How does one reach gratification? There has to be an element of success and probably a reassurance of one’s innate abilities. I have been vexed by my inability to remove the wheel with the punctured tire from the Scaffie’s trailer. I wrote about this last week. I tried everything, the hammer, the WD40, the driving back and forth with abrupt braking. Nothing worked.
This has major ramifications. I can’t really sell the boat with a busted trailer. I could trail it up to the gas station and hand off my responsibility to the wonderful guys who work there, but this seems cowardly and bad mannered as the boat and trailer would occupy a large part of their forecourt. Anyway, driving it up there would probably damage the tire as the rubber ground between the rim and road with the full weight of the boat on it.
As I continue the refit, which necessitates endless coats of wood treater stuff followed by yet more sanding, I try to come up with a solution. I have many ideas involving, Tirfor winches, mules, metal saws, Bangalore torpedoes and such. But frankly I am depressed. Wheels should just come off once you have undone the locking nuts. Why me etc?
The boatyard
Then I have an idea – what if I put one end of the jack against the trailer frame and the other against the wheel rim and then open the jack just maybe I can get enough force to break the rim off the hub.
The set up
So, I turn the jack handle as hard as I can but of course nothing happens. I return to sanding and brushwork. I return half an hour later and give the jack handle another twist. There is a jerk, a twitch, a grunt. It is hardly perceptible but to my high-tuned ears it means a victory that floods my brain with endorphins and a whole lot of dopamine. I am a stage of life when successfully removing a wheel from a trailer is more gratifying that all the usual metrics of glory.
Prizes,medals,honors. Who needs them?
Everything accelerates. I take the wheel to the gas station where the wonderful Yasushi san grabs it and fixes it in 10 minutes. Within 30 mins of freeing the wheel, it is back on the trailer and all my worries are over.
I don’t like sponge cake
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 
I hope you/Yasushi san remembered to put a spot of grease on the hub and the wheel before putting the latter back in place. Just saying.
KY Jelly
Hooray! The scaffie rides again. How’s the other wheel?
One line caused me to wonder. “can’t really sell the boat with a busted trailer”. Is the Scaffie going on Rakuten or Alibaba now it’s mobile again?
Yes I am selling her down the river to make way for next and bigger boat. I feel bad about this as she never done me no wrong etc. However next boat, once I have restored her, will take me up the Ryukyu chain of islands to Kyushu. Amazing trip which has to be done. Come and crew for a couple of months.
Tiny islands with un spoilt fishing harbors set in turquoise lagoons etc.
Ah, I’d forgotten the ‘Norfolk Gypsy sails the Ryukyus fantasy’ dream. Recall it now. Hopefully the Gypsy will be fully fitted with emergency beacon, escape pods, six months of dried provisions and the like.
Probably not as “It is a good day to die” etc. I admit that this is not reassuring for crew. What is happening at Xmas? Where should I send aid packages?
“US Navy aircraft crashes off the coast of Okinawa” . Was this you and your scaffie getting in the way again ?
Have you read ‘Survive the Savage Sea’? I could get you a copy for Christmas!
We appear to be foregathering at Springbank this Yuletide so that might be the best destination for any aid drops. Are you in Onna this Xmas or making sail, figuratively, to SF?
“Last Man Off” by Matt Lewis makes one think. I have seen the graves.
Indeed – “Last Man Off” has considerably reduced my urge to seek a living on the ocean.
What was it that Sam said “a man in prison has better food, better something, and commonly better company” ?
“more room”. Probably fewer rats.
With any luck I will not be able to restore the boat to seaworthiness and thus be unable to ever sail her. Daydreams are always better than reality.