Sweetie and Cabo Bob are headed over to the KKMI boat yard in Richmond this weekend to attend a diesel maintenance class. I think this is a great idea because knowledge is power, and if we, God forbid, ever had to replace one of the engines on the Dancing Dragon, we would be as good a sunk. I'm not sure what a replacement engine would cost for our boat, but it must be at least 40K, which is about 35K more than I have on hand at the moment. Just thinking of having to replace an engine makes me shudder and quake.

There is an old saying that goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Not being a mechanic, or having any actual knowledge of internal combustion engines, I don't know whether or not this statement is true. However, I do know that when the water pump on the generator sprung a leak last year, Sweetie was slow to respond. He finally tracked down the part and did the repair, but not before salt water had liberally sprayed the "˜brain' of our Webasto heater. It was no wonder the heater eventually crapped out. At least Sweetie, who is a copier technician by trade, is pretty good at tracking down the source of a problem. In the case of the heater, he was able to read the error code on the brain box, which enabled him to determine that a lack of electricity was causing the problem. Once he replaced the electrical connectors, the heater started working again, just in time for winter.

We put a lot of hours on our engines, and Sweetie, bless his heart, changes the oil twice a year. The trawler requires much more maintenance than the sailboat ever did, but it is ever so much more comfortable. Comfort has its price. The cost of the oil for the three engines is about $85. Even if it cost $500, it would be money well spent. I think of it as an insurance policy.

I'm sure there is more to diesel engine maintenance than simply changing the oil, but when I suggested that I attend the class, I was laughed at. "You can't even get into the engine room!" was Sweetie's comeback. True words, true words. In the three years that we have owned the trawler, I have been in the "˜holy place' only once. It's a hands-and-knees environment, and I freely admit that I balk at tight, closed spaces.

This diesel maintenance class will be good for the boys. Besides having my husband out of my hair for a day, I will rest easier knowing that things like stuffing boxes, transmission fluid, and engine mounts will at least get a perfunctory glance from time to time. Mix in a few hours of male bonding, a dab or two of engine grease, and it's a win-win situation for all involved, not the least of which are our three big Isuzu engines. Hopefully, Sweetie will arrive home sweaty and greasy and eager to put his newfound knowledge to work.