This Dickinson just makes me want to spend the day cooking. I love all the safety features too. Having shot a deer this fall I've already made venison stew and tonight just had venison steak. One day soon I'll use the oven. I can't wait till Tom, my sailing buddy, who made the best bread on our return sail from Hawaii, checks it out. Looks great in the galley too. Does wonders for spiffing up the old boat.
I've had Dickinson Diesel Heaters for over 25 years. James earlier this year installed a new Newport. I'd tarnished the outside of the old one with too much neglect of salt water coming through the port windows in heavy seas and blows. It had done me for decades too. I've certainly needed the heat winter sailing on the north Pacific coast. Rather than trying to clean up the old one, I was glad to have a new one.
I depend on my stoves and really appreciate Dickinson engineering for the efficiency and safety. Flames and boats are worrisome so it's good there are experts.
So here I am, warm on a winter's night, eating a hot home cooked meal and loving it. NThank you, God!
Once again I'm spending alot of time on the GIRI. When I'm not, I simply don't do the needed maintenance and renovations. It took a real beating on the solo trip to Hawaii and coming back with Tom. The mast was broken at the base on the return trip and the following summer Tom with Barry the welder and others restored the mast and hull to the standards the surveyor advised. To do this the whole cabin had to be removed to avoid fire. This was roughly restored and an amazing cleaning job was done by Joanne's company. Jim has fixed the exhaust and skylights and installed a new Dickinson diesel heater. He's putting in a new galley stove when it arrives this November. I've puttered as I do when I'm on board cleaning and fixing odds and ends. I'm rather pleased with the shower pump and foot switch I installed. The head is working just fine with Tom having fixed the toilet and Jim having installed a new Electrosan. I almost feel like my shit doesn't stink now. Certainly with the fully functional shower I'm doing fine myself.
Last night I cleaned the freezer in anticipation of the venison I've got coming from the butcher. I confess it's not been cleaned in many months. I have to check the batteries as well come to think of it, new ones being installed but it's been a couple of months since I checked the water levels. There's always something needing doing. I try to keep the boat shipshape. The survivalist in me wants to be able to go to sea at a moment's notice. I've an alternative land escape in the RV and truck and motorcycles and ATV. Partly I'm just a big kid with adult sized tonka toys. Alternatively my generation were affected by the Kennedy missile crisis.
Each day the boat is an experience. When I leave I have to turn off the through hull for the toilet to secure the boat despite the bilge pumps I have as back up. When I come home I have to turn the through hull again, and start up the propane system to turn on the gas to stove and head water heater. Then , these days I start the Dickinson diesel heater so the little flames warm the cabin up, the electric heater only keeping the temperature "English" and not "tropical' like my siamese cat, Angel, and I enjoy. Gilbert is not so keen on the heat but loves the boat with his best friend, cat. The two run up and down the dock together when the weather is good and I let them.
It's like everything is on 'manual' on the boat and I confess when I stay in a motel I appreciate the 'automatic' ease of modern living without concern about water usage, heat or thru hulls. There's nothing like being on the water though and it's a small price to pay for the joys of maritime living. The best part is that this leads to my having the boat ready for those trips out to the islands when I can have the full joy of being at anchor after a boat trip.
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