I'll give you a couple of examples, the last time he popped over, he had worked out (another sleepless night) the possible reasons as to why the intelligent regulator he fitted to the engine's alternator charging system had stopped working after he changed the control panel over in the cockpit. He sat in the engine bay and replaced the power wire that clearly had been severed as part of the previous works, now it works as it s's hould and did. He's now got to trace the three wires that also have no power to them, but they may have served the LD lights that stop working years ago and are surplus to requirements.
The new J3 that he spent the winter months strengthening the front bulkhead, securing the L bracket and fitting the D ring to the deck is now ready for collection. He's organised the halyard and sheets and that all costs shed loads of money but hopefully it'll not only up my light wind speeds but provide more control in high winds too. That'll be two new sails this year, how lucky am I.
One of the line covers that was removed in winter due to some stress cracks, is just being finished off ready to come back. For those that can't remember, he took them off to repair the spider or star cracks that had appeared in the Gel coat. Having filled them he's sprayed Gel coat and polished up and then sprayed a clear flow coat over the top and has just completed polishing that up too on one of them.
He's got the parts to carry out a service on my engine and replace the deck lights in my lower spreaders, the UV rays getting to the plastic circlips making them brittle and snapping without warning.
The first reefing line which has been chaffed badly has been turned around so that the damaged section is in the line basket when the reef is implemented and this is due to be replaced this year. And the jib sheet that has just gone stiff with salt over the years is due for replacement too.
Even the Honda outboard engine that skips had for years and has taken a bit of a bashing is having a facelift. It's been dropped so many times and its handle has snapped off with the ignition hanging, is all to be replaced. I think also following this year's boat show in Southampton, the little two-man dinghy is to have a sister in the shape of a larger four-man for when I'm anchored off the coast and they need to get to shore, something the two-man would do but couldn't guarantee to keep the crew or contents dry in anything but the flattest of seas. The 3.2m can take up to a maximum of a 15hp engine, but the weight and baulk of such engines could give Skip muscle issues lifting or even just moving it around. A smaller 10hp might be on the cards as will a small crane on the pushpit to aid Skipper in bringing it aboard and lowering it on to the dinghy, but I don't think these things are too urgent given the time of year.
Another discussion Skipper had at the boat show was with Raymarine, the people who originally supplied my navigational equipment back in 2006. Skips had the diodes replaced twice on the external E120 plotter and it is still blanking out on occasions and the corners are losing colour identity. He's taken photos of the component parts to send in so a list of updated modern replacements can be made and my systems updated with modern touch-sensitive interactive systems. This yet more investment into my well being, although the old fashioned outdated radar may not be replaced as AIS is far more intuitive so I can see that being removed, to be honest thats a fair bit of weight 10.0m up the mast and its removal would improve my centre of gravity STIX value.
So there's plenty to look forward to if all comes to fruition and 2020 is looking exciting.
Even the Honda outboard engine that skips had for years and has taken a bit of a bashing is having a facelift. It's been dropped so many times and its handle has snapped off with the ignition hanging, is all to be replaced. I think also following this year's boat show in Southampton, the little two-man dinghy is to have a sister in the shape of a larger four-man for when I'm anchored off the coast and they need to get to shore, something the two-man would do but couldn't guarantee to keep the crew or contents dry in anything but the flattest of seas. The 3.2m can take up to a maximum of a 15hp engine, but the weight and baulk of such engines could give Skip muscle issues lifting or even just moving it around. A smaller 10hp might be on the cards as will a small crane on the pushpit to aid Skipper in bringing it aboard and lowering it on to the dinghy, but I don't think these things are too urgent given the time of year.
Another discussion Skipper had at the boat show was with Raymarine, the people who originally supplied my navigational equipment back in 2006. Skips had the diodes replaced twice on the external E120 plotter and it is still blanking out on occasions and the corners are losing colour identity. He's taken photos of the component parts to send in so a list of updated modern replacements can be made and my systems updated with modern touch-sensitive interactive systems. This yet more investment into my well being, although the old fashioned outdated radar may not be replaced as AIS is far more intuitive so I can see that being removed, to be honest thats a fair bit of weight 10.0m up the mast and its removal would improve my centre of gravity STIX value.
So there's plenty to look forward to if all comes to fruition and 2020 is looking exciting.
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