Reason for not going last year.

Does a job’s list ever get any shorter?  I don’t have a reputation for being a philosophical thinker although this is a question that runs through my mind every night when I get into bed. We have a ‘boat book’. Anything associated with the boat goes in that book. From the simplest things to the most technically challenging. The list or rather the number of pages with lists on in that book seem to increase rather than decrease.

Dave is at this moment working with our good buddy Nick on installing the new generator. I  have learnt in my few years maintaining boats (well mostly supporting the maintenance of boats) there is no such thing as an easy fix, a quick job, a plug and play option. The new generator has a different size foot template to the old one. This means the physical space isn’t big enough. So either part of a bulk head needs to come out or the companion way steps need to move, or both. It weighs 100 kilos so moving it around requires a block and pulley system. See what I mean about the typical non straightforward nature of jobs on our list.

However, I have faith in those boys and I’m sure they’ll have worked through a robust plan before drilling any holes and earning a couple of beers in the pub tonight. I meanwhile am listing random items from our store on eBay. Anybody need 48 pairs of gloves? Thought not. But someone will!

We had planned to head off last year and the attached photo is the best excuse I could come up with to delay us for 12 months. A year ago around this time I was having my ‘chippy chop hip op’. Boat, house and business prep are better options when it comes to filling ones time.

Storm sail

Main sheet

Somewhere mid channel on the way to Jersey

Listening to tunes as the sun comes up

Friday evening and all day Saturday were really productive. All the running rigging is in place, some new cleats secured to the mast for the stack pack, genoa and stay sail are in place and we now know how the water tanks are connected. That jobs only taken us…. Well it’s probably too embarrassing to admit.

The boat came with a storm sail that we’ve never hoisted before. It’s a funky orange colour which I liked. My understanding is we’ll only be flying this is grim conditions so hopefully it won’t see the  light of days for a long time.

Dave spent about an hour up the mast sorting out some electrics and putting some pulleys in place for spinnaker lines. I had a little foray up the mast too to realign some of the lines that weren’t quite right.

Just need to keep reminding ourselves that we will be on our way – so I’ve attached a couple of photos to remind myself of life at sea on previous trips.

In crane

Moving slowly

Being lowered

Looking pretty

Yesterday we got Grace back into the water. She’s been on the hard standing all  winter and access has been up and down a ladder. Now she’s in her natural habitat again.

Its always a bit worrying when your life savings are being trundled about in a couple of slings but all went very smoothly and to plan. The crane is an incredible bit of kit and my guess is the driver will be amazingly good at computer games, looking at the controls. Not my skill set at all.

It was actually a warm spring day in Hull yesterday so we got quite a few of the halyards and lines back on. It was most pleasant working in the warm sunshine. Sails next time assuming it’s not a windy day.

We have paid to be on the visitor moorings until the end of May. Back over to Hull in a couple of days – work needs attending to. Ho hum.