Tues 25th – Another hot dusty walk to Budget Marine to pick up the ordered water tanks. They are not there – useless! I will get them to you first thing tomorrow morning Sir, and deliver them to your boat, maybe even this evening.
Back at the boat, after measuring all the ropes in the rear locker, and a few emails to the previous owner, I finally have figured out the jib & staysail sheets and how they route along the deck so at least that’s another job done. I also managed to figure out the Monitor self steering parts and put that together.
Weds 26th – Spent the day working on the engine. The first problem was that there were no compatible fuel tank to engine connections. Luckily I met a guy called ‘Rabbi’ working on my neighbours boat and he had the required part. With fuel tank now connected and a coating of WD40 over most of the engine parts to unseize them, I pulled and pulled all afternoon without the engine firing once!
We changed the spark plugs and checked for a spark and the electrical side seems fine but the plugs stay dry indicating no fuel.
Surprise surprise, the water tanks still hadn’t arrived and it was time for yet another trip to Budget marine. The guy made some excuse about sorting it all out but forgetting them – yeah right! Anyway, we both jumped in his dinghy and went over to the bigger store on the Dutch side to collect them.
Thurs 27th – My first act of nature in a bucket, like a right of passage as a Sea Pikey! I spent the day making sail ties and robands to better attach the gaff to the mainsail at a later date. All ropes are three strand and therefore all the ends need to be whipped with twine to stop them unraveling. I also modified the mainsail cover to make it fit better and cover the ends of the sail from the sun.
In the afternoon I managed to blag a tow from a guy in JMC boat yard. I slipped the double mooring buoys only to have his engine cut out – jeez! I had to shout at him to set the tow rope free as he got back on course to prevent him yanking my bows round straight into another boat. Finally with his engine started I re-threw him the line and we made steady if not a zigzag passage up the channel. With the final turn and about ten boat lengths off, I shouted for him to drop the tow line. He kept towing, I shouted again and he clearly disagreed with my decision and kept towing. Needless to say I entered the haul out bay going way too fast and we came to a sudden stop with the bow spirit hitting the crane – good work!
Fri 28th – Rise and shine around 6am and by 8am I have been hauled out and dropped on blocks literally right next to the haul out bay. I borrow a scraper and get to work. The growth is about 3 inches thick with lots of the water filled things. While their popping is pretty gross the water actually keeps me cool!
By lunchtime, the hull is clean of all growth and I can see lots of areas where the antifouling has completely gone. There doesn’t appear to be anything to worry about – thank God!
Another walk to Budget Marine to sort out Antifoul. Two gallons of SeaHawk’s Island 44 and two bottles of ‘Tin Booster’, due to arrive tomorrow morning.
Back at the boat, I hook up to the electricity supply and get out the sander and by the end of the day she is almost ready for painting. I have a bucket wash on deck as I am black from the antifoul paint and working in the dirt.
Sat 29th – I finish the last of the sanding and get priming all the bare areas. At lunchtime I meet a new friend in the local bar / petrol garage called Alex who is Austrian and insists I drink beer in one litre bottles and welcomes me into the ‘fold’ properly.
Taking a break from the drinking its time for a trip to the Dutch side to get some Sikaflex, only to return to find more beer waiting in the fridge. Needless to say I do little else for the rest of the day.
Sun 30th – After a night of watching ‘My Name Is Earl’, it’s back to the priming. I am almost done when alex comes over to visit. Could I have a look at his laptop and install some navigation software – sure no problem.
As always, the computer problems take longer than anticipated and with the remainder of the afternoon I mask up the hull and finish a few last bits of priming, before a bucket wash and several more episodes of MNIE and chatting to Kat online.
There is a depression about 600nm due west of the islands and is looking like forming into a Tropical Storm or worse. I need to make sure the boat is ready to launch by tomorrow just incase.
Mon 31st – I set my alarm for 05:30am and start painting the antifoul by 0600am. Two coats later and its midday and can at least be put back into the water if required. She looks really good with a clean shiny bottom. I would love to paint the topsides as they are showing signs of wear but luckily there is no completely bare wood showing, a job for another time.
Instead, I concentrate on the engine and Tausten (another friend) helps me lift the engine down from the boat. We strip the carb completely and wash everything in petrol.
Finally an hour later and after lots of pulling she fires. I put the engine on the back of Taustens dinghy so I can run the engine for longer than a few seconds without it over heating. It seems to run really rough and not exactly reliable, but at least it’s started!
Decision time now as the depression is only 400nm away and there is talk of at least Gale Force winds, so I don’t want to be on the hard. In addition, I don’t really have anywhere else to go. The lagoon is (will be) packed with badly anchored boats and don’t really want to leave for the passage to Antigua yet as I’m not ready.
I’ll see what tomorrow brings, I should be able to stay until Thursday so may be able to simply tie up in the haul out bay.
Two weeks and I still haven’t actually sailed the boat yet!
