Day 306

Sistering the Dock, Testing the Engine

Dawn fog hid the lighthouse. Jenny sat on the dock bench, ankle wrapped, while Kevin pulled the Yanmar prop shaft from the dinghy. He spun it against the flat plate — true. "Shaft's straight. Sleeve held." Jenny watched the tide rise against the pilings. "It's straight enough for now. Look at the water line, Kevin. The tide's coming in and the pilings are practically sponging." Kevin fetched the greenheart knee and galvanized spikes. "Aye. Slack water's in twenty. I'll sister the greenheart knee then — got the stock cut and dry." Jenny held the lantern. "Don't just spike it. We need a doubler plate or it'll tear right through the rot." She probed the planks with a spike. "It's deeper than it looks, Kevin. You need to go at least two feet past the black rot or the greenheart won't have anything to bite into." Kevin drilled, Jenny listening. "There. It's turning pale. You've hit the sound wood." He drove the spikes. "Holding firm." She watched the knee. "That's it. It's actually holding." "Seam's clean. No shift." Midday heat baked the island. Kevin bolted the propeller back on, checking for wobble — still a vibration. Jenny tested garden soil. "The pH is 5.5. We need to mix this in before we plant anything." Kevin turned lime six inches deep. Evening found them at the old shrine. "The pH is right, Kevin. I'm starting the patch tomorrow. I can't wait for the boat." "Good. The bed by the wall gets morning sun — best spot for the tomatoes." Jenny checked tarp corners. Kevin started the fire. "Water's still hot from the limpets."

Scenes

the dock · dawn

The Fog and the Vibration

The thick fog blankets the water, obscuring the lighthouse in a grey void. Jenny sits on the dock bench, adjusting her wrapped ankle while Kevin inspects the Yanmar prop shaft removed from the dinghy. The tide laps rhythmically against the softened pilings.

Kevin confirmed the Yanmar prop shaft runs true with the new bronze sleeve, then fetched the greenheart sister beam and galvanized spikes to reinforce the dock mooring ring. Jenny tested the rot depth in the dock planks and found decay extending deep into the timber, while the rising tide lapped at the softened pilings.

🔧 Kevin12:05

Shaft's straight. Sleeve held.

Set the prop shaft on the clean rag beside the V-blocks and reach for the prop puller to remove the propeller for inspection.

💭 thought

The shaft runs true in the V-blocks — no bend at the coupling. Bronze sleeve's holding. Vibration's got to be the prop itself or the cutlass bearing. Need to check the prop for nicks and the bearing for play once I get the housing off.

🌿 Jenny12:05

It's straight enough for now. Look at the water line, Kevin. The tide's coming in and the pilings are practically sponging.

Tighten the fabric wrap on my ankle and gesture toward the softened timber of the jetty.

💭 thought

He's so focused on the metal. The wood beneath us is practically porridge and he's worried about a sleeve.

🔧 Kevin12:06

Aye. Slack water's in twenty. I'll sister the greenheart knee then — got the stock cut and dry.

Stand, brush sawdust from my hands, and walk to the shed to fetch the greenheart sister beam and the galvanized spikes.

💭 thought

She's right — the wood's giving under the tide like wet cardboard. If we don't sister that beam before the next surge, the whole ring'll pull free. I can feel the throb in her ankle through the bench — she's hiding how bad it is.

🌿 Jenny12:07

Don't just spike it. We need a doubler plate or it'll tear right through the rot.

Watch him walk away, then lean forward to press a finger into one of the rotten planks to feel how deep the decay goes.

💭 thought

Greenheart is too hard for these rotten pilings; it'll just crush the soft wood around it. But at least he's moving.

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the dock · morning

Sistering the greenheart knee

Kevin and Jenny stand at the dock mooring ring as the tide rises. The greenheart knee lies beside the doubler plate. Kevin has the auger and spikes ready. Jenny holds a lantern against the fog. The pilings groan softly under the water's pressure.

Kevin and Jenny reinforced the dock beam by driving galvanized spikes through the rotted section. The joint is now firm against the piling, securing the structure for the time being. The brutal midday heat intensifies as the work concludes.

🌿 Jenny12:09

It's deeper than it looks, Kevin. You need to go at least two feet past the black rot or the greenheart won't have anything to bite into.

Hold the lantern steady, angling the light specifically into the honeycombed gap between the doubler plate and the piling.

💭 thought

The water is already touching the rot. If he doesn't drive those spikes deep enough into the sound wood, the whole assembly is just a heavy piece of jewelry on a sinking ship.

🔧 Kevin12:09

Two feet past. Drilling now.

Position the auger at the marked point on the greenheart knee, brace against the piling, and begin boring the first hole through the knee and into the piling below the rot line.

💭 thought

She's right — the rot eats downward along the grain. If I don't reach sound timber, the spikes just pull out. The lantern light catches the honeycomb perfectly; she knows this work better than she lets on.

🌿 Jenny12:10

Listen to the drill. Tell me when the resistance gets heavy again.

Lean in closer, watching the shavings come up from the auger to see if they're still black and wet or finally turning pale and solid.

💭 thought

The sound of the auger is too high-pitched. He's hitting something—either a knot or a void. He needs to feel the resistance change.

🔧 Kevin12:10

Drilling.

Turn the auger steadily, feeling for the change in resistance, watching the shavings pile up on the dock planks — black at first, then gradually lightening as the bit drives deeper.

💭 thought

Good eye. The shavings tell the truth — black and wet means rot, pale and dry means sound wood. She's earned the right to watch this.

🌿 Jenny12:12

There. It's turning pale. You've hit the sound wood.

Reach down and brush a handful of the pale shavings between my fingers to confirm the density.

💭 thought

There it is. The color is shifting. Pale, dense heartwood. He's finally reached the part of the piling that isn't compost.

🔧 Kevin12:12

Sound wood. Starting the spikes.

Withdraw the auger, then drive the first galvanized spike through the pre-drilled hole in the greenheart knee and into the sound piling below, using the mallet to seat it flush.

💭 thought

Pale and fibrous — that's the heartwood talking. Two inches past the black zone now. This knee will hold if we spike it right.

🌿 Jenny12:14

Good. Keep them tight. Don't let the knee shift while you're driving the second one.

Place a hand firmly on the greenheart knee, bracing it against the piling to keep it perfectly flush.

💭 thought

One is a start, but one is just a pivot point. He needs to get the rest in quickly before the tide pushes any harder against the beam.

🔧 Kevin12:14

Holding firm.

Align the second spike with its hole, then drive it home with the mallet, watching the knee draw tight against the piling as the wood grips the steel.

💭 thought

Her hand is steady, pressure even — she's bracing not just the wood but the moment. This is how we do it: muscle and trust.

🌿 Jenny12:16

That's it. It's actually holding.

Let out a long breath and slide my hand along the seam where the greenheart meets the piling to check for any remaining gaps.

💭 thought

It's finally tight. The gap is closed. I can feel the vibration of the mallet through the wood, and for the first time in weeks, it doesn't feel like the dock is about to dissolve.

🔧 Kevin12:16

Seam's clean. No shift.

Run my palm along the joint from top to bottom, feeling for any play or gap, then step back to sight down the length of the reinforced mooring ring.

💭 thought

No give. The seam is tight — heartwood gripping steel, piling breathing slow under the tide. It's not just holding; it's seated.

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the dock · midday

Midday Stasis

Kevin is at the dock while Jenny is in the garden.

Kevin spends the midday inspecting the Yanmar engine mounts to isolate the source of the vibration despite the true prop shaft. Jenny checks the garden, ensuring the shade cloth is securely staked down against the dry dry season heat.

🔧 Kevin12:18

Kevin — walk to the cottage for water and a moment in the shade, then fetch the greenheart sister beam and galvanized spikes from the workshop to reinforce the dock mooring ring before the tide turns.

💭 thought

The heat’s getting in my bones, and the dock’s still weak where the ring bites into the piling. I should’ve started on that sister beam this morning instead of waiting for Jenny to test the rot.

🌿 Jenny12:20

Jenny — carefully adjust the edges of the shade cloth, tucking the fabric deeper into the soil to block the midday glare.

💭 thought

The heat is oppressive today. If the soil surface bakes, the moisture will just wick away and the seeds will roast before they even think about waking up.

🔧 Kevin12:22

Kevin — carry the greenheart sister beam and galvanized spikes down to the dock, position the beam alongside the compromised piling where the mooring ring mortise has rotted through, and start driving spikes through the beam into sound timber below

💭 thought

Greenheart's heavy but it'll outlast the rot. Spikes'll hold if I drive them deep enough into sound wood past the punk.

🌿 Jenny12:24

Jenny — sink down onto the dirt beside the bed and stare at the soil, tracing the lines of the tarp with a finger.

💭 thought

I'm starving, but the thought of moving my ankle back to the cottage feels like a mountain. I just want to see one green shoot.

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the dock · afternoon

Afternoon Heat Peak

Kevin is at the dock while Jenny is in the garden.

Kevin stands at the dock in the dry heat, holding the Yanmar propeller against the flat plate to check for any wobble in the shaft. Jenny is at the garden, carrying the spade and the bag of lime as she tests the moisture in the trays to determine if they are ready for the heirloom seeds.

🔧 Kevin12:26

Kevin — walk to the dinghy, loosen the prop nut with the wrench, and pull the propeller off the shaft

💭 thought

The engine mounts are tight—no play I can feel—but the vibration’s still there under load. If it’s not the shaft or the mounts, it’s got to be alignment or the prop itself. I’ll pull it and have a proper look.

🌿 Jenny12:28

Jenny — press a finger into the soil of the tomato and basil trays to check the moisture depth.

💭 thought

The soil is pulling away from the edges of the trays. If the root balls dry out now, the damping-off will be the least of my worries.

🔧 Kevin12:30

Kevin — inspect the propeller blades for nicks, cracks, or bent tips, then set it on the flat plate to check for runout

💭 thought

Prop’s off. Shaft spins free and true by hand—no wobble, no grind. The bronze sleeve I pressed on is holding. That leaves the prop itself, or the alignment between engine and shaft. I’ll check the prop for damage first, then true it if needed.

🌿 Jenny12:32

Jenny — walk to the garden shed and retrieve the spade and the bag of crushed lime.

💭 thought

I can't just keep staring at them. The soil is too dry, and the wind is starting to pick up. If I don't prep the patch now, I'm just procrastinating the fear.

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the old shrine · evening

The afternoon heat peaks

Kevin returns the propeller to the dinghy while Jenny returns from the shed with the lime.

Kevin and Jenny meet at the old shrine as the heat begins to fade. They discuss the engine vibration and the upcoming supply boat arrival while the tide rises against the shore.

🌿 Jenny12:37

The pH is 5.5. We need to mix this in before we plant anything.

Kneels in the dirt and begins scattering the lime over the prepared garden patch with the spade.

💭 thought

The soil is too acidic; if I don't fix the pH now, I'm just wasting Grandma's legacy.

🔧 Kevin12:37

Want me to turn it in?

walk over to the garden patch and pick up the garden fork

💭 thought

She's working the soil like it's any other evening, but her ankle's still swollen — saw the wince when she shifted weight to the spade. Should've checked it properly this morning instead of letting her brush it off.

🌿 Jenny12:38

Yeah. Just make sure it gets deep enough—not just on the surface.

Wipes sweat from her forehead with the back of a muddy hand and watches him work the soil.

💭 thought

way hands are shaking too much to do it properly anyway, and my ankle is killing me.

🔧 Kevin12:39

Six inches. I'll get it.

drive the fork tines deep into the bed and lever the soil over, working methodically along the row

💭 thought

She's watching me work instead of sitting down. Ankle's bothering her more than she'll say. The lime needs turning in proper — six inches at least for the roots to reach it.

🌿 Jenny12:41

Thanks. Don't leave any big clumps.

Reaches into her pocket and pulls out the small tin of heirloom seeds, tracing the worn metal with her thumb.

💭 thought

If this doesn't work, I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore.

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the old shrine · night

Evening Meal Prep

Kevin and Jenny prepare the limpets and sea beet as the shadows lengthen across the island.

Kevin and Jenny rest at the old shrine as the air pressure drops. Kevin reflects on the persistent vibration in the dinghy's engine, while Jenny monitors the drying heirloom seeds in the calm heat.

🌿 Jenny12:41

The pH is right, Kevin. I'm starting the patch tomorrow. I can't wait for the boat.

pull the heirloom seed tin from my pocket and thumb out a single, dry seed.

💭 thought

If I don't plant them now, I'll lose another year because I was too scared of a bad harvest.

🔧 Kevin12:42

Good. The bed by the wall gets morning sun — best spot for the tomatoes.

walk down the ridge toward the cottage, the shrine stones fading behind me

💭 thought

She's been waiting months for this. The soil's ready, the pH is right, and she's got the seed in her hand. All I've done is watch her carry the weight of it.

🌿 Jenny12:43

I'll check the tarp corners one last time first.

trace the edge of the seed in my palm, looking at the unwept patch of the garden.

💭 thought

He thinks it's just about tomatoes, but the soil is hungry for everything.

🔧 Kevin12:44

I'll start the fire. Water's still hot from the limpets.

turn toward the cottage porch, hand on the door frame

💭 thought

She's stalling. The seed, the tarp, the garden — anything to keep from going inside where it's quiet and the radio sits cold.

🌿 Jenny12:45

I'll be in in a minute.

put the seed back into the tin and look at the worn names on the stone.

💭 thought

I'm so tired, but the light is too perfect to go inside.

🔧 Kevin12:46

Take your time. I'll be by the stove.

step onto the porch, lean against the post, and watch her silhouette against the stones as the light drops

💭 thought

She's not coming in. Not yet. She's reading the names like they might answer. I won't push. I'll wait where she can see me.

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What changed

Jenny's injury has healed.

healed · dawn

3 intentions for today.

plan · dawn

×2

A tree has come down across the path in the wind.

tree_down · dawn

engine vibration fix: 40%.

project · dawn

dock plank rot penetrates fully through to the main beam; structural integrity compromised below the waterline

discovery · dawn

Kevin made a sketch: "Tight against the piling".

made · morning

engine vibration fix: 50%.

project · morning

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · morning

engine vibration fix: 60%.

project · midday

engine vibration fix: 70%.

project · afternoon

engine vibration fix: 80%.

project · evening

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · evening

engine vibration fix: 90%.

project · night

← Day 305 Day 307 →

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.