Little Fire

The Culprit

No, "little fire" has nothing to do with my job as Potlatch chair. No, it refers to an event that happened the other night aboard Capaz. We were sleeping all cozy in our boat when the smoke detector in the boys' cabin went off a little before 2:00am. Brad and I sprang out of our bunk and sprinted (a short sprint that involves a couple of stairs) back to investigate. When we opened their door, out poured enough smoke to really scare at least me. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and Brad started searching for the source. Space heater: off and cold - I had checked it before bed. Engine room: more smoke - but how does a non-running engine create smoke? Batteries: fine. More smoke, so we opened the hatch and Brad was preparing to check the laz where the other engine access is as well as the water maker, diesel heater and other mechanical stuff, when I thought of the power cord. Too late: Brad grabbed the fire extinguisher from me and put out the small flame that flared as he had opened the cover. Ironically, it was the power cord that had evidently corroded and then, overheated causing the problem in the mechanical compartment that Brad had opened. Our shore power plugs in on the outside of the cockpit combing adjacent to the compartment. So, in the middle of the night, in 30* weather, the crew of Capaz opened up all the hatches to try and get as much smoke as possible out of the boat. I hung out with the kids (who didn't want to get out bed unless their lives were in imminent danger) until most of the smoke had been blown out by the increasing southerly wind that had piped up. Funny how I really felt the need to stay very close to the boys for awhile. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well the rest of the night. Besides a little lack of sleep, though, we are all fine. The boat sustained very minor damage and the new shore power plug-in has already been installed and new shore power cord was purchased and is in use.

Back to NORMAL

Austin reads to Brad

A couple of side notes:
1. We are still a power boat. We went over to Seaview East last Wednesday, spent a night on the wall only to have the yard not be able to get to us on Thursday. So, we went back through the locks and braved the ridicule of the lock tenders who teased us about not finding our masts and we will try again next Tuesday. We have to wait until then due to side note #2!
2. The Boat Show. Well, what more do I have to say? We are in the midst of the world's longest boat show. I actually could say alot more, but I realize that there may be children reading these entries.
I will be very glad when the Boat Show is over and Capaz is back to being a sailboat and my house is either rented or sold!!!

Visit from Nana and Poppy