In between paying work for customers, which is picking up again after the summer, I've been on a push to sort Pagan out so we can hopefully get away for a few days, of which more anon
A critical problem was water. As previously reported, we've had to take the 45 gallon tank under the v-berth out of service after it started leaking badly into the base of the cabin woodwork
Replacing that tank will be a major project and it's best left until we refit the forward cabin so we needed a temporary solution.
After considering various possibilities, I settled on the simple and cheap solution of wedging a 20 litre Jerry can into the starboard cockpit locker and running a hose from the water pump, conveniently situated below the gas locker, which just drops into the can
We've also got a 10l water carrier and a 20l collapsible one which, with some inconvenience, will allow us to carry enough water to last several days
My next target was the ground tackle. Although we're not planning on anchoring during our upcoming trip you never know when it might be needed in a hurry
So I hauled all the rusty chain out of the locker and cleaned up the manual windlass.
There's 50m of chain marked, bizarrely, at 8m intervals attached to a CQR plough anchor. None of it is in great condition and I wouldn't trust it in a gale but it'll do until we get around to replacing it
The windlass works but it's slow and hard work. The rusty chain has a tendency to not drop cleanly into the chain pipe which requires watching but otherwise it gets the job done
After washing down the foredeck to get rid of the rust flakes that had fallen off the chain, a final sort out of the cockpit lockers was all that was left to do on deck
My final job for the day was to replace the activation cartridge and gas cylinder in my lifejacket and giving it the once over.
Then it was time to hit the road back to Kettering for the night ready to pick Jane up and come back in the morning
We're aiming to be out and about from Thursday until Tuesday, fingers crossed on the weather!
A critical problem was water. As previously reported, we've had to take the 45 gallon tank under the v-berth out of service after it started leaking badly into the base of the cabin woodwork
Replacing that tank will be a major project and it's best left until we refit the forward cabin so we needed a temporary solution.
After considering various possibilities, I settled on the simple and cheap solution of wedging a 20 litre Jerry can into the starboard cockpit locker and running a hose from the water pump, conveniently situated below the gas locker, which just drops into the can
We've also got a 10l water carrier and a 20l collapsible one which, with some inconvenience, will allow us to carry enough water to last several days
My next target was the ground tackle. Although we're not planning on anchoring during our upcoming trip you never know when it might be needed in a hurry
So I hauled all the rusty chain out of the locker and cleaned up the manual windlass.
There's 50m of chain marked, bizarrely, at 8m intervals attached to a CQR plough anchor. None of it is in great condition and I wouldn't trust it in a gale but it'll do until we get around to replacing it
The windlass works but it's slow and hard work. The rusty chain has a tendency to not drop cleanly into the chain pipe which requires watching but otherwise it gets the job done
After washing down the foredeck to get rid of the rust flakes that had fallen off the chain, a final sort out of the cockpit lockers was all that was left to do on deck
My final job for the day was to replace the activation cartridge and gas cylinder in my lifejacket and giving it the once over.
Then it was time to hit the road back to Kettering for the night ready to pick Jane up and come back in the morning
We're aiming to be out and about from Thursday until Tuesday, fingers crossed on the weather!
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