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So really making sure everything was ready I dropped the
mooring and went round the point into Sir Frances Drake Channel into the wind I
put up the outer jib, then the main went up
........the first
sail I've had since October 30 2011........
The wind was still a bit stronger than I wanted for a first
sail, but GL had the bit between her teeth and was off like a rocket.
I have to say I was not a calm
person, and was running about the boat checking everything, and not even
enjoying the ride, my adrenalin level must have been through the roof, my past
confidence in the boat had gone long ago and it wasn't coming back easy. I then
thought in for a penny and put the staysail up as well, whew I was beating into
the wind at over 6 Knts going like stink, while this was happening on the 3rd
tack I ran into a valentines classic regatta which all my friends from Coral Bay were taking part in, and which I
had forgotten all about. When they saw me blasting past they were all jumping
up and down shouting and waving like mad. I then got a VHF call from Kevin
Husky who owns Huskies Salvage, his salvage boat pulled me off the reef! and it
was acting as the committee boat for the race. We had a quick chat then I
changed course and went to chat with the guys on the boats. They all wanted me
to go into Nanny Cay with them to celebrate, but I wanted to get to Road Town,
as I turned round I went past the stern of Kevin's boat and said "hello I
look a bit different from last time you saw me over a year ago" he said
"yes and it was worth the cost of pulling her off" I was non
committal on that point he laughed and said she was looking really good though.
I continued on to Road Town and
ended up on a mooring at Fort Burt.
Today Monday 18 is another story.
Monday, After arriving at Road
town I had to find somewhere to anchor, or find a mooring ball, there is a
couple or three posh marinas which I would be ignoring, so everything else is
rather limited. Village Cay Marina which skyline is dominated by the Cruise
ships alongside the special pier does have an anchorage, I tried but my anchor
wouldn't hold in the wind. So leaving there I went to the west side and found a
mooring ball opposite Conch Charters slips. This area is known as Fort Burt.
During the sail my bilge pump was
playing up a bit so I concentrated on finding out what was going on. There had
been a serious increase in the water coming into the boat, and this was
worrying me a lot. After an investigation I had a feeling that either the shaft
tube or rudder stock tube were leaking, as that was the area I could see the
water ingress. The pump was struggling to keep up with the amount and was not
pumping right either. I have had a few probs now with this dam pump. This time
I felt it just maybe the hull fitting, as this reduces from 3/4" to a
3/8" hole and as the pump is a 500 gall an hour, maybe this was to small
for it. I must say I never had the prob before. It was a very serious leak, and
as I didn't know which bit it was I was very concerned.
Knowing the chandlers were I
could get a new one was the other side of the bay, i set out in the dingy from
the boat in a high wind and parked it next to the road, in a bit of shelter.
Then a long walk ensued, finally arriving at the Golden Hind Chandlers. I got
the fitting ok and investigated the Tortola Marine Services shipyard next door,
just in case.
On the walk back I saw that MiMu
had arrived at Village Cay and I made my way there to make contact. They had a
few ongoing probs, so I did a bit of a survey and after a free lunch and a big
bag of food from the chef, left at about 5pm with a promise to put a full days
work in on Tuesday.
Tuesday 19, got picked up in
MiMu's tender by Alex the Eng and spent all day sorting bits and pieces out,
they were due for the Owners arrival about 5pm so I was due off before
that, didn't quite work out and they
arrived before I left. I had a pleasant time
saying hello again, as its nearly
a year since I met them last, and they are very nice people. After being
dropped back at GL I saw them leave on their cruise.
Wednesday 20, Well my prob hadn't gone away, so with the
input of cash from Tuesday I again walked all the way round the bay to the
shipyard to book a haul out to find out what's leaking. managed to book it for
10am Thursday 21.
Thursday 21, prepared the boat
and took it to the yard, I was hauled out and again I am in a shipyard high and
dry. Started the 'look see' around the stern, the stern tube is OK and tight,
the rudder stock tube on the other hand was loose, the sealing packing had just
about all come adrift, when moving the
rudder the tube itself moves, not a good sign. Only 1 aft seam showed any sign
of water draining out, and one fwd seam so they need looking at too.
Friday 22, I put a full days work
in today, and concentrated on the rudder. The stern inside has not been touched
since going on the reef, it took quite a while to unpack it and get access to
the rudder tube itself. I had never even considered looking at it, all the time
in the yard during repairs! I found my rat, dead and decomposed! during this,
but more important I found the tube had been lifted up and turned about 30
degrees off centre line, the six 3"x16 securing bronze screws had sheared
off! so the tube was free to move. I have drilled the plate today and re
secured it with four 3"x3/8"hex head lag bolts, or coach screws as we
say in uk. Its now solid again and only requires re caulking outside. The two
seams were raked out to allow to dry as well.
Saturday 23. I spent the day
cleaning out the seam aft, and after a bit of considered thought decided to put
a few screws in that aft plank. Eight screws later, all fastened and plugged, I
will leave that seam to dry out.
Sunday 24 I removed the caulk and
cleaned up the seam fwd. This seam is between the lead ballast and wood keel.
Its the only place I was weeping from in the fwd bilge. Whilst cleaning it out
it was obvious the caulking had failed here. Now clean and drying out.
Next little job whilst out of the
water was the engine water intake valve, this had a little drip drip drip coming
from the outboard thread. So removed it and after a full overhaul and re
sealing its back together again.
Monday 25. Did the fwd seam
today, all cleaned, made a filler piece out of teak, and fitted this in the
port side of the seam, I should have said the seam is the extreme fwd end of
the lead keel and goes from one side to the other, the original red lead and
putty has long since been washed away aft of this its still there, but there is
now a 3/8 gap for just over a foot. Even with the teak filler piece it took
approx 3lb of Oakum hammered in to pack it tight, and after priming that, in
went the 5200. Its not going to leak again for a bit. I have prepped and primed
the aft seam ready for Oakum.
Tuesday 26. As I had left all my
sealing compound, primer and antifouling at Chris's dock, I decided it was
worth the journey by ferry back to St Thomas to pick it up and bring it back.
The cost of replacing it was over $500, the ferry ride $35. Set out early and
was just in time to see the ferry leave, there is only one ferry a day so I
walked back, there was plenty still left to do. I have now fitted the wash down
pump permanently in the engine room instead of it being in the head, fitted a
valve at the galley sink and piped it all in. That will save a lot of hassle.
Wednesday 27. 05.00am went to the
ferry and was in time, I would be clearing back into US at Crux Bay St John on
the way to Red Hook St Thomas. Crux bay Boarder Control and Home Security; That
woman was on duty, It took her over 15 minutes delaying everyone before she
understood that I didn't live in St Thomas and was only visiting for the day.
Arrived in Red Hook at 07.00am and spent a chilled out day, saw a lot of
friends and caught the 5.00pm ferry back to Road Town.
Thursday 28. with everything
finished primed and antifouled I was now ready to launch as last boat in
Friday, same deal as before to sit in the dock overnight or for the weekend,
this being a holiday weekend I could stay till Tuesday if I needed to.
Friday March 1. Spent the day
cleaning and tidying up in general, a bit of shopping for food and at 4.00pm I
was put back in the water.
Then monitored the bilges for
leaks.
Saturday 2. Well the big leak
from the rudder was now dry as a bone, as was the area underneath the mast
step, and the leak in the fwd end of the engine bilge had stopped too. However
there was water coming in somewhere which wasn't obvious as to where exactly,
nowhere as much as before, so, decided to take advantage of the pleasant breeze
and go sailing, as maybe I would be able to find the leak with the boat moving
about a bit.
I left the dock at about 11.00am
and had the first real stress free sail! Ended up at 5.00pm at Manchioneel Bay,
Cooper Island, to a very warm welcome to the bay by many of the charter boat
parties and shore staff. Went to the hotel bar for a couple of sundowners then
back to the boat to eat and sleep!
Sunday 3. A bit more wind today
and as I didn't find were the leak is yet decided to sail to the top of Scrub
Island and maybe go right round Tortola.. It didn't quite work out like that. I
had a nice sail again, stress free, and as I was passing the top of Scrub
Island a place called Throw Away Bay and Wife Bay the beach was so nice and it
looked so idyllic I decided to stop and go ashore for a swim, which I did. I
spent a bit more time there than planned, its very shallow so didn't want to
stay there for the night so headed back to Road Town while sailing back and
still looking for this leak down aft, horror of horror's, I found the new coupling
bolt only just replaced had again sheared off, so although there was now no
water coming from anywhere around the shaft tube or shaft itself I knew that
this set up although its lasted me 19 years has just got to be seen too. I
ended up at anchor in the channel at Village Cay Marina for the night.
Monday 4. Phoned up the shipyard
and moved round back to their dock and will be lifted out again next day.
