Not a very good day....

[alsantini]

Well, I went to the boat today at the Bayview marina.  Winds were predicted to be 27+ with gusts so I doubted I would sail, but I wanted to put in the hardware for the revamped reefing system.  A bale on the port side of the boom, a small turn pulley and a jam cleat on the starboard side of the boom.  Bought my 8x32 1/2 in screws, loaded the drill bit into the drill, laid the drill down to mark the hole positions.  Check, check and double check.  Measure twice drill once.... yada, yada
Suddenly I smelled melting plastic, looked down on the cockpit seat and realized that my drill was on fire!  Yes, real flames coming out between the battery and the drill.  Holy crap !!  Figuring I had to get it out of my boat, I grabbed the top of it and threw it onto the aluminum dock just as the whole thing burst into fire, "sorta" exploding the battery.  The hell with drilling holes I need a beer.  Needless to say, I bought a new drill/driver on the way home and will try again next week, unless of course it is a good sailing day....  Ah yes, what it means to be a sailor.  Sail on everyone and fair winds.  Keep those fire extinguishers handy and make sure they are charged!

[BruceW]

Whoa.

I'm glad you kept your cool and had a cold one though. What kind of beer did you turn to?

[MacGyver]

what brand of drill, and what brand of beer?

I have to make sure not to buy one, but buy the other, LOL

Hope it helped calm you down, the beer that is!!

Mac

[Bob23]

yeah, we're all guys here! I was thinking the same things: What kind of drill and what kind of beer? We have our priorities straight. Glad no one was hurt, too.
Bob23

[Eagleye]

Al,
I'm glad there was no damage, to the boat or your self. 
I am eagerly waiting to see picks of your new reefing mod.
It is awkward to cleat off the reefing line at the front of the boom.

-Allen

[Vectordirector]

Wow, glad no one was injured.  I woulda tossed it into the lake!  I'm guessing it had an older lithium battery?  They weren't very stable.  Laptops were catching fire for a while, as were phones and e-cigs.  Boeing 777's as well.  It seems the newer lithium polymer ones have a more stable chemistry along with longer life.  My old Delta cordless drill had ni-cads, that's how old it was.  The batteries after 10 years of infrequent use, would not hold a charge any more so I bought a new Hitachi 18V before I moved south.  Great help during the move and when I was drilling the new rudder casting. 

Not much need for the reef this time of year down here in Punta Gorda.  Winds rarely above 10 knots, except during the daily thunderstorm.  Not much sailing going on.  Mostly spending this week getting Arthur's new Cape Dory 22 ready to go.  We brought her over from the yard to his dock on Saturday.  After a quick sail, with a few adjustments to the rig, she sails great.  She has, what appear to be new, Mack sails.  He's been cleaning her up, removing a ton of old "stuff" and she looks pretty good now for a 30 year old boat.  Now all we need is wind! 


Sail on,

Vectordirector

[kickingbug1]

   love a plug in drill----ill never have battery powered one

[alsantini]

First off it was a Matco drill/driver that has traveled around the country for 4 years.   I won it as a raffle gift at an automotive conference summer of 2011, so it really owes me nothing.  Beer was Miller Light - my beer of choice.
I will try out my new drill/driver on the boom early next week and will post pics of my finished reef remodel.  Have a great weekend all.