This was a great chapter. I've always been a big fan of the adventure parts of One Piece. I think they really set it apart from other shounen manga's.

Anyone notice that Franky has gotten like brutally more awesome and reliable?

Without these kinds of chapters, I would be very disappointed with the journey to the New World. There was a big (but smaller by comparison) sense of risk and danger when they first entered the Grand Line and when they first entered Skypiea. It's only natural for things to be this way, for the sake of consistency.