Betting Weekend

My dears…

Betting and gambling is a disorder. It’s the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Gambling means that you’re willing to risk something you value in the hope of getting something of even greater value. So if you are reading this … all bets are off!

So, the previous post I was betting on a simple pencil zinc change on my oil cooler… and lost. This past weekend I threw in some more chips and took off the output cap and saw it was pretty obvious why I failed. The zinc was too long. Twice as long plus too fat. These zincs are hard to find due to the fact that the Perkins is an Imperial Whore. Any hoo, with the help of Kostas and an angle grinder, we got a new one to properly fit and re-installed the cap. I’m not quite sure if I should bet on it leaking!

Lets hit the craps table! I had 2 of the the MOB (man overboard) ladders custom made. Even though the dummie who made them had the old ones for templates for the screw holes, he lived up to his reputation. I drilled the holes larger but they still wouldn’t align with the hull holes. In order for me not to find “Dummie” and wrap one around his neck after shoving the other “where the sun don’t shine”, Kostas said it was a bad bet and helped me out. With a blow torch we heated them up and whacked the f%&@ out of them and now they have been installed. Nice blow torch marking , eh. Not to mention my sloppy Sikaflex job (oh, shaddap!).

Stainless steel is really hard to bend. Since we where “blowing and whacking” (pun intended), we straightened the feet of my main sheet traveler (yes, it’s a traveler… a 0.5cm traveler) which were not flat due to them being on the foot of the pedestal hence removed. I had already cut some plywood to fill the hole of the cockpit grate hole and at last, the gaping hole where the cockpit helm use to be has been filled. A 2 day process waiting for the Sika to dry and tightened from down under. I forgot to get washers for 2 of the bolts though… I’m betting I’ll have to do it again at some point. I bet your not surprised!

An other gig done was to re- install the shaft coupling to the tranny (yeah, I’ll wrap up the “orama” soon). It’s like the third time I’ve done this in 3 years… I doubt any other sailor has at this frequency. The bolts are naturally imperial and the all messed up by now so I had purchase  new ones months ago. I was betting on throwing my back out again, and lost, which is a good thing! But my eyes almost popped out. Tightening bolts with your head downward in an engine compartment is a bad gamble. But working with new bolts and nuts is sweet.

But I’m NOT a betting man. If I loose a dime, I cry. But the inspiration has come from my late father. He had a bet with my uncle Takis back in the early 80’s on who would win the elections.

Cuz G.S. found and old sealed letter while clearing out his late mothers home which stated not to be open untill after the elections.   So since Takis was in town, we had a letter opening ceremony with my Mother and Bro representing Dad. Good food (bravo Vicky!),  good laughs,  good drinks, good times. Long story short, the bet was written on a napkin. Surprisingly, Dad bet on the Socialist party to win, which did. The bet was for 1000 drachmas which is worth about 3 euros now. I think back then 1000 dracks was probably worth 100 bucks. Pay up uncle Taki!!

I think casinos are open 24/7, but it’s time to go home. I did place one last wager that winter would never end. I luuuuv losing some times!

Stay tuned

Capt Pete

ps…. G.S. never bet on his Fiat Panda lasting over 30 years!

pss… Tomorrow is May Day. That equals a 3 day weekend….WooHoo! I’ll betcha you know where I’ll be!

psss… oh yeah, Kostas boat is moving along fine. Time to flip it soon