La Linea - Fitting the Hydrovane
Ile Jeudi
Bob and Lin Griffiths
Sun 4 Sep 2011 11:57
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Thursday 1 September to Sunday 4 September
2011
On Thursday I went to a nearby builders merchant
and got the things I failed to get on Wednesday. Then off the Fedex to
collect the paperwork for our Satellite phone despatched from Mailasail in the
UK. Clearance through Customs was possible without an agent this time and
I took it all back to the boat by taxi. Again the process was very
straightforward and we can recommend having goods delivered to Gibraltar from
the UK.
We left Queensway Quay Marina at noon on Thursday
and motored 3 miles across the border into Alcaidesa Marina at La Linea because
this is where Ted is based with his boat at the moment. Ted came over in
the afternoon to make a start but we aborted because of rain after a
while. We have not seen rain since we left Turkey in
June.
Over the next few days we spent some frustrating
but eventually productive hours fitting the Hydrovane. I say 'we' but it
was really Ted and I was his gofer. I was very fortunate that Ted was able
(and relatively willing) to contort himself into our port lazarette locker in
order to access the stern of the boat to drill holes, fit backing pads and bolt
things up. His experience with the product was clear and he saved us a lot
of time and anguish during the installation and overcame a number of problems
which I am sure would have defeated me if I had attempted this on my
own.
The positioning of this bottom bracket is the most
critical so that the main upright pole is vertical when viewed for and aft and
from side to side. Of course it was the most difficult one to access from
the inside being deep inside a locker and behind the boat's main rudder
assembly:-
 Unfortunately we did not get this right the first
time and we had to undo it all and reposition the bracket. One of the
bolts had seized as well and had to be cut away - all in the confines of the
locker. Ted was working with an electric cutter just inches from his face
in a confined space. I don't know how he did it!
The second and third brackets being dry
fitted:-
 Hold this wire Bob:-
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