Then we painted:
Then we found the problem with the windlass was NOT the battery, but rather it was something jammed in the mechanism... after a few hours, I got it all fixed up... At the end of the day we assembled our new 85lb Mantus anchor.... HOLY SMOKES that thing is BIG! We won't be using it for overnight anchoring, but when it starts to really blow, I'm sure we will be happy we have it....
At the end of the day we were exhausted but very happy with our accomplishments for the day...
On Monday we arrived back at the boat after searching for, and finding, an accumulator for our water system. The old one was spewing out water on the air side, so we knew something was wrong....
When we got to the boat we finished a few last minute jobs and returned the rental car. Around noon the amazing crew from Shumway Marina came and launched us without any hitches... I have to say, I have never worked with such an amazing crew as these guys are! WOW!
After our launch, they brought us our 6 new Trojan T-105 Batteries and I installed them. When they needed to launch the next boat we moved to a vacant slip and got the sails on.
Around 5 pm we headed for Hamilton. The wind was running less than 10 knots when we left with calm seas. By midnight the wind was around 20 knots and the seas were 4-5 feet. By 6 am the wind was 25-30 knots and the seas were 10-12 feet. Through it all we sailed along at never less than 7 knots and often around 8-9 knots. We were wing on wing with the mizzen and main and used the engine for control.... Around 4:30 Shelley heard some ticking and I discovered the fan belt ready to let go. After a quick change, we were on our way... All along the water pump was dripping slowly so we know that needs to be replaced... It did that last year, but when I went to change it, it stopped leaking... by the time we got to Hamilton it had stopped again... This time I will change it...
The only scary time came when we had to come about to lower the sails to go through the Burlington Bridge... By this time, the weather had really deteriorated and it was raining. As we were head to wind trying to lower the sails we were burying the bow and the seas were all over the deck. And just for fun, the main decided to get stuck coming down, so we had to come about wit the main partially up.
Fortunately the bridge master was kind enough to raise the bridge for us before the schedule time so we made it through without any problems... I have to say that the Raymarine Autohelm system we installed last year worked FLAWLESSLY! With big following seas she never once could not keep us on course!
About the time we docked the weather had gone to hell! 35 knot winds and 2 foot swells in the harbour... We got safely docked and went to bed about 8 am, and woke up about 4 pm... I think the world could have ended and I was so tired, I wouldn't have noticed...
We went out for supper/breakfast then returned to the boat to watch a movie and get some more sleep... This morning we got up and discovered a problem with the hose on the main bilge pump and the shower sump wasn't working... SO most of the day was spent fixing those problems...
Around 4 pm our daughter Kelly came and picked us up so we could go home and get some things done there... All in all our last few days were and awesome adventure! We feel confident in our boat and have some confidence in ourselves as we start this great new part of our life.....
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