A Year in a Dragon's Life
January 29, 2008
by Michel & Jane DeRidder

MAGIC DRAGON keeps happy in the Bay of Islands between her Kerikeri home port and various anchorages in the bay where even winter cruising is pleasant - not too cold and not too crowded. To make life challenging, we had a couple of destructive floods in Northland, one caused by a 'weather bomb', another by an 'eggbeater weather system' or so our weather ambassador would have it. We came out unscathed, but damage ashore and afloat was serious.

Home port morning.

Our commuter to shore.

We ended 2007 with many Dragon systems renewed having decided we might as well deal with them while we are still young enough to do so. Among other things, we redesigned and strengthened our river jetty, rejuvenated both the outboard and the dinghy, and completely rebuilt Big Grunt, our 75hp Isuzu engine. The faithful old workhorse is renewed with new cylinder sleeves, pistons and rings, new valves and valve guides, new bearing shells, fore and aft seals on the crankshaft, and all new gaskets. The resident gungineer even rebuilt alternators, starter, water and fuel pumps. He amazes me with his dogged battling of alligators.

Repairing river jetty.

Engine repair.

Engine compartment.

Just two days before the arrival of our Christmas guests, we finally sealed the cockpit floor through which a hydraulic hoist (HiAb) had raised and lowered the half ton monster. The massive engine job took far longer than it should have done because of mis-sent undersized big end con rod bearings, followed by replacements that haven't arrived to this day, and a third set that got stalled for days between Auckland and Kerikeri. (Customs had stuck their inspection sticker over our name, address and phone number) Last of all, the HiAb scheduled to pick up the engine and lower it back into place postponed for a full week because of having to go to Auckland for its official Warrant of Fitness.

"Cuppa" time.

Home port visitors.

The delays were not all bad. They gave us time to be able to take it easy, time to sort out and repaint the engine compartment, and to redesign, renew and replace various systems that had not been easily accessible for the past 37 years. We were lucky to be doing the engine job in John and Nancy Wood's shed (known as The Woodshed) where there is a steel eye beam to hoist Big Grunt, plenty of room, good company, a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, and frequent refreshing tea breaks and bikkies. It made into fun what could have been an overwhelming job - people coming and going, sometimes just in time to lend a hand or a tool, man the chain hoist, find a solution, make suggestions or just chat and laugh. We also had time to order a new Dell Inspiron1520 laptop to keep us in touch with the world. (Our Dell 3700 had chosen just this busy time to get paralyzed after terminal meltdown of its motherboard.)

New laptop.

December flora.

Our post Christmas cruise consists of lying at anchor in sheltered coves, doing very little although I must admit that Michel always seems to find something else to take apart. (Today it's the Wood Freeman autopilot.) Wherever we drop the hook it is heartwarming to get emails from farflung corners of the world, and to have friends old and new pop by. We have offered Magic Dragon for sale on the Internet, but we're happy to report that nobody has taken us up on it yet. Suits us.

Motoring in the bay.

Going for a walk.

Calm evening.

A nap in the cockpit.

We both wish you an interesting, fun-filled 2008 with no challenges too large to handle and above all, no alligators snapping!

Jane and Shelly

River sunset.