We only missed one window because of the absent hoist tracks and we were all relieved when they were returned to their site. A fishing boat waited for a month to be lifted.

 

Before we re-launched  Helen and Dick and Peta and Dave came aboard for an evening of well irrigated chat. They are two couples working hard to give a new lease of life to old boats, one an ex racer and the other a vintage wooden little gem.

 

Using some lateral thinking Rob explored the idea that the stiffness of Zoonie’s steering wheel was to do with the rudder stock and not the running of the cables through their conduits. Having re-greased the conduits, a useful task well done anyway, there was no improvement in the steering stiffness. Also the rudder was impossible to move from the ground. His exploration of the stock in the lazarette and the grease reservoir and pipe leading to the nipple revealed solid grease half way down the pipe. The rudder bearings had been lubricated with just seawater for an indeterminate period of time! Rob replaced the grease with a new, more appropriate type and all is well.

 

The little bags I made from the remnants of fabric I used for Ruby’s NZ dress. We filled them with balloons, tiny rubbers, little boxes of Smarties, notebooks and pieces of eight (gold foil covered chocolate coins) because I thought them particularly appropriate. We left them on the servery at Kylie and Chris’s home when we popped the car back into their garage; one of our last chores before launch day.