Wind still Easterly N39:39 W45:07
Millybrown
Mark Hillmann
Sat 16 May 2009 16:30
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The chart plotter is drawing WWs across the screen
as we try to tack eastwards. It has blown vigorously from the east of the
last 24 hours.
 You will see we are down to storm jib and
trysail. This drags us along at 3 knots which seems fast enough, but we
have only made good 38 miles. We sailed 82 but not the right way.
Yesterday was 136/111, if we wind veers we should stay over 100 miles per
day.
We were down to storm jib and 3 reefs
yesterday morning but in steep seas, 4 to 5 knots had us landing too heavily
after the wave jumps. On a windsurfer it may be OK but a 5 ton cruising
yacht it scares me.
Down came the main and up went the trysail, 3
knots, that was better.
I rolled out some genoa this morning and
pushed the speed back up again. It was fine for an hour but then another
increase to force 6 had us crashing and shaking again.
Do you remember I lost the trysail?
Well I found it and the storm jib again. They were in the marina at
Maryport, where the organisation is such that it took 7 telephone calls and 3
visits before I bumped into the man who had carefully put the bag in their
boiler house.
It really
makes you appreciate the properly run yard at Royal River. Maine
prides itself on laid back efficiency. Do you remember MASH? That
casual acceptance that being best is unrelated to shouting and wearing a
suit?
The yard was like that, Allan who runs it would say
"Oh no, we can't lift her out tomorrow, we will do it on Wednesday": On
Wednesday she came out. As I had hit Greenland a bit hard the keel
needed some repair. The mast was still up, so she could
not fit in a shed and good weather was needed. When we arrived
the work had not started, but the weather had only just warmed enough and
it was wet.
"The forecast looks OK next week" said Allan
"Start on Tuesday?" Sure enough on Tuesday there was Allan himself with
the grinder getting started. Now he runs a yard with 27 men employed, but
he had said Tuesday. The following day there were two men in full
protective suits putting on the fibreglass. Telling me they were
subcontractors from another yard and not claiming great expertise.
Fortunately I ignored them and continued discussing barrier coats and
antifouling in the usual way. Sure enough when the helmets came off they
were from the yard, but had been finishing another job the previous day.
Teasing the customers is all part of the job.
When I went in to see the storeman later, they had
mentioned my question. He had phoned the manufacturers and sold me little
tin of different antifouling that was compatible with the new resin. They
had understood, acted and had the right paint in stock.
All this was being done at one of their
busiest times, as the weather warms up and the larger charter vessels
were in and out for maintenance and inspection. The hoist
occupied by a little yacht having keel repairs would be a big deal in many
places. It became a joke as to where I would find Milly each morning, but
they had two hoists and just moved her to the little one when its
big brother was needed. Do I remember a yard at home where
everything stopped for 6 weeks because their only hoist
broke?
The sailmaker at the top of the yard had serviced
the genoa, made a new cockpit cover and got a new top swivel for the furling
genoa. When we put the swivel back on it was decided that the wires for
the inner and outer forestays needed changing. When they came off the top
genoa furling extrusion needed attention. "I have two boats
leaving this weekend that need sails" he said, but ours was done the
following day.
They could not get the invoices done in time, so I
promised credit card numbers from the Azores. We left exactly as planned -
Well done all at Royal River.
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