Finally all the pieces on the boat are coming back together! But first,let's pause and appreciate our beautiful boat...
The forestay has been taken off for inspection and the connecting screw and tang (lower stud and toggle) were removed, to be replaced with new parts. Electrolysis and the previous beating by the yacht Lothloria, which broke her bow moorings during a recent storm, had damaged it sufficiently to warrant replacement. Wayne, our structural engineer, took the opportunity to dye-pen the connecting forestay chain plate and tried to do the same with the rudder. Unfortunately, the 5200 glue holding the sleeve for the lower bearing negated the test, so called in was the radiographer!
New nuts and bolts were also replaced on the forestay chain plate by Reggie, Wayne & Nicole, but not before Nicole, on the inside of the boat, bent the last bolt – twice. In the boiling sun and very cramped space, patience was tested. I'm almost certain there is an army of sailing elves out there building boats! Finally, the last bolt was secured. Budget Marine delivered the new toggle so the roller and forestay should be back in place shortly. The new anchor roller was also put in place and Reggie sealed up with resin all the little screw holes in the bow to make it watertight, so some drilling is required to re-set the repaired pulpit.
The boom is back from the shop. Allen spray painted this and the two spinnaker poles, so they look wonderful. With her boom on, the boat just looks right. People and passing vehicles in the yard stopped to comment or tooted their horns after it went on, so clearly the boat has a following. The serviced hydraulics are back aboard. The vang and backstay are in place and hydraulic ram of the spare backstay is repaired and standing by.
Reggie spent last week testing the Spectra watermaker he had purchased (cat in bag) second-hand many years ago. It works beautifully, so now it just has to be bolted in. The same for the HF set which is now aboard. At the same time Reggie and David (next door neighbor who flies that route) have been comparing air and sea passage plans.
Early one Saturday morning (07:30) Wayne organized the non-destructive test (NDT) of the rudder post. Lets see if I got this right. The film plate was stuck on, the safe zone was set, the traffic was stopped and nearby yachties were asked to delay breakfast. Then from its collision-proof lead-lined box the gamma radiation was briefly exposed and the rudder post zapped. By Monday morning the results were in, the patient would live!
Finally a word from our sponsor. We are pleased to announce our partnership with Caribbean Airlines which will support the delivery crew with return tickets and the T&T team with flight discounts. We’ve never had a sponsor before so it seems just perfect that this would be our national airline.
