Punta Delgada
JABA
Basil Panakis
Sun 1 Jun 2014 15:58
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37:44N 25:40W
After three days I left PD yesterday morning. I had the
gas problem fixed by renewing the hose and the regulator. The water leakage was
fixed by Tom by replacing the existing gasket with something that looked like
blue tack/plasticine, a sealant of sorts. So far so good but we
haven't had any bad weather either to test
things.
Had a new key cut for the engine as I bent yet again
another key. I daren't straighten it in case it broke. Now I go with no key in
the ignition. The new key did not fit...even the old rusty one was difficult to
insert. The magic fluid WD40 came to the rescue, the old key fit but the new one
is much better and the charge from the alternator is higher. There must have
been some muck in that ignition barrel.
The Hasler mounting bracket looks good, like new and it
does not much resemble the old one. The presence of those side plates give you
confidence. That cowboy back home should be ashamed. I gave him the original in
mild steel and asked him to make me one in stainless steel and what he made did
not fit, he had to weld extra bits plus spacers, and his idea of side plates
were two small triangles, they will do was his comment. Sorry mate you are
useless. He was a welder not an engineer like Ed my current stainless steel man
who is very expensive. He thinks all boaties are millionaires.
Tom put a 20% surcharge on the bracket, 3 hours labour
at 35 hp plus the gas plus bits and pieces came to just under 245 euro. He
stayed with me while I cleared with the Marina, 35 euro for three days,
including showers and laundry. I paid 35 euro for two weeks in Terceira in
2012.
We went to another hole on wall machine as the one I
tried before did not accept zeros!!! Got the cash eventually and we departed I
hope as friends.
It is cash in hand job only, nobody knows what he makes
from us sailors. His only trade is from visitors the locals have friends who
have friends etc.
The winds are from the north, very light.
Yesterday afternoon went up to 10-12 kt apparent but during the night we were
doing 1 kt. Now they dropped again and the speed is down to 2kt. Time is nearly
1600 UTC (UHT Apps) Sunday the 1st of June.
Lets see how I do with the connection
now.
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