Messing about...

Not mine but gives an idea!

With Friday off to go sailing, I was watching the forecast with more than a little interest most of the week....  first time out in five weeks so also more than a little anticipatory!  

Forecast looked good so plan was to go out to Pap as early as possible and use the first half hour to replace a couple of blocks (rope guides for the topping lift and main halyard), and re-fit the boom which I'd left off when the mast went up. At the time I figured it would be better off in the cabin in light of the weather - good decision.. lots of wind and rain, so the decreased windage was a good plan.

Anyway...  Friday dawned grey and wet, not the plan, was supposed to be bright....  an hour later and I was on the boat by 9.....  errmmm...  is it supposed to be this windy....??

Nothing gained, I pushed on with the plan - blocks were replaced, the boom was reattached, the mainsail sliders were re-threaded....  then disaster....   cooker wouldn't work - no tea! 

 

Bloody thing....  gas canister (check), bang it on the side (check), hold it upside own (check), I even stripped down the equivalent of the carb, still no go....  settled for a beer instead  while I contemplated what was now a solid force 5 gusting 6 through the moorings... not optimal...  in fact no good...

Rather than waste the day completely (it wasn't wasted anyway...  it was good just to be back on the boat messing about...) I decided to go and recover my mooring tackle from the old mooring [clicky]..  I'd have to do it anyway and the longer I left it the more manky it would become...  much to my surprise, even after a seasons use, the galvanised shackle actually unscrewed  (but had to bash it a few times with a hammer just to free it up slightly). 

 

So mooring chain recovered...  five weeks and it was covered in weed at top, and bottom.... (after a quick going over with a pressure washer it's as good as new, and it's home now hanging in the garage waiting for next year..)

So that was it...  little bit disappointing as there was no option to go sailing over the weekend (and Saturday was very nice though still windy), but on the other hand she's ready to go when I do get an opportunity..... only 30 miles off my 2011 total...

PS. New cooker purchased - we shall have tea!