Transmission transitions

Captain Coco
Mar 20, 2020
2 min read

In order to move forward in life one must shift gears. When we cease to propel, create, and change we become stagnant. By neglecting our own true nature, we become immobilized out of fear of the unknown. And as we all know, we are made up of mostly water, and when water becomes stagnant it is optimal for bacteria to grow. Just as so in nature, this same inaction will create dis-ease in the human body. The uncertainty of the future can either limit your growth or drive you to change. As change is the only constant in life, why not step it up in to high gear?

"Change is the only constant in life. Ones ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life." - Benjamin Franklin

When I removed the cover to the transmission on Intrepid, and saw a milky cream colour - my heart instantly sank. I knew, I would have to haul this thing out and inevitably rebuild it. For those of you who don't know, that milky cream colour means that some how water had mixed in with the oil.

Let me remind you, the engine on Intrepid is the original Atomic 4 from 1973. She had been sitting for almost 7 years before I bought her, maybe even longer. The engine is tucked underneath the cockpit, with the only access points being the port and starboard lazarettes and behind the stairs in the companion way. FYI, Lazarette is just a fancy word for storage area. What I'm trying to say, is that there is little to no room in the engine compartment. I have to lay down on my side, twisted, and tweaked in order to do anything... It wasn't until working on Intrepid with my Dad that I soon realized where I got my foul mouth from! To say the least, I've hit my head and have cut my knuckles a few too many times. Removing the transmission was no easy task...

Once we got her out of there I took her apart and gave her an oil bath!

The transmission casing was rusted and flaking, so it got a good sand blast and spray paint too.

This was my first time sandblasting. It was extremely satisfying for my OCD.. I highly recommend trying if you ever have a chance..

After she was all cleaned up and polished, it was time to put her back together again.

Sometimes, just like this old transmission, we can get stuck. We cease up and stop functioning to our highest capacity. By shifting gears, we change the propulsion of our own destiny. Another metaphorical example is defined through the chaos theory, known as the butterfly effect. One small change can create an even larger impact. You never know where one courageous risk may take you...

"It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world." -Chaos theory