find boxes for the house bank or, most likely, build them.
On the off chance I could find boxes I lowered the dinghy to go ashore. Then it started raining again. Another real downpour. That pinned us aboard so we waited it out and had lunch. In the meantime we discovered a small leak in the hatch above our bed so we made plans to fix that too.
Once the rain had subsided I went back ashore to look for boxes and other items. As suspected, I could find no boxes but I did manage to get a dive tank holder, a breaker which I’ve been looking for since Martinique, a new hydrometer for testing battery acid and a decent pair of cutters for cutting hooks (remember the sea gull?).
Back on the boat I was just preparing to install the dive tank holder when the phone rang. I was informed that the batteries were ashore and I needed to bring in some paperwork. So off I went with our customs papers to be copied. I was asked to come back around 4pm when the customs inspection should be complete. I returned a little after and had to wait a while. The prospect of lugging all those batteries by dinghy didn’t appeal to anyone so we agreed to keep them on the truck and move them over to Peaks dockyard where we could temporarily dock.
That we did and with the help of a couple of guys we loaded the 36 batteries and 7 gallons of paint/primer onto Dignity. Not easy work. The batteries were places roughly one third in each hull and one third in the cabin. The effect on the water line is obvious as we’re now dipping at the front. We need to lighten up.
As soon as we could we were back on a mooring, showered and ashore at Sails bar/restaurant where we had agreed to meet Ann and Alan from Freya of Clyde who we learned are here in Trinidad for the summer. We had dinner and beers together and they, being regular summer guests here in Trini, were able to share much info about the island with us. We won’t be able to use it all as we’re heading back to Grenada next week for the Carnival. Still it was nice meeting up with friends from earlier in the season and catch up.
This morning we both ache a little from yesterdays activities. We’ll ache some more tomorrow because today we start swapping batteries. I am focusing first on the port set of drive batteries. Once we have the new batteries in place I can measure up and take all the old cables and have them cut to new lengths and new lugs put on the ends. With them in place I can then take the cables off the second set of drive batteries and hopefully have them cut and prepared today too. If there’s time.
I’ve had some thoughts about what to do with the house bank but the final, proper job will probably get done in Grenada where we have more time. That will also allow us to enjoy Trinidad a little during our brief stay.
So right now we’re limbering up mentally and physically for a strenuous day. Once the coffee is down, it’s off to work we go.
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