Sunday, 21 May 2023

USA - Miami, Maintenance, Repairs and Stocking Up

We are hanging around Key Biscayne, Miami, either just off Crandon Marina or No Name Harbor for ease of access to get ashore. Nicholas is Very busy every day with issues of Meshugga which require attention.

Just before we arrived, our Davit to lift the dinghy stopped working, and he’s had to source, buy and replace the Hydraulic system. Job done.

We had a great view of the Starlink Launch from Cape Canaveral, my first sighting of a Spaceship/Rocket launch! From our Anchorage inside No Name Harbor.


Both our Furlers for the Genoa and StaSail have stopped working. Motors are old and burnt out. Unfortunately, Lagoon Catamarans are built in France and we’ve had to import the motors as they’re not available in USA. And as he was taking the Furlers apart to fit new Motors, he’s doing a Major Service and Replacement of all Bearing, O-rings etc so we should once done get another 10 years of good service out of the Furlers.

Just to add to our problems, our Starboard engine stopped working with the Alarms going wild. Having got a Volvo Service Technician out with his Diagnostic Computer, we were lucky to find we only required a new Battery, and new Outlet Muffler box and flange. Job Done, and Engine working again!

Slowly we are making headway in getting Meshugga ready to make the trip from Miami to Guatemala.

We have a few more urgent packages arriving with much needed spares, and we await our Liferaft from the Servicing agent.

Meshugga is now 10 years old, (we have had her for 7 years), and there have been quite a few major Repairs and Replacements needed, and best we stock up now in USA with Spares as to do so in Guatemala is more expensive, plus Courier Fees, Import Duty and Sales Tax!

I have kept busy with either helping Nicholas (as his sidekick) with fetching tools, and with the my daily cycle into Key Biscayne Village to collect packages, and necessary Victualing required, either online or at the local excellent Winn Dixie Supermarket.

My E-bike with Cart fully laden with packages! I look like an Arriving Refugee.

Nicholas opening one of our many packages

Sometimes I have to return packages and on occasion it’s to FedEx, which is located in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel here in Key Biscayne. Beautiful gardens and buildings, and I was really impressed with this Vending Machine in the Corridor.

Definitely My sort of place!

Kieran, Katie and Arden also joined us for a few days whist Connor was here, so it was great to have both our Sons together with us for the first time in a year.

Ardens Life jacket

With Arden, Katie and Kieran


With Connor, Arden and Kieran


Arden of course is too cute for words at almost 2 years old, and this was her first visit to Meshugga.

I think her highlight was driving Meshugga.


Fun with her magnetic building blocks, providing many hours of entertainment.


After they all left, we went for Another Covid Booster. Our 6th Shot! Hopefully it’ll give us some immunity as we continue to countries where Medical Care is not so easy to 


My latest project is to make/sew a new Boom cover for the Main Sail, as ours is beginning to disintegrate in the Sun as the Sunbrella Canvas is 10 years old.

The start of the new Boom Cover, sewing the Bolt Rope and Zipper.



1 comment:

  1. Fun to catch up, this is the first chance I've had to relax and surf around. Looks like you have your work cut out for you constructing the new boom cover. That's going to be a large piece of fabric to deal with! Arden is adorable, glad you got to visit. We're still in a bit of a holding pattern until things get more settled with Duane's folks.

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