Boats**********
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Sat 20 Mar 2010 11:49
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So there we were, over in Tobago, anchored between
two other boats which were on moorings. Come ' 0 dark thirty', no wind and
strange currents, Trouters decided to nestle up to one of the other boats (no
damage to either, I hasten to add). Up anchor, move into the middle of the bay
and drop anchor....er, drop anchor.....OK, drop it now please......the windlass
done gone quencham (translation, the anchor won't go down, Brian). Release
anchor manually and as we're in 17 metres of water, put down 80 metres of chain
(you're ahead of me, I can tell :) ).
At first light, we find ourselves nestling amongst
other mooring buoys and the windlass still doesn't work. Pulling up 80 metres of
chain by hand is really good fun and really good exercise. After no further
mishaps, I dedided to come back to the mainland as it would probably be the best
place to have a problem that might need spare parts etc. So, now back in
Playitta, close to where we were before. The windlass is now fixed, turned out
to be dirty contacts on the heavy-duty connectors on the solenoid, amazing
really where salt can penetrate to, even into a dry, sealed area where the
solenoid is bolted. Thanks to Delicado Jim for offering to strip the solenoid
and Heinz (57) for checking the circuitry. Not to forget the erstwhile crew who
manfully (er, shouldn't that be womanfully?) helped raise the anchor
(26....HEAVE) and feed the chain down the 'ole.
Ah, this cruising life. wasn't there a poem that
said something like 'what is life if there is no time to stop and stare?'
I could reword that.
What is life if we have no time to stop and fix things and buy
spares.
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