We Decide on a Strategy and Execute

In our blog, we've mentioned that we've come across a misalignment between the propeller shaft height and the engine/transmission height. With Adrian-the-mechanic's help, we decided that it mattered not one bit how the misalignment occurred (Adrian's mis-measurement, Beta's mis-measurement), even though I worked very hard to prevent the problem. We bought a Makita version of a "Sawz-All", a reciprocating saw with lots of power and changeable blades. Off we go.

This is the remnant of our propeller shaft that we removed. The keyway, the culprit, can be seen at the bottom. The hole is where a bolt was inserted.

This photo shows the square of cabinetry that I cut away for clearance for the new engine. We'll coat t in epoxy resin for protection and water proofing before we install the engine.

These local musicians were entertaining customers at our local Carrefour store. They were great! Note the plastic tub played as a bass.

This bottle of wine is US$400 (100 Francs to our dollar), the most expensive we saw at Carrefour. Not in our basket...

As we waited for the bus into Papeete to buy the Makita Sawz-all, we came across this interesting business. This bus pull-off was also the home of this lady's business. Customers used the bus area to purchased the cooked products that she sold. She had many regular customers: she talked to this customer for a while and was petting the dog in the front seat.

This nice man at Ace Hardware in downtown Papeete, sold us the Makita version of a Sawzall. We got no break on price, but his decent English was very helpful. Requesting information on technical parts is not in the French lessons that I've taken.

This is the work that's taken me almost a day to accomplish, and that is why we bought that expensive saw! Below a 1/4" of old, cured epoxy resin is teak plywood on edge: difficult to cut. Below the two holes is a 3/16" metal plate. There are mild steel plates below each motor foot, of course.

Conni, Daniel, and Bill pose as Daniel presents us with a copy of a Spanish book on Tupac Yupanqui, the traditional Inca leader who sailedfrom Peru to French Polynesia. We'll see Daniel, a Peruvian documentary film maker, again when we visit his country, Peru. Thank you, Daniel.