23 May               Arrived Cavtat airport. John Eustace picked me up and took me to the Magnolia hotel where I checked in. Matt's flight from Belgrade was cancelled due to weather. He boarded a later flight due to arrive 2:30pm but it was diverted back to Belgrade due to weather. I could not get him on my flight. The airline checked him and others into a Belgrade hotel. Dinner in Porto Montenegro with John.

24 May               John and I went to the Navar boat yard in the morning. Avel Marine had really let us down. None of the work listed to be undertaken over the off season had been completed. So John had been working flat out to get it down from the time he arrived on the 21st. We set to and continued working our way through the list and chasing down Avel to do its bit. John picked up Matt from the airport about 3pm and he came straight to the boat to assist.

25 May               John, Matt and I continued working through the punchlist. Nick, the painter, was doing a good job with copper coating the keel. In the afternoon Avel came to replace the damaged foil on the genoa stay, which had been removed and laid out alongside the boat on blocks of wood. Marijan, who heads up Avel, was at a loss on how to remove the Reckmann furler motor from the stay. He left, after which John and I referred to the manual and had it off in 15 minutes. We commenced removing the old foil and fitting the new, during which time Marijan returned. The Reckmann furler motor was refitted and the stay was then raised and attached to the bow connection. On viewing the installed stay, several more foils and joints were bent. This was as a result of removing and installing the stay alongside the boat, bow to the stern, instead of pulling it forward of the boat. The re-entrant angle was such that too much bending load was placed on the foils and joints. In summary a monumental stuff up. The mainsail furling gear box seal had failed, leaking oil down the mast. Matt and I removed the drain plug to drain the remaining oil. John then fitted a new seal. Matt and I filled the gearbox with a litre of oil. In future we will replace the seal annually. In only lasts a couple of years.

26 May               Continued prepping the boat, detailed clean, storage of various bits and pieces, topped up the main furling gearbox with oil and provisioned the boat. I organised the vinjeta for one week in Montenegro.

27 May               Finally received the bowsprit back from being repainted. Poor job, no clear coat. Apparently Marijan had not got it to the provider early enough to have it done properly. We cleared the marina at 11am and made our way around to the customs jetty to have our passports stamped to depart Montenegro. Motored away from the customs jetty at midday.

Our boutique hotel in Tivat, Montenegro

Ready for the lift after several days of hard work

Copper coating of the keel. Rest of hull was in good condition

Getting wet for the first time in 9 months