Two days ago I did shoulder exercises. Some of these involve lifting two to three pound/one kilogram weights which is what my one liter water bottle weighs when full. Others consist of pulling at various angles against an elastic band, one of which I brought with me, but shock cord would do. Some, as I have mentioned, require a doorway and aren’t going to happen on GANNET.
I then went to the foredeck and did my usual workout except for push-ups. Last week I tried push-ups, not going down nose to deck, but about half way, elbow at right angles. Thirteen went well. Number fourteen caused a lightning bolt of pain.
I tentatively tried push-ups again Monday. Number fourteen passed without a twinge. I was still going easily at twenty-five, but decided not to push my luck.
Now if I were only a half century younger I could again do my age in push-ups.
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The weight loss is not mine, but GANNET’s.
Last week I took the foot pump with me and rowed the newer Avon Redstart to the far dinghy dock, pumped up the old Avon Redstart locked with the fiberglass dinghy in the dinghy rack, and towed the old Avon back out to GANNET where I deflated the newer one to save wear and am using the old.
The old one is at least fifteen years old and might date from when I bought THE HAWKE OF TUONELA in 1993. It is still serviceable, and I found myself considering stowing it in the stern and taking it with me when I sail from New Zealand. In my opinion Avon Redstarts are the best inflatable to row for a one or two person crew, and I have been told that Zodiac, who bought Avon, are no longer making them.
But then I thought: no. I like to have back-ups for essential systems, but two dinghies on a Moore 24 is excessive.
In a natural progression I found myself wondering if everything that has found its way onto GANNET is necessary.
I have long had a general rule that if I can go a year without using something, I can go on not using it and give or throw it away. There are exceptions such as a second anchor. But stuff insidiously accumulates. So I am initiating a complete inspection of everything aboard GANNET.
I began by taking the storm jib that came with GANNET to Roger Hall at North Sails to have the hanks replaced with a luff tape to fit the Furlex furling gear. This has enabled me to dispose of an old jib that I have been keeping as a spare. In the unlikely event that something happens to GANNET’s jib that I can’t repair at sea, I can use the storm jib to sail to windward and the asymmetrical off the wind.
I also threw away the Fox LV2 bluetooth speaker which had rusted. Two remaining bluetooth speakers are enough, one Bose for superior sound, the other EcoXgear waterproof.
And, perhaps sadly to traditionalists, the sextant is going to go, probably becoming a condo wall decoration. I haven’t taken a sight with it since sailing from San Diego and there are now four chartplotters on this tiny boat: laptop; iPad; iPad mini; iPhone; as well as seven or eight other GPS devices. They aren’t all going to fail.
If the entire GPS system goes down I’ll just have to do it the really old fashioned way and dead reckon.