Halyard trouble

Last weekend...Charlie and I (plus my bro Nick) had a maintenance session and sail...that was...well not entirely unsuccessful.

Main missions were to get electronic instrument up mast and reaffix cable tie under bowsprit.

The instrument is up, but seemingly not working, and the cable tie is on, but it still needs tightening before we can sail with assy.

In the process Charles and I dropped two tools over board each, starting with me, in quick succession losing the shifter and pliers needed to tighten the bowsprit cable tie from the same pocket in my shorts. 

Charles also cunningly managed to jam the masthead spinnaker halyard - right at the top.  This may not be that easy to fix.  It ain't a complete disaster as we haven't used any masthead symmetric spinnakers yet, and probably aren't in much of a hurry to do so.  (And this is another reason all those spare spinnakers could come off the boat.)  But we will have to look at it before long - and it will probably need a pro.  Among other functions of the spinnaker halyard, it is the best way to get someone up the mast.

Anyway, we had a quick sail out around Clark (?) Island off Double Bay and back with a fairly brisk southerly.  We sailed under main and No 3 (smallest headsail) and that was pretty good, with Charlie helming all the way.

We sailed back on to the mooring pretty smartly but the sail-off attempt to start with was a debacle.  I waited for us to be on the right tack before casting off, only to find I'd tangled the dinghy's rope through the newly affixed bowsprit cable tie.  Attempting to hold the boat back with one hand while untying the crap knot on the dinghy painter was pretty tricky.


When it was finally done, we had no momentum whatsoever and were pushed backwards by the wind towards other boats, eventually relying on motor to get steerage.


Have to work on that...

Camping at Bantry Bay

Camping trip with both kids and dog a success.  Good weather is key - wet weather would be tough and too much heat would be difficult also.
Sailed up harbour, passed Balmoral and through Spit under main alone in constant NE in under 2 hours.

Laid anchor at Bantry Bay as moorings were packed, but the motor-bougains cleared out before sunset leaving plenty of room.
Got large deck tent up which helped alot with sun in evening and morning.
Slept pretty well and schools of Taylor collected under boat in the morning.
Stopped to fill water tank at Spit on the way back but the pump seems to be broken - so for the moment there is no way to get the water out!.
Dropped into Watson's Bay on way back for fish and chips.  Trip back with seabreeze behind a doddle.

 The beauty of Blues Pt Tower.

 You ol' seadog.

 Reading in the V-berth.

 Dinner under deck cover.

 Boog comatose after massive dose of fish and chips.

 Chops gets a feel for the foredeck.

Sarah with Boog test-driving lifejacket.