Update
Frenchkissv
Wed 4 May 2011 02:14
although the season ended just before Easter. We did a race to Rottnest
Island coming well back in the fleet which was OK as we were late for the
start because it took longer than I expected to get down the river, lower
the mast to get under the bridges, hoist the mast again and put the new
main on only to find we had missed out one of the top batten. It was great
to really get the yacht cranked up and sailing on the ocean again. The
overnight at Rotto was on a mooring with a 25-30kt onshore ENE wind - most
unpleasant. The trip back in the morning was wet and windy so perhaps the
river is not so bad. The last race of the season went well with several
kite gybes until we went aground on a sand bank near the 2nd last mark. We
may have come 4th out of a fleet of 12 otherwise.
Since then I have found the souce of water in the bilge each time we go
out. There was a cracked pipe on the bottom of the aft blackwater tank
which was below the waterline when ever we were on a stb tack. The
appearance suggested it had been like that for a long time. Good reason to
close all the seacocks at sea, but as the blackwater tank is above
waterlevel I thought it was best to leave it on straight drainage rather
than risk it blocking up. Anyway it took a day to get at an repair, but
the aft head certainly has less of an odour now!
We look forward to the frostbite winter series which will be warmer than
most English summer days!