07 June 2012

let's go again

A few days ago, when closing the raw water in for the engine (and toilet) the valve turned in my hand.
The thread it turned on is before the valve not after it.
which means, boo boos if it leaks.

I tickled the thread with a finger to see if there was water.

yes.

water coming in, from the outside, and no back up pump.

Varekai had to be lifted out for a quick over-nighter in the slings. 
It's a quick two person job, one person stands outside with a bar rammed up the jacksie hole, while someone else is on the receiving end inside, by the valve, putting some silicon on the threads, unscrewing it then screwing it tighter.

Boats, filthy buggers.
It had a nice wash down while it was out and a couple of new anodes added to its shaft. I got green stuff in my hair from standing underneath, cleaning around the holes.

Like I say, filth. I mean, it's not possible to talk about a boat without it sounding like some sort of pornography.

the silicon this time was actually evo stick wet line, or something like that. It's a marvel. sets fast and can even be applied under water. (which thankfully I didn't need to do)

Varekai went straight back in the next day, and back round to its mooring.

a few days later, a long weekend planned, as all plans go... it didn't go to plan. The weather came along, the best of British weather and I was consigned to just an afternoon and evening of river stuff.
But even that was short lived, as muppetry ensued.

I had previously the week before, adjusted the furling line on the jib to take a few turns off that were causing it to jam.
Unfortunately, the crew I had with me didn't know that when I said "you may need to use the winch to assist you" when I asked him to bring in the jib for a while when we were head to wind.
He didn't understand that cranking very very hard on a rope that goes to the furler means something is wrong. The sheet was too tight, pulling the sail in very tight and not enough turns left on the furling drum.
Being much stronger than me, I didn't realise that he had cranked up the furling line so tight that it pulled the fixing out, snapping the plastic barrel in the process.
As it went "bang" I realised immediately some bullshit had just hit the fan. I pegged it forward to avoid the sail un-furling in the stiff breeze. All the while trying to explain what the word, "lashing" means to Johnny foreigner Crew mate. I take full responsibility, I should have spotted the mistake before it happened. Now I need to find/buy/source a new inner drum half for my Furlex.

magically though, Rod Tinsley single handing his Moody out on the river managed to take a pic before it all went wrong.
It's the first pic of Varekai like this. Many thanks for allowing me to post this pic Rod.
He's a decent boat snapper, have a look at his site: www.rodtinsley.co.uk

just an hour or so before the muppetry began.









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