Rain Rain
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Wed 30 Nov 2011 21:10
you're stopping GRP work today
and yesterday
and the day before!
'Things' have slowed down a little, as you may have gathered. Still, we have time in hand. John the GRP asked the Aussies working on Abundance (a Beneteau on the hard, also being repaired after investigating the abrasive qualities of Fijian reefs-two in their case, actually!) to bring in some matting from Oz. I didn't realise that he had done it, I thought we were going to source everything locally, but we're not talking much and he explained he wants a couple of final layers of 'real good stuff'. Not to say (I hope) that the local 'stuff' is substandard, it's just he can get more strength with fewer layers (less weight). Anyway, moving on.
The new batteries have been placed in situ. Arun the Electric reckons that they can be secured by straps rather than buliding an entire new battery box, we'll see. Most of the main wiring harness has been removed and labelled. The surviving 125 Watt large solar panel has been fettled, siliconed and generally cleaned up and is pushing out power. I've just ordered a new regulator and wiring from the UK. Interestingly, it works out cheaper to buy it there (and 4 metres of wire) and Fedex it out than it does to just buy a regulator in Oz. Hmm.
GRP dust everywhere in the boat at the moment so I'm keeping clear today and doing some writing, I'm now just over halfway through Eliezer 2 and it's proving a fascinating journey as the story develops. I had the broad outline in my mind, of course, but all this walking gives a chap time to think, so various ';twists and turns' have crept in along the way. Without giving away any secrets, I'm working on chapters at the moment that deal with an encounter with a Polynesian canoe. I talked with Rosemary (who of course is Fijian) about this yesterday as I wanted to use some Fijian words and she immediately recognised the characters I was using as those found in various Pacific Island mythologies. We had a good discussion!
Probably tomorrow I get to sit down with Arun and we can sort out exactly what can and can't be afforded. Priorities are of course the engine battery charging system, what remains of the solar system and the anchor windlass plus a power supply to the VHF radio. Hopefully we can salvage the fridge, if not that'll just have to wait, as will interior lighting. I will need el cheopo inverter to charge up laptops (navigation) and phone. I will probably manage to reserect the sat phone for long range communications and weather reports, cheaper than an SSB, which I will miss, I have to say. C'mon Emma, sell that book!!
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