A Simple Matter
Saturday, 23. May 2009, 11:00:07
We left Opua the same time as a rally fleet, some heading for Tonga and others for Fiji, same as us. We proceeded slowly along the rumbline. Before we knew it the fleet had gone over the horizon with their engines running leaving us far behind. By day 2 the wind had filled in a little and we overtook boat after boat. We had the spinnaker up 4 days and nights, ever since we left NZ when we overtook the leading boat. The wind died again, changed direction and we were yet again overtaken as we waited for the wind but the impatient cruisers just ran motors day and night until they were running on fumes. I keep my engines for emergencies and don't regard no or little wind as such. The leaders arrived in Fiji in the morning and we arrived that night. We had a good trip but blew out our spinnaker yet again. This time about 6 miles before the cut through the reef when entering the Fiji coast. We were reaching along quite nicely doing about 10 knots with 90 deg apparent wind angle, 22 knots of wind and the next minute bang. Well we have had that before. Again it was dark, about midnight but we cope very well with this now as we have had lots of practise.
So for all those that are green with envy consider our recent reality check. It's not all about relaxing, working on your marguarita recipes, ensuring you don't have any tan lines, lying in a hammock and doing nothing all day. You schedule your watch, sleep, eat, change sails, then do it all again, and again, and again.
Besides the routine sailing stuff, there was a major problem every day. Fix blocked toilet, try to fix broken fridge, fix solar panel lights, replace shredded fan belt on engine, no sun therefore no power, fix the SSB radio that suddenly went dead, fix the link 10 battery monitor instrument that suddenly went dead, deal with a fishing line we found wrapped around a prop and just before we left the inverter packed up. OK it's not a massively expensive item but unbugeted for nevertheless - about $130.
Everything has a knock on effect or story. Consider the simple matter of just getting another inverter. It's blowing and raining so we get the dinghy to the dock from the wet and wild ride from the boat which is out at anchor. We find a new inverter at the marine chandlers in Opua, but the plug fitting had to be adapted to fit our european style plugs. Arrange for them to hold it until we can find an adapter. Walk a half a mile to a shop, no they don't have any. Try another shop 2 miles in wet and blowy weather in the other direction. Nope they don't have one either. So the chandlers ask, "Can you drive a truck?" Borrow the truck to get 5 miles off to Pahia where they do have adapters. This minor problem now sorted and the truck safely returned, by the time we get back to the boat (hours later) it looks like we've been out swimming. I won't even go into the toilet fix but with all the problem it still beats the life we left behind.
Fix autopilot just before leaving Opua (emergency trip to Auckland by car) to brother in law Terry that sorted out the instrument. Hand steering in almost 30 knots all day from Whangarei to Opua was bad enough we did not want to do this all the way to Fiji.
Look forward from hearing from you all.
James and Lorna
So for all those that are green with envy consider our recent reality check. It's not all about relaxing, working on your marguarita recipes, ensuring you don't have any tan lines, lying in a hammock and doing nothing all day. You schedule your watch, sleep, eat, change sails, then do it all again, and again, and again.
Besides the routine sailing stuff, there was a major problem every day. Fix blocked toilet, try to fix broken fridge, fix solar panel lights, replace shredded fan belt on engine, no sun therefore no power, fix the SSB radio that suddenly went dead, fix the link 10 battery monitor instrument that suddenly went dead, deal with a fishing line we found wrapped around a prop and just before we left the inverter packed up. OK it's not a massively expensive item but unbugeted for nevertheless - about $130.
Everything has a knock on effect or story. Consider the simple matter of just getting another inverter. It's blowing and raining so we get the dinghy to the dock from the wet and wild ride from the boat which is out at anchor. We find a new inverter at the marine chandlers in Opua, but the plug fitting had to be adapted to fit our european style plugs. Arrange for them to hold it until we can find an adapter. Walk a half a mile to a shop, no they don't have any. Try another shop 2 miles in wet and blowy weather in the other direction. Nope they don't have one either. So the chandlers ask, "Can you drive a truck?" Borrow the truck to get 5 miles off to Pahia where they do have adapters. This minor problem now sorted and the truck safely returned, by the time we get back to the boat (hours later) it looks like we've been out swimming. I won't even go into the toilet fix but with all the problem it still beats the life we left behind.
Fix autopilot just before leaving Opua (emergency trip to Auckland by car) to brother in law Terry that sorted out the instrument. Hand steering in almost 30 knots all day from Whangarei to Opua was bad enough we did not want to do this all the way to Fiji.
Look forward from hearing from you all.
James and Lorna
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