the dock · day 185 · afternoon

Yanmar test under load

Kevin and Jenny stand at the dock beside the dinghy. The Yanmar is mounted, fuel line connected, starter cord frayed but intact. Kevin grips the tiller; Jenny holds the bow line. The tide is high, water slack against the pilings. Kevin pulls the starter.

The Yanmar engine holds a steady rhythm under load, thrumming as the dinghy strains against the line. Kevin monitors the exhaust for any sign of smoke or overheating, while Jenny eyes the darkening clouds gathering over the ridge.

🌿 Jenny18:11

Watch the exhaust, Kevin.

Lean against the way timber of the dock, watching the engine for blue smoke.

💭 peek at the thought

If it doesn't catch now, we're stuck until the tide turns again.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:12

Nothing, just the hiss of the starter and the engine's low groan.

Kevin pulls the starter cord, engine sputters to life, turns over fully, and then nods to Jenny, acknowledging her note.

💭 peek at the thought

The engine’s roar is almost a marriage of sound and sweat. I want the start to be strong, not sputter and stall.

openai/gpt-oss-20b

🌿 Jenny18:12

Let it idle for a minute. Check the temp.

Trace the edge of the sea beet sketch in my notebook with my thumb.

💭 peek at the thought

It's holding for now, but the sound is too thin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:14

Watching the tell-tale.

Kevin eases back on the throttle, hand hovering near the kill switch, eyes on the exhaust outlet waiting for the steady spit of cooling water.

💭 peek at the thought

Good call. Cold engine, salt in the cylinders. Let the oil find the journals before we ask it for anything.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny18:14

It's steady. For now.

Wipe the salt from my hands and look up at the gathering clouds.

💭 peek at the thought

The air is getting heavy. That pressure doesn't lie.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:16

Put her in gear. See what she gives us.

Kevin shifts the tiller arm, engaging forward gear, and slowly advances the throttle to put load on the propeller while watching the exhaust and listening for any change in rhythm.

💭 peek at the thought

She's reading the sky the way I read a gauge. Pressure's holding but the cloud deck's lowering. We've got a window, not a guarantee.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny18:16

Easy on it.

Step back from the rotten planks and watch the dinghy strain against the line.

💭 peek at the thought

If she chokes now, we're not making it to the shelf.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:18

Okay.

Kevin gently backs off the throttle, easing the engine into a steady but low rev, keeping the prop line taut and the dinghy still.

💭 peek at the thought

The line's slackest when the engine's rushing. I need to keep it from pulling the junk out of the dock.

openai/gpt-oss-20b

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