Bought my new electric motor the other day.  220 volts, three phase with a 110 brake.  I have to wire in the 13 small 24 gauge wires from the receiver I bought last month and then wire that to the Siemens motor controller, inverter and the 220v transformer that provides the power from the inverter.  All this so that the hand-held remote controls will work the winch that the new motor powers.

The circuitry for this is simple, really.  A bunch of wires in, a bunch of wires out and relays and switches thrown about willy-nilly to make sure it all happens in sequence.  I understand that it is a piece of cake.  For someone.  Not me.

I was very fortunate – the seller explained it all to me in a few short minutes while I was putting the motor in the car.  Of course it sounded like Swahili to me but he seemed to know what he was talking about.  “So, do you know what you just said?”, I asked.  “Um, yeah?  I do.”  “Good.  Leave me your phone number and e-mail.  I’ll send questions with diagrams.  Please say all that you did again when I do that but say it in writing, slowly and not in a foreign language!” “I was speaking English!” “No you weren’t.  The devil is having his way with you.  You were speaking in tongues!”

And that is the way it is out here.  You conceive of something basically simple in concept, anyway.  A marine ways.  What could be simpler?  They have had marine ways since they have had boats.  Shouldn’t be too hard to build.  Right?  ‘Course, we modern guys don’t have 100 slaves to heave and pull the lines so we have to make do with mini-computers, electric motors and remote control devices.  I think slaves are better.

And they don’t make the machinery easy to install.  The remote control devices – industrial quality, don’t you know, didn’t come with instructions!  There are 13 wires coming from the receiver.  Dangling.  NO instructions.  So, where do they go?  I contacted the supplier.  “Yeah, geez. Isn’t that a crazy thing?  They don’t have instructions.  I’ve been through this before.  You can call Kang in Langley.  It is his company that makes them.  Problem is he doesn’t speak English too well and just gets mad when we ask him questions.”

“I’ll call him.  I really need to know where these wires go.” “Good luck.  The mill guys just bought 17.  They already have a dozen or so.  So they do work and the guys like ém, but I have no idea how to wire them in.”  “I’ll try Kang.  If that fails, will the mill guys show me?” “I’ll ask them but they are going on strike pretty soon.”

“Mr. Kang?  I bought a pair of your 760Xls.  They seem great.  But I am not an electrician.  Do you have a wiring diagram?” OOOhhhhh Sebun sisty Eserrrs…………you must buy from surprier.  No direct sales!  Rank you.” “No….No………Hold on………..I already HAVE them.  I am just confused over the wiring.  Can you help?” “So sorry.  No direct sales.  You call surprier.  I have phone number.”

Mr Kang was already getting agitated.  I could hear his thoughts……..“What is wrong with these people.  I don’t speak English.  They should talk to the guy I sell through.  That is why I have a distributor.  If I could speak English I could sell direct!” So, due to my gift of clairvoyance, I sympathized with Kang and was, in any event, not getting anywhere and just making him mad.  I could determine the wiring diagram of a Korean’s cerebral cortex in Langley easier than I could of the product he sells and so I bid him adieu.  In French, of course.  Why not?  He was already ticked.  “Au revoir, Mr Kang.  Bon Chance en Canada, eh? Ecrivez Instruciones (‘instruciones’ is Spanish but it was all I had at the time) síl vous plait.  Bon pour economics, sais vous?” “No direct sales!” he said in salutation.  I think we understood each other.  We parted amicably.

Sadly, it is little obstacles like this one that hold up my progress.  If I was just better educated, skilled, equipped and multi-lingual, I could get on with things.  Physical energy would also help but we have to be realistic.  This chore is going to require teaching myself to weld, figuring out the wiring of a remote control device and it’s attendant attachments and applying all this to galvanized tracks weighing 225 pounds each that have to be installed on a barnacle and seaweed covered irregular rocky beach when the tide is out.  You will understand if it takes a while.  I’ve been snacking on high energy Chia seeds to help with the energy part.  And I’ve taken out a few books on welding for Sally.  We’ll see how that goes.

Earl and Alva left today.  I think they had a good time.  It is hard to camp at our age.  Don’t forget, they have the same irregular ground for camping as I do for the marine ways.  It is not easy.  Still, the weather was accommodating and they fared pretty well.  When they are here, that is 5 of the six partners on the property. We’ve now been partners for over 35 years.  The really interesting part is that each of the partners is quite smitten with the place.  Everyone thinks it is wonderful here.  And that is interesting because most of us ignored the property until we were in our 50’s.  Purchased in our 20’s and not fully utilized until 30 years later, this property has become a later-in-life focus.

Roger and Anne used the property the whole time but they were also school teachers so their enjoyment was limited to summer stints.  Everyone else visited once in awhile but it wasn’t until John R built his cabin that the focus turned to building rather than just camping.  I am still somewhat surprised at myself.  I used to think: “Rocks and Christmas trees.  Who needs it!”  Now I describe it as paradise.  Go figure.