Even though not prompted by our insurance company we decided to replace the standing rigging. With three ocean crossings coming up this seems prudent. However, when the mast was put back on it was immediately apparent that the T fittings on the shroud ends that attach into the mast were at the wrong angle, with a pronounced kink at the point the shrouds entered the fittings. Fearing we had the wrong fittings I sent messages to Selden with details of our mast for their opinion but then bumped into David, the English ex pat rigger living at the marina and who, before illness, was due to oversee our rigging replacement. He advised that it was normal to bend the fittings (but only once) to suit the precise requirements of individual boats. Wondering if this should have been checked out before the mast went back on we put the riggers under pressure to make the adjustments quickly as we were in danger of not getting out of the marina in time to meet up with other boats for Christmas Day. Five weeks instead of the planned two in the marina was taking its toll on us.

The shrouds were removed in sequence and taken back to the workshop for adjustment and all was looking good. However, on the day of departure the steering wheel brake pin seized in the lock position. It has happened before but this time the turning hub refused to tighten enough onto the end of the pin to grip and turn the pin anti-clockwise. The engineers at Precision couldn’t extract the pin so I called Craig at C&C Marine engineers who suggested the two nut technique. For those in the know this might seem obvious but for the rest of us it is a revelation! You screw two nuts onto the seized pin, lock them together and then turn the inner nut as if to unscrew it. The outer nut prevents this and a torque is created that, in our case, was sufficient to unscrew the pin. Cleaned and lubricated it is now as good as new.

We managed to extricate ourselves just in time and headed down towards Ko Lanta island. As we were arriving at our overnight stop at Ko Phi Phi island I noticed the light on the high level bilge pump switch flashing on and off. The pump was on automatic setting and fearing the worst I looked under the floor and the bilge sump was completely full with water washing down the bilges into it. A combination of manual and automatic bilge pumps emptied the sump but the inflow continued and we needed to find the source. As it happened the freshwater pump that pressurises the circuit from the water tanks had been playing up and this might be the cause. Alternatively, and more worryingly, it could have been a leaking seal on the propshaft. In either case it meant taking everything stored in the rear cabin out in order to gain access. In the meantime Annie didn’t baulk at my suggestion to taste the inflowing water and it wasn’t salty - another good sign! I tasted the water in the small sump beneath the prop shaft and that wasn’t salty either! Once wedged into the rear engine compartment I could readily see the badly leaking freshwater pump and by midnight the replacement was in place. Always carry a spare!

The next day we motored down to Ko Lanta in the windless conditions and met up with Colin and Izzi on Endorphin Beta for a wonderful charcuterie supper and to be reminded just how much bigger boats over 45ft in length are compared to us! Christmas Day included a walk in the searing heat and then dinner next to the beach after cocktails watching a beautiful sunset.

Boxing Day was intended to be a gentle genoa run out to some islands with good snorkelling before heading up to the top of Ko Lanta for the night. Unfortunately the genoa refused to unfurl but our initial diagnosis that there was a problem with how the drum had been put back subsequently proved false. We later found that the knot securing the reefing line into the winding drum had fallen down and was preventing the drum from turning in its casing. The snorkelling was brilliant and we were astounded at the shoals of brightly coloured fish between our boat and the shore. It just shows that a protected area around a small island in otherwise fished out waters can be teeming with life.

On leaving the snorkelling the autopilot decided to stop working and instead tell us there was “SeaTalk Failure”. SeaTalk is the means by which instruments communicate with each other. The plotter was working plus AIS so the problem didn’t seem to be mast related. Advice from two electrical engineers suggested everything that needed to be checked and which we have done to no avail. So we are motoring around with no instruments or autopilot but still hoping the problem will turn out to be a loose or corroded connection somewhere. Otherwise it looks like a new piece of Raymarine kit such as the autopilot, compass or computer will be required and of course all the Raymarine equipment has been upgraded since ours was installed - we encountered this when installing the new plotter in New Zealand…..

You may recall that we are seriously overdue for a windlass service, even though advised that if it works to leave it alone. Recently I noticed the membrane covering the “up” button on the windlass controller perishing around the edge. It came away completely and the button will just about operate with the aid of tape and enough judicious fiddling. Fortunately we will have no problem getting a replacement controller back at Boat Lagoon. And then just for good measure I noticed that the windlass is also leaking oil so a seal has failed somewhere inside…….. oh, and the fuel gauge is not reading correctly after the sensor was removed to pump out the tank up at the boat yard.

So, we have another maintenance list as long as your arm and are coaxing the windlass to keep going for a few more days until we are back in the marina. In the meantime we are cruising the National park area around Phuket with its stunning Karst scenery - vertiginous coastline and Islands with caves and “hongs” - interior tidal lagoons accessed by cave or narrow channel and within them side walls hundreds of feet in height. Think “The Beach” and “Man With The Golden Gun”.

New Year’s Eve included a Thai meal on the beach at Ko Yao Yai and, just about to fall asleep back on board, a wonderful firework display. 

We are now clearing out the lockers of old charts, cruising guides, books, clothes, life jackets and sundry equipment that are taking up much need provisioning space and will be taken by a charity in Phuket. After renewing our visas on 4th Jan we will be back in the Boat Lagoon marina for the following list of work. Our intended marine engineering company for the steering, rudder and propshaft work is now suggesting they may be too busy so I am trying to get a backup lined up - not easy over a public holiday!

This is my first post of 2022 so I wish all readers a very happy and Covid free New Year.

Remove and store old water maker 

Sort grab bag