27th Sept 2008 - Mastervolt generators are still useless
Bali Hai
Neal Stow
Sat 27 Sep 2008 23:32
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Today was the last day for most of the crew and it
was to be spent relaxing in Port Colom. It was another sunny day with just
a few clouds and although there was some breeze there was no sign of the gale
force winds that had been forecast.
Being on a mooring buoy having a generator
should be a boon, to provide 240 volt AC power. So it was great to know
that it had been fixed. Or rather it was great for all of about 15 minutes
when the thing just stopped. The control panel indicates that this is the
result of some hardware failure in the engine. To say that it is
frustrating is something of an understatement as it will now not only mean
yet more lengthy phone calls to Holland but, if the last experience was anything
to go by, it could take several months to get someone just to come and look
at it.
Having shouted at the generator for ten
minutes my mechanical skills were exhausted and we decided to go for lunch (all
except Ardva, who went for a massage). We headed into the old town and
found a bar with okay food but very nice views over the bay. After lunch
we headed back towards the boat but wanted to stop somewhere for a
coffee. We found Restautante Mestral, a really excellent bar/restaurant
just across from where we were moored and where the coffee turned itself in
a bottle of rosé.
Emma and I then returned to the boat for a siesta
while the others had one for the road, which turned into two, three and then
four bottles of cava. This was because they had got chatting to a Spanish
family on the next table and everyone turned out to be very
friendly. The place is so friendly in fact that when they booked a local
taxi to take them to the airport in the morning the taxi driver bought them a
bottle of wine in gratitude! When Emma and I came back to the bar at eight
o'clock the others were all well and truly sloshed, the Spanish family (really
just a 67 year old mother and her son) spoke excellent English (the mother
having being married to a Brit and lived in Birmingham). They were really
good fun, the mother was quite a character and was convinced that Big Pete and
Dave were a couple. When they finally left to drive(!!) back to Palma, we
found that they had paid for all the drinks.
We had some very good tapas and paella before
returning to the boat for a final nightcap on the last day. This crew has
been excellent fun and I really hope that they all come back next
year.
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