Another day of trial and tribulation for the Dutch Master. Spent all day doing my first ever removal of a transmission. Lots of bolts in places I can’t even see to remove in cramped quarters of my engine compartment. To top it off, as I was applying pressure to a bolt with the wrench, when it gave way, my hand flew past the tag end of a hose clamp, which promptly cut a 3 inch long gash in the meat of my right palm. I thought it was stitches and out of commission to finish removal of the transmission or to fish, as I need my right hand to gaff fish aboard. Luckily, if you can call it that, the gash was in the deep skin part of the palm just above the wrist, and barely bled and little pain. My friend doused it with rubbing alcohol, we put on a pad, some gauze, taped it up, and I slipped on a rubber glove and finished getting the tranny out. I hope my mechanic finds a clear issue when he dismantles it tomorrow so we know what the problem is and that it will be fixed through repair. Otherwise, all this work and pain and suffering could be for nothing if there’s no clear breakage inside the unit. Just hope to get back out fishing by the end of the week, as the fish are starting to show and every day on the beach now is a day of work lost that I can’t make up.
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Mark Stopha and Sara Hannan
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
F/V Dutch Master
Hook and Line Fresh, Frozen, and Smoked Wild Salmon
Salmon Pet Treats
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
907-463-3115
www.GoodSalmon.com