Progress Report

[Nick]

Done so far:

~ Old engine out and gone, along with all ancilliaries - propshaft, prop, fuel pipes, etc.
~ Soundproofing stripped from engine compartment
~ Engine bay and bilge cleaned
~ New engine bearer plates drilled, painted and fitted
~ Fuel tank removed, cleaned, painted, refitted
~ Forestay chainplate removed for repair / reinforcement
~ Manual bilge pump removed for overhaul
~ Electric bilge pump - wiring conections remade
~ Main winches serviced
~ Cockpit sole half fixed down
~ Sprayhood nearly repaired
~ Tiller stripped for varnishing

Still to do - fit engine, shaft, pipe and connect, fit new control panel, soundproofing, refit inner forestay, stormboard attachment (stormboards currently being made), washboard locking, fit navik and a million other things that I can't even cope with thinking about right now . . . there's a scary list somewhere we made on the way back from Barra in August and I don;t think I can bear to look at it.

New stuff bought so far since FW came out of the water:

New engine, flexible coupling, shaft, folding prop, control panel,
Navik self-steering (second hand)
Emergency VHF transceiver + various other safety bits
Nucleus of first aid kit
Spare (third) GPS - waterproof Etrex
Various Atlantic charts and pilot books
Lots of ss bolts & fittings

Still to get - engine soundproofing, exhaust system, new flares, epirb or satphone, genoa, inner forestay, flexible water tank and probably a hundred more things

Meanwhile also teaching 3 days a week and webbing like a mad love child to try to get the money together to get all the above NO chance of being in the water before June, hoping to cross Biscay before end August . . . .

No time to blog it all, hence this short note.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh . . . . . .. . . . ..


Think I need to go sailing.

[Silkie]

Think I need to go sailing.

I might have a berth available on Silkie's Easter Cruise if you're interested. Get the sea-legs on in preparation for the CC.

[little boy blue]

what do you have in mind for same ?
i am contemplating rathlin island if the weather is half decent. the tides are perfect for an overnighter from kip on friday arriving c 0700 sat.

[Silkie]

Are you going with the Shard/Superstrath expedition?

I was thinking of a circumnavigaion of Mull or a whisky pilgrimage to Jura/Islay, weather permitting.

[little boy blue]

i had seen shard mention rathlin for easter but i was not aware of an expedition incl. ss. he has a big cat has he not. there won`t be much room in the wee harbour for me if they beat me to it.
however i may not make it. the boat was late out of the water due to a shortage of cradles so the schedule is now quite tight.

[Telo]

i had seen shard mention rathlin for easter but i was not aware of an expedition incl. ss. he has a big cat has he not. there won`t be much room in the wee harbour for me if they beat me to it.

Doesn't matter too much though, as there is now a pontoon in the outer harbour, though admittedly it might be a bit uncomfortable in a SW blow.

In which case, there's always Ballycastle and the MacBrayne's ferry.

[Silkie]

I don't think Superstrath would be able to get into or out of the inner harbour if the ferry was alongside. I seem to remember having to breathe in to squeeze by on Shard - or maybe that was me holding my breath in case I hit anything.

[little boy blue]

how is the pontoon at rathlin arranged ? is it alongside the pier wall or at right angles ?

[Silkie]

It's an L-shape and leaves the left hand (looking from the land) end of the harbour wall at an obtuse angle - I think.

PS - Is this record?

[little boy blue]

record - enlighten

would i be right in assuming that the pontoon turns right towards the harbour entrance at the bottom of the l ?

[little boy blue]

ah, been looking about - got you now. probably is. congrats.
was youR record attempt inspired by the impression that tcm seems to be bent on posting on every single thread that appears on ybw at the moment ?

[Silkie]

Yes, you are.

[little boy blue]

actress said to the bishop ( or perhaps even to the pope ) -
" how long do you think you can keep it up ?"

[Silkie]

and seem to be able to cope with 3 of us online while the posts remain relatively sensible (no quick-fire NMs) but if anyone else shows up it might be a different story.

[Superstrath]

i had seen shard mention rathlin for easter but i was not aware of an expedition incl. ss. he has a big cat has he not. there won`t be much room in the wee harbour for me if they beat me to it.
however i may not make it. the boat was late out of the water due to a shortage of cradles so the schedule is now quite tight.

Big cat? It's only 37 foot long. Just how small is this place? The last time I was there (1990) we anchored outside. SC would make a good pontoon to raft alongside, anyway, I would think.
Weather permitting we intend to circumnavigate Kintyre in the week before Easter, arriving at Rathlin on the Saturday afternoon, then maybe a night at Sanda on the Sunday. We'll probably take in a distillery on the way. Plan to transit the canal and spend Sunday night in Crinan, then meander down to Rathlin.
The weather at this time of year will almost certainly kill this.

Alistair