More jobs being done.. and a launch date..

...the annual bodge'fest that is the job list on Sparrow continues...  

First on the list was a club duty - we're a self help club, and I've taken it upon myself to maintain the tender pen we have on the Chichester harbour side (where I keep my tender - so I'm not entirely without interest) - the grass in the pen was up to my waist at least (small exaggeration) but an hour and a half with a strimmer later and it was up to my ankles..  I'd also discovered at least three Japanese soldiers waiting for the end of the war to surrender, and sent them to the pub.. 

 

Time for a beer and to contemplate the next job - and I apologise wholeheartedly for the lack of pictures - you're just going to have to believe me..

• she was filthy, utterly green, for shame..  she is no longer...  long session with a broom, a hose, and a couple of litres of car wax/wash and she looked 100% better
  

• we've have had some monumental rain since the last session on the boat, and the fix to the screws holding the grab rail is confirmed as a good'un..no water ingress - in fact despite the torrential nature of it, no ingress at all

• so after the fun and games with the starboard cockpit locker lid [clicky] in spring last year, the new port side one is made and sized.. it's got a couple of coats of epoxy primer, and two or three coats of exterior white..  I have no expectation it will last much beyond the first decent rain but it's better than the one that is there and delaminating, and this summer as COVID eases and stock levels begin to recover I will be ordering some Stokbord (a recycled plastic sheeting product) to replace both cockpit lids permanently..

• the outboard pad lasted two years before it delaminated... the new one is fitted..  this will be another candidate for the Stokbord when I get it
  

• I also gave it a wash down with Oxalic acid to remove the brown stains on the water line, and also some old rust stain residue - the stuff is amazing, staining disappears almost before your eyes:
  
  
  
  
  ...and after..
  
  
  
  
  

•  I have a launch date of  10th June (if the weather stays good) - before that I have a few last jobs I need to get done while I still have access to power and water:


1. A light sand and a coat of varnish on the grab rails
2. Fit the cockpit locker lid 
3. Fit the replacement windex indicator
   
4. A retaining clip for the auto pilot ram for when it's not in use (was driving me mad the year before last)
5. Time for a tender trip out to the mooring to fit the top tackle and check it out
   

Jobs being done

...the annual bodge'fest that is the job list on Sparrow is under way...  

First on the list was to take a decent hoover down to the boat which I then proceeded to wield on all under floor area's..  

I'd noticed when I was painting the cabin that they really were filling up with dust and crap..   OK so hoovering your boat may not be the most seaman'like/necessary of activities, but I take the view that the stuff holds damp in a marine environment so I'm better off without it, than with it..  by the time I'd finished the hoover was full, so it clearly needed doing..

Other stuff..

• she is filthy, utterly green, for shame..  I'm holding off doing it until last as while I'm tramping on and off her all I'll do is undo the good work
• I found a persistent drip in the fore cabin and traced it to what I think were the screws holding the grab rail - eased them off, packed with butyl tape above and below and screwed back in - job should be a good'un..
• so after the fun and games with the starboard cockpit locker lid [clicky] in spring last year, I was putting some stuff away in the port cockpit locker and I noticed that it looked like the paint was lifting on the inside..  picked it off, and found it was the epoxy coming away, and the corner was like a sponge..   double buggeration...  two coats of epoxy makes no difference when clearly the ply I am using is utter cr*p...  I'll replace it, the new one is made and sized..  I'll paint it and expect a season out of it before I replace again, but next time with either plastic board, or proper marine play if I can find a dealer..
• outboard pad has lasted two years and completely delaminated... stripped it off, and have made another (same applies as per locker lid)
• The antifouling is done!  From this :
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ..too this:
  
  
  

  

  
  

  

Boats look the dog's nadgers with dark blue anti foul...

First outing..

Steve contemplates another cup of coffee..

Rodders gave us a general shout last week to ask if we fancied a day out on the water on AmiLy in advance of the upcoming Jolly Boys Cruise (*tm) - fair to say that we trampled the airwaves in the rush, but as it turned out just three of our happy band (Rodders, Smithy and me) were able to make it on the day..

Massive Spring tides at the moment, one of the biggest of the year in fact so the tidal choice on the day was not brilliant, but we opted to go early and then gamble on or return..

So it was that the three amigo's convened at Rod's place for an 0830 start, then down to Whale Island (where Rod keeps his boat) and we were off by 9/9:30

Winds were northerly, and I'll be frank there was an air of arctic convoy about the trip, it was chuffing freezing despite my three layers, and Smithy had 4 or 5!

UK is just beginning to open up, and I had spotted that the Lifeboat pub in East Cowes was open for table service..  quick call, table booked, and we were a boat on a mission - an enjoyable (but cold) sail over powered by tea and Smithy's home baked scones with clotted cream and jam (!).

Lunch time spot grabbed in East Cowes marina, and we were soon sat in front of our first pub pint of the year..  yee gods it tasted good...  the food was also good, quite possibly the biggest burger I've seen this year..

Wind was dropping, on the nose, and over a massive (massive) adverse tide, and after standing still for almost half an hour outside Cowes, needs must and the iron sail was turned on for a motor home - said tide required us to be on Rod's pontoon by 5, or wait 4 hours so we pushed it..  we used the inner swashway on the return trip, but as we turned the corner into the harbour entrance the sheer weight of water brought us to an almost stop..  3K rev's and we were making only 1 or 2 knots, but once we were through the bottleneck all was good, and there was water enough to get on the pontoon (though a half hour later I've not seen so much mud..)

Brilliant day out...  looking forward to the big Cruise now..  though I hope it's warmer!!

Log:

Yellow outbound, red home..

Distance: 28'ish - no GPS track (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): NW'ly
Sail Plan: Full main/full jib..  motored home
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4's and 5's under sail