Back in Oz after 3 months away. A mate ran the engine and cleaned out rain water while I was away and did a great job. She didn't smell (not much anyway) and the engine started first kick.
Morning Bird went up on the hard on Monday and now has a new stern bearing, the old one only lasted a couple of hundred hours, a touch up on the anti foul and is just awaiting a survey for insurance.
My boat has a longish shaft, supported only at the stern gland and then the stern bearing 2.5 metres back, so the stern bearing takes a lot of weight. The one just replaced was a hard material and we have put a "rubber" based one in to provide smoother operation and spread the load better. I am resigned to replacing it every few years.
I'm looking forward to another Lord Howe attempt next month. Two handed at this stage. The east coast current and conditions are looking favourable. We start shakedown in a couple of weeks to get both of us working together on the boat and to ensure Paddy is totally familiar with all my systems.
I like your solar panel arrangement and also am interested in the mounting.

SirJman said..

Where does one get those pipe mounts with the wing nuts for the solar mounts?

pipe mounts came from Whitworths. They were originally sold with longs screws and a little plastic horn cleat.

Good afternoon Ladies and Gents.
Can any of our West Aus members assist me with the best place to get anti foul cheap? If there is such a thing as cheap anti foul.
Is there anyone apart from Whitworths, Wilsons or Yachtgrot?
Thanks

No worries mate. A few guys have mentioned places they have purchased stuff so thought I would ask. Cheers for your input.

Outstanding work John..

Very rewarding experience
Now teach those tackers to take off the outboard , turn it upside down and get their heads up into the airpocket
I spent many hours walking along sandbars under an upturned sabot not sure what those on shore thought but my mates and i had heaps of fun
ps. have you a picture of your catspaw?

On Ramonas comment re a rubbing strip on the dinghy, we used old fire hose folded over the gunnel and bolted through. Reasonably soft and long wearing plus it didn't mark the yacht sides.

Great job on the dinghy.

Fiesta said..

On Ramonas comment re a rubbing strip on the dinghy, we used old fire hose folded over the gunnel and bolted through. Reasonably soft and long wearing plus it didn't mark the yacht sides.

Great job on the dinghy.

I like 32mm rope around the gunwale, held on by electrical ties.

Those corners on the bow are going to belt into your topsides when tethered by the painter at your mooring. On my cat tender I use wetsuit sleeves folded around the bow. Its not just your boat to consider but also your friends boat when your visiting!

Finally picked it up and drove it to my place

Hot engine alarm yesterday morning - replaced yanmar water pump impeller & gasket (~$50 later). Also found out the my seacock handle has rusted off, this makes me nervous. Do you other boat owners isolate your seacock when not using your motor?

Yesterday I bought this great little cordless multi tool and cut my SS fresh water tank free which is under the V birth. I can now access the top of it. We want ot use it for drinking water and it has'nt been cleaned for 30 years! I plan to cut a largish hole for an access hatch for cleaning. Have'nt quite worked out what type of hatch to fit and how to seal it, any ideas seabreezers ;)

Got the bottom undercoated and one coat on yesterday, second coat this morning but I have found a slow drip at the front of the skeg where the plate on top fits the hull.

The new mooring went in, in Burraneer Bay on Friday, Pisco Sour went back in the water on Monday. So now just waiting for fair weather to sail her from Kogarah Bay to Port Hacking. It will be interesting to see how the tender tows.

A long day !

Details to follow.

But we made it to Burraneer Bay.

keensailor said..

Boatin said...
A long day !

Details to follow.

But we made it to Burraneer Bay.

So Boatin, I'm interested to hear your story about the trip. We have sailed down to port hacking twice now from Botany Bay, both times on the way back it was quite a spirited trip. We had the main reefed and ended up doing the same for the headsail. Have done a fair bit of inshore sailing, but am new to offshore so it was a good learning experience. It's soo different outside.

Very slow trip across Botany Bay, motor sailed a couple of times but when we got out throughs the heads we had an easterly which ranged between 10-20 with gusts to 24 kts. At one stage across Bate Bay we hit 5.6 knts on the GPS. We towed the tender all the way and she handled the trip without taking a drop. trip from Kogarah Bay to BB took 6 hrs 10 mins.