October 23, 2018 new Mercury 20hp EFI outboard

I am leaving on Wednesday for a wedding in South Dakota.  We picked up a rental car today and have a full day planned again.  Before picking up the car, Dave walked to the post office to pick up our mail that was forwarded to their general delivery. 

We headed straight to West Marine in Warwick, RI to pick up our new 20hp Mercury EFI (electronic fuel injector) outboard motor.  Our 15hp was not running well and was leaking fuel.  We weren’t able to buy parts for our 2013 model anymore.  This one doesn’t have a carburetor.  When we were in the Bahamas a couple years ago, it cost us $500 to repair our carburetor and a new one was $300.  BUT, like I said, we can’t even buy one anymore.  The 20hp actually weighs less than our old 15hp did,
just over 100 lbs.  There are times when we have wanted more HP, so we made the leap. 

Besides the outboard, he picked up a new Racor filter for the dinghy, oil for the outboard, and a few parts.  After we had lunch at a Red Robin, we went to a hardware store for propane and a few parts.

We wanted to get back to the boat with enough daylight to transfer the outboard into the dinghy and onto the boat.  We got the outboard, propane tank, parts and groceries to the dinghy.  I moved the car to a parking lot about a block away that doesn’t allow overnight parking.  Earlier this summer, we asked the Harbormaster where he would recommend we park overnight.  He said to use that lot.  He was the one who monitors that, and he never checks that.  So, hopefully the car will be there in the morning.

We made it to the boat just fine.  We tethered the motor to the boat, JUST IN CASE.  Then Dave moved it onto the swim platform and into the cockpit.  From there we used the davit lift to mount it on the stern.  In that position, Dave will do some prep work before using the motor. 

I needed to finish packing that evening.  It’s hard to start early because there isn’t much room to leave a suitcase sitting out.  I had the suitcase on the bench seat next to the dining room table.  There were also 2 pairs of shoes in the bags that I stow them in.  My hand slipped trying to open a bag and knocked a full glass of beer onto my suitcase and shoes!  Luckily, only the outsides got wet.  I was sure my suitcase was going to smell like beer on the plane the next day.  Didn’t stop me from pouring another one. 

Dave's new "baby"

Is there  room for me?

made it onto the boat!