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Intermittent misty rain the past two days kept me from working on deck, although I did get the deck scrubbed. It was dirtier than I expected considering there is no industry within fifty miles and few roads near the marina. Perhaps power boat exhausts. Which reminds me: when I returned to THE HAWKE OF TUONELA, one of the first things I did was check to see if the diesel would start. I have yet to touch GANNET’s Torqeedo.
Today was sunny and fine.
A rigger came as per appointment to replace the masthead Windex which has been sticking and lying to me for too long. When it did on Sunday I had had enough and went to Northland Rigging Monday morning.
After he left, I installed the new pedestal mount for the tiller pilot and then replaced two solar panels. Sounds simple, but it took most of the afternoon.
The pedestal mount only required drilling three holes and tightening three bolts. But first I had to remove two duffle bags of clothes, a plastic bag of food and a jerry can of water from the starboard pipe berth.
Then I found that I couldn’t remove the old pedestal mount fitting which is held by a bolt through the deck. Usually when faced with this kind of a problem I can attach a vise grip to the nut in a way that it comes against an obstruction and holds, then go on deck and unscrew the bolt. In this case there was nothing to prevent the vise grip from turning; so I left the old fitting which was flush with the deck in place and bolted the new above deck base over it.
One of the dead solar panels was located in the same area. I removed it; but when I positioned the new panel, which has the same model number, I discovered that Aurinco has reduced its size by an inch/2.5 cm, so I had to drill new holes for the screws.
I also replaced the long narrow panel on the port side of the deck forward of the mast.
A third panel to starboard of the mast that I thought was failing tested at full voltage, so I didn’t replace it and have a spare which I stowed beneath the v-berth cushions.
All this involved considerable twisting, bending, slithering, lifting, stretching. My shoulder imposed some limitations and is presently complaining. Slithering on the pipe berth is unexpectedly difficult with a torn rotator cuff.
However, I got everything done that needed to be done in time to watch the start of the Wednesday evening race with a plastic of fine New Zealand sauvignon blanc while standing in the companionway.
8:26 and dark. The photo was taken just before I started to write this, twenty minutes ago.
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Gerry, a Canadian sailor whose world is frozen, skied.
Jim went racing on an Arizona lake on an Evelyn 26.
Sam and his brother hiked in the Grand Canyon.
Scott sailed his Sea Pearl 21 from Florida's Fort Desoto to Egmont Key and back.
In England Martin found joy by solving a long overdue bow thruster problem and celebrated with a dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
Scott sailed his Sea Pearl 21 from Florida's Fort Desoto to Egmont Key and back.
In England Martin found joy by solving a long overdue bow thruster problem and celebrated with a dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
