Marin Martinique Late December 08 / January 09
Bootlegger of Mann
Frank Newton
Sat 10 Jan 2009 14:00
in the Marina for us so anchored off the local boat yard. Went ashore to
Clear In at Customs which I found to be closed. Made arrangements with the
local Boatyard for a 11.00 am lift out tomorrow, Wednesday.
The purpose of sailing up here to Marin is in order to have various
outstanding works done on Bootlegger including the installation of a new
forward facing sonar system in anticipation of the many Pacific reefs to
be countered, together with other works that included repair of the wind
speed indicator and renewal of one side of the cockpit plexiglass
windshield. The existing pane has internal fracture damage resembling bad
scratching making it difficult to see through.
Bootlegger has to go in to be lifted out in yard in order for the new
transducer for the forward facing sonar to be fitted just forward of the
keel.
Wednesday 17 Dec. Bootlegger was lifted out ( see pic) and propped up for
the works to be done. Waited for the rest of the day for the various
trades to appear. Its a busy time here at present with the start of the
season. Alex from the electronics company appeared at dusk to drill the
hull for the transducer. A later inspection of the works found he'd fitted
it the wrong way around !
Thursday 18th. After the FFS transducer was refitted correctly the wiring
went in through the fabric of the boat; the various units fitted and it
all connected together, wrongly as it transpired, causing board damage.
Whilst in the yard the new wind shield was fitted.
Friday 19th After lift in and return to anchorage the wind screen was
found to be leaking calling for further works to be done.
Saturday 20th With the above problems and other incomplete works still
outstanding, we find ourselves stuck in Marin. Following some pressure
being applied to those responsible for our situation, strings have been
pulled to get us into the Marina to await replacement parts and for the
remaining works above to be done following the Christmas period.
Suday 21st After some discussion it was decided to return home for the
Festive Season whilst the above were done. With all flights and ferries
out of Martinique booked solid until the New Year it proved a nightmare of
a trip. It necessitated the hire of a small boat, the only boat available,
to take us to St Lucia to pick up a domestic flight to Grenada to catch a
UK bound BA flight (see attached pic).
We couldnt believe the size of the boat when we saw it. Could this really
make the trip? Mid way across the channel the small boat's one engine
overheated and broke down as driver Jerome endeavoured to maintain 30kts
through large confused waves in what was a rough passage across this 26nm
channel between the two islands. Soaked to the skin we kissed the ground
following our safe deliverance to Rodney Bay, St Lucia. There followed
serious flight delays due to technical and severe weather reasons, our
switching flights and finally picking up our flight in Antigua rather than
the original Greanda, with just minutes to go ! The odds had really been
against us making it back, but we did.
Pictured below: 1) Bootlegger being lifted out and put in the Boat Yard at
Marin; 2) A Marin view; 3) Kevin and the writer pictured on our safe
arrival in Rodney Bay, St Lucia with our water taxi behind and 4) Kevin
with 'water taxi driver' Jerome wearing the Emerald Green; he'd obviously
seen the tricolour flying from from Bootlegger's yard arm that there was
an Irishman aboard !