OCT 23/25 Las Palmas.  Every one thinks we are here with out feet up.   Not quite true.

Jobs so far.

1) Replace Freezer Hinge.  The one sent by Moody’s was too big and had to be filed a lot to fit.

2) Add security bar to Saloon Hatches.  So they can stay open when we’re off the boat.

3) Port Dorade Crash Bar straightened and refitted.  It was bent in the jibe.

4) DKH Found some clip-on reading lights for front of cockpit

5) DKG Spent morning finding and waiting for Brazilian Consul to open only to be told that  in spite of what we’d been advised we didn’t need visas when arriving by Yacht.

6) Adjust generator oil pressure switch as it the oil pump was running all the time.

7) Investigate why fridge compressor not working efficiently.  Maybe a partial blockage in water cooling system.  Conclusion we’ll need a fridge engineer.

Investigate why lazerette bilge pump is on continuously.  Shortened siphon loop as the water was siphoning back on itself.  We don’t think this is related to next entry.

8) Steve noticed water in the engine room.  Investigations found a screw holding down a cable under my bunk was leaking water from underneath. It turns out there is water build up somewhere aft of the screw that should never have been there.  We’ve made a little video clip to send to Princess (The boat Builders) it also turns out the water is coming from the rudder stock and we will have to lift the boat to replace the seals. When the rudder is hard over either side it pisses in. If the boat were empty we wouldn’t have to lift it but as we’re loaded to the gunnels the seal is about 10cm under the water line instead of 5 cm above it.

9)      Spinnaker sent to sail maker for minor repair to its wing.

10)  Many hours chasing shipment from London. Maybe it will arrive tomorrow.

11)  Organised all e-mail to go through Mailasail account. This will save time and money.  Organised software for GPS sharing between applications on the computer. Found a US service provider who will charge $25/month instead of $35 I’m currently paying and $.99/minute for voice instead of $1.50/minute and $.59/minute for data instead of $1.50. Unfortunately I can’t get the new SIM card before I come home for Christmas as it’s too dodgy to send it here in the time available.

Last Evening SHAITAN a Swan 65 next door invited us to a wine tasting.  The idea was that as they are a charter boat and travel with 20 cases of wine it would be good to taste a few before buying a lot.  The owner is Viennese his wife is half Turkish and half German and they had a German women travelling with them.  She will take over cooking after everything’s prepared and the wife will fly back to Turkey rejoining after the crossing, unless Sotiris can persuade her to jump ship. We saw their boat in Spetses last summer and they almost did the Millennium Odyssey we did some years ago but withdrew because they thought the trip was too fast. The boat is very similar to FUTURO which did do the Rally and I thought it was enormous compared to COMPANY our Wauquiez 54.  I enclose a picture SPINDRIFT and SHAITAN which shows how one’s perspective can change. They like coming to Spetses and we were bound to meet sometime.  We were joined by two Swedish gentlemen masquerading as English living in Spain.  Their British accents were impeccable. As was their knowledge of local wines. Unfortunately by the end of the evening no one could remember what anything tasted like.  I was the first to bail out. The Swedlish or Engwedes promised a written report this morning but I’m afaid I haven ‘t seen it.

THE RUDDER Problem.  Turns out to be more serious that at first thought. In fact the problem may not be the seals at all.  We were planning to be lifted a few inches today in order to check the seal properly.  Steve wanted to be sure everything would come apart easily and not be rusted or seized up in anyway and in checking things out prior to being lifted discovered that the actual tube in which the rudder stock turns has come slightly adrift from the hull and moves when the rudder is turned admitting a fairly serious amount of water between it and the hull.  We have been back and forth in contact with Princess (The original builders) and they have decided to send a structural mechanic out to fix it rather than trusting it to the local yard.  The problem is that this is now the busiest time in the Canaries and everyday more yachts arrive prior to crossing the Atlantic.  The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) has 250 participants itself.  We hope to get a booking later today. Princess will confirm in the morning their side. I’m guessing we will need to be out of the water for 4or 5 days.

And to add insult to injury, one of my expensive Silhouette glasses side arms decided to break off at the lens.  Metal fatigue?  Or the Gods getting back at me for not making the proper sacrifice?  Actually it only took two hours but we found a Sihlouette Agent and he relaced the broken arm on the spot with a not quite matching one and will have  both sides next week.  And it was free.

I called by the sail loft to see how they were doing with the repair.  It should have been ready by now.  The boss told Juan Carlos they could do the repair.  The foreman I saw and showed what needed to be done to said it would not be a problem.  The woman they gave it to do do  threw her hands up in the air and practically burst into tears saying it was impossible and she couldn’t do it.  We now await the boss to return from a big job in the South.

The fridge engineers came speaking only perfect Spanish. After a couple of hours they took away a water pump and  a little gizmo which regulates the voltage and isn't working properly.  The pump itself is ok.  Hopefully they will come back later with every thing sorted.