Ready to sail

Today was a beautiful day with more wind than we expect tomorrow. But we still had lots to do. Worm needed collecting by car from Fairlie and a few screws adding where the epoxy had failed. None of the electrics were done. Only the staysail was bent on. We had no water, diesel or beer on board. My first job was the electrics. I got the running lights working. I must find a connector I like for them. It takes me an hour every year to re-crimp them on and seal them. This year I had also re-run the wiring down below. Still it all worked. Just the anchor light to check once it is dark enough to see.

Then on to the electronics. I had rewired the chart plotter, depth gauge, radio and tiller pilot while in the shed in February but none of my NMEA links worked. I had left it, hoping the problem was lack of outside signals in the metal shed.

I ran the VHF antenna and soldered the plug on. Radio check. Loud and clear from Belfast Coastguard.

I turned on the chart plotter. The depth came up immediately.

I went back down below. GPS position from the chart plotter was visible on the radio.

Everything I did in February is working! Hurrah!

We met Alex and Marilyn West of the Westerly Owners Association. We met them in Lossiemouth in 2014 and briefly again yesterday. Today we had lunch with them in the Bosun's Cabin. Lovely. 

They are busy helping organise the WOA 50th birthday. There will be an event in the Solent and one on the Isle of Man. 

Then we got Worm and did some shopping (beer sorted) and did the repairs to Worm.

While I was doing the electrics Alison sorted the water, including replacing the tap in the wash-basin. The she bent the mainsail on and we raised it and found a few twisted ropes and sorted them. 

We looked at the tides and the south going one started at noon or midnight.

The Reeds tidal stream atlas said we could get up to 3.4 knots against us. I fired up the Navionics charts on the tablet. They showed nothing worse than 0.4 knots tomorrow.

An early start beckons. 

I started bending the no. 1 jib on and discovered we had stowed them folded. Just as well we were sorting it now. We go both jibs furled and ready to go and left the no. 1 bent on. The bowsprit is run (they gave us a large berth with plenty of room to back out).

Alison has made new staysail and foredeck hatch covers to match the mainsail. They look very fine.

We are in the Largs Sailing Club with beer and wifi.

The evening is beautiful and the club has been out racing.

Hang Spring Cleaning! Tomorrow we sail!