08:9.654S 115:1.349E
Lovina Beach, Bali.
Anchor down 0745 on 20/09/13
Having spent the best part of a day sitting on the foredeck tending to 'Frank' I knew that he was in really bad shape but hoped that he would at least get me as far as Bali. No such luck! After about four hours, with I have to say my recent repairs looking if not exactly good then at least serviceable, I noticed a small tear in another section. With reasonably light winds and being well reefed I decided to monitor for a bit. The tear got bigger. I started to wind Frank in but too late....RRRIIIPPP. This time it must have been a 10ft tear, basically from the bottom to almost the top.
Naturally the wind now got up to about 25kts and because I hadn't, for obvious reasons, put too much tension on the furling line I was left with the torn section flapping in the breeze. Nothing I could safely do about it then and there so I secured what I could and hoisted a well-reefed main. Later that night, when things had calmed down a lot I was able to sit on the bowsprit, undo the furling line and put some more turns around the drum. Having a full moon helped and I didn't need a light. Got a bit wet though, the wind had dropped but the sea still had some life in it.
I've now conclusively proven that a BB385 does not like sailing under main alone if there is a reasonable breeze from the side, she keeps griping up. I started the engine initially to keep the speed up but I found that once the breeze filled in I still needed to run it to help retrieve the situation when the boat did determinedly head into wind. I needed the extra water flow over the rudder to bear away. Needless to say the autohelm went into a sulk, for about seven hours.
Well, I'm here. The engine has started smoking a bit but it has been running for bout 40 hours. Once in the anchorage and in neutral to get the anchor down I then couldn't get forward gear again. I feel another, 4th, transmission oil; change coming on. Also the vibration caused by Frank flapping around somehow loosened a nylock nut on the attachment bolt for the outer stay. A bit of 'knottery' with some Spectre cord secured the stay and I still have the bolt and one nut. Needless to say I did not have another nut the same size on board. So, all in all, taking into account the diesel used, an expensive trip. I'm pretty sure that Frank is a gonner. I haven't taken him off and checked yet but I'm certain this rip is beyond repair on the foredeck and given the fact that he now seems to rip at the slightest provocation I have to ask is it worth the effort? It certainly isn't worth spending any money on him (sorry old friend) so that leaves me with a main and a smokey engine to get the 1000-odd nm to Malaysia. A sporting proposition I feel and I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to it.
The plus side, because there has to be one, is I met a fisherman about 7nm out from Lovina. He was finishing fishing for the night and puttered alongside for a chat. There was no request for anything, just a question was I going to Lovina? Yes I was and he escorted me the entire way, guiding me round some shallow patches which were shown on the chart but there are some reefs just before the entrance to the anchorage which did not seem obvious in real life. He watched me go to an anchoring spot then about the time I decided it was getting a bit shallow and I needed to be further over from another boat he puttered over and indicated the spot I had decided on. That's when I couldn't reselect forward gear. Anyway, I drifted over and dropped the hook in sand and 3.4 metres at low tide(ish). I then braced myself for the inevitable but I was wrong. Abdul, having left me in peace to get the anchor settled (unusual for a 'boat boy') puttered over, introduced himself and said if I needed drinking water or solar (diesel) see him. He then welcomed me to Lovina Beach, said it was low tide and I was in a good spot. He then waved and puttered off. rare, I have to say.
So, for those who were thinking the blog was getting a bit boring with things going well, I'm sure the next few entries will be more interesting if you enjoy reading about a man tearing his hair out in frustration and let's face it, who doesn't? I leave you with this thought....BOLLOCKS, NOT ANOTHER DAMN PROBLEM!
