2009 Week 15 in Review
April 5 to April 11, 2009
Back from Mexico!
I got a sunburn, but OTM Inc moved right along.
Calls from Illinois
While I was in Mexico, Dan was fielding a lot of calls from Lamar Construction in Illinois.
They're coordinating main bearing work on three Fairbanks-Morse diesels that drive water pumps for a drainage system in the middle of corn fields, and of course called Dan to ask how to fit main bearings into engines like these. They also wanted to know if he had anyone available to fit them in, if he would need any helpers, what tools would he need, is it true that we don't ship the really good salmon to the Midwest, and most importantly, why is this guy still sunning himself in Mexico when we have bearings to fit?
When I got back to Seattle, I had 14 voicemails from Dan. He was very frustrated with me for being in Mexico while there was a job to be done.
So, I started talking to the guys from Lamar about getting out to Illinois to fit the main bearings in, but their business has the same hurry-up-and-wait schedule as shipyard work: it's all about juggling jobs. I got the "hurry-hurry-hurry," then the "wait, the bearings aren't done yet; we'll call you when they are." I freed up my schedule to get out to Illinois at their first call, but am now working day to day here in Seattle until they get back to me. At least it sounds like a great job.
More work on the Maris Pearl
The last half of the week, I worked on the Maris Pearl. I mostly just picked up some more stuff for upcoming projects on the boat.
I also took one injector and one injection pump to Martin at Hatch and Kirk. Jay got the parts from Steve at Striegle Supply, but the pump had the wrong barrel and plunger, and the injector needs to be tested. We had Martin make up aworklist and parts price list, then shelved the project for later.
Fisheries Swap Meet
On Saturday, I went to the Fisheries Supply Swap Meet. They hold it a couple of times a year and all the boat people and junk people in the area show up with their trucks to make some deals. I didn't see as much great stuff as I remember, but I did show up pretty late. I hear all the real deals go down before the sun comes up.
Another Tugboat Night!
That evening, we hosted Tugboat Night for the Northwest Seaport.
We had another light crowd, but we put the show on anyway. It turned out that one of our participants actually worked for Washington Iron Works in the '70s as an apprentice machinist, and may have machined parts for the Arthur Foss. Wow!
We'll run the engine for Tugboat Night again on May 9th, so mark your calendars.
