Changing the oil...

Working in close quarters

Now I have to admit that this post is a story my neighbor told me the other day.  We have no engine on our boat and when we get one, it'll be an outboard.  I will never have "this" problem aboard the Mystery, but I'll have some that are pretty darn close~lol

A typical task on the boat is changing the oil.  Now that sounds easy until you realize that the engine is under the v-berth.  So here's how my day goes...

My husband and I remove everything from the v-berth and put it all on the settees in the salon.  Even the v-berth cushions go (now is a good time to change the sheets, so much easier when the cushions are out!).  He pulls the storage cover off and starts checking out the engine. 

He asks where the philips head screw driver is.  I (being the wife) asks him where he put it last time he used it.  He replies that it's under the starboard (that's right for you land lubbers) settee.  I turn and stare...at all the items we just piled on top of the settee.  I ask if he's sure, but of course he is.  Why didn't we get that out first?

I move everything off the starboard settee, making the pile on the port (that's left) settee and putting some items into the cockpit.  I empty out the settee storage onto the chart table, pull the settee cushion off (now's a good time to change the cover on it!) and locate the needed screwdriver.  I hand it to him (he's now tapping his foot and wondering what's taking so long) and ask if he can think of anything else that he might need while I have everything out of that storage locker.  He replies with a no. 

I start putting the items back into the storage locker.  About 10 minutes later (after everything is put back and the settee is finally back together) he asks for a wrench.  I ask him where it might be.  Of course, in the starboard settee.  I sigh and start to once again pull the settee apart. 

Thirty minutes later, the settee is back together, but I'm not putting anything on top just in case there's something else he may need.  Meanwhile, he's busy cursing the tight quarters in which he has to work and complaining about scraped knuckles.  He asks for the new oil he bought last week.  I ask where it's at...under the port settee.  Now I have to move all the items I had piled onto the port settee onto the starboard settee, remove the cushion (change the cover) and pile the rest into the cockpit to give me room to get to the port storage locker.

According to her, this is how they normally work in their boat.  She says that no matter how prepared she tries to be for any small job, it's never enough.  I have also be warned that when you start what you think is a minor repair and start inspecting what has to be done, you will invariably find 3 more repairs that have to be completed before you can actually start the original repair you wanted to do~lol

As she told me this story, I realized that I am not the only one who must take things apart and try to logically put them into an order by necessity.  ALL boaters must do this.  My days are going to be filled with pulling out and putting back.  I do know one thing for sure, I'll keep the tool bags handy and the oil in the cockpit storage~lol  That's the easiest place to reach!