In Stockholm we prepared to be a real tourists and do some sightseeing but things went differently from what we planned.
After a very nice Sunday with friends it was time to come back to the real world. Eve had some work to do and spend few days on long phone conferences. Andrus had a task to read through Suwena’s equipment user guides. So we both had some chores to do.
Andrus was prepared to change the engine lubrication oil and oil filter during the Stockholm visit. However when he was reading the manuals he suddenly noticed that we are missing the gearbox filter and oil as well. We had previously bought spare parts for doing service on engine and generator but for some reason neither us or other more wise people did not remember that gearbox needed oil and oil filter as well. So we had another extra task for Stockholm visit: find ZF 45A gearbox oil filter and some ATF oil. After some calls the right store was found in Sollentuna.
Also our hair have been overgrown for some time so we needed a haircut as well. Lotta kindly recommended a nice hairdresser for us and even managed to book a time for us on such a short notice. On Tuesday our hair was done and we got help from our relatives sun Fredrik. He agreed to be our driver and we managed to buy the filter, oil and some additional tools so everything was set for Wednesday’s chore day.
From Wasahamn is a nice walking trip or tram ride to Drottninggatan walking street or to Gamla Stan i.e. old town. We decided to walk as this way we can see the city at the same time. Stockholm is really a city connected to the sea. Just next to Strandvägen street we counted 27 quays with ships going to different parts of Stockholm or various cruises in archipelago. We were in Stockholm during the graduation days.
The under-graduates had parties on truck platforms driving around the city with birch decorations and loud dance music.
The old town is one of our favorate places in Stockholm. Its narrow streets are really intriguing just to wander around and enjoy the atmosphere. We found a nice tavern next to Storkyrkan just opposite to Nobel museum where we sat down once more with our relative Etri to improve the world.
On Wednesday Andrus did some mechanic’s tasks. After the salon table and hatches to the engine room were removed he started to take off the oil filter. Then he noticed that one tool was not on board but at home. It did not help but to take tram to city center to buy some extra tools. Andrus changed both the engine and gearbox oil and oil filters. For a first time while being cramped inside the engine room Andrus was missing the Nordhavn. He can stand with the back straight in Nordhavn’s engine room. Our generator is larger than usual and both the start and service batteries are double. Being wiser from our last boat we wanted an automatic fire extinguisher into the engine room, but the big bottle was on the only available place in the middle of the roof and pushed against Andrus’s back all the time. The engine room is really cramped and Andrus started immediately thinking about possible changes during the the next winter.
Another and a bigger problem is that we really plan to cross the open sea areas and this means that the access to engine room must be built differently. Starboard side of the salon floor can opened and is supported by gas struts. But the port side, all noise suppression hatches and salon table must be dismantled somewhere before the engine room can be fully accessed. If we ever need to open the engine room while underway in heavy seas we need to carry the hatches to cabins and this will be a challenge without breaking the interior or ourselves. Fortunately everything can be improved and thinking while about our plans we really need to make some changes.
The engine started purring and the gears spun nicely so we could continue the voyage from Stockholm onwards with good mood.