Pachuca Progress

The following is my report of 7 August:

I'm home for an overnighter after another 6 days in Fremantle.

At Arnold's suggestion I shortened the chain plate lightning ground cables to eliminate some large loops. My biggest concern was crimping the new lugs. That turned out not to be a problem. When I purchased the electrical lugs the man at Wilson Marine loaned me a bolt cutter sized crimper. I also received my 7" by 3/8" stainless steel bolt (at a cost of $29!) and finished finished the grounding of the mast. Photo 170 shows the chain shortened chain plate cables, photo 171 shows one of the two mast grounding cables.
A big win for me was the removal of a heavily corroded bracket clamped on the steering post. Its purpose is to send the angle of the rudder to the Autohelm 6000 self-steering system. Some turkey had decided to use mild steel for the bracket, and years later I paid the price with hours of effort while wedged between the batteries and the cockpit floor. I expect a stainless steel replacement on Wednesday. See photo 172. It is glistening because after chipping away as much corrosion as possible I saturated the bracket with a lubricant spray.

Another win was the lower drain holes for the anchor well. You can see at photo 176 the new hole next to the plugged-up original hole. Note the thickness of the hull. Photo 177 shows the hole lined with Sikoflex and plastic tubing, and screw holes filled in. Photo 178 shows the finished product, the lower, larger stainless steel drain cover. This was a big one for me. It was unacceptable to have anchor water draining into the bilge.

The mast is ready to put up: Profuler jib roller furler installed, radar dome support bracket and wiring installed, VHF antenna and cable installed, mast steps installed, new lights and cabling installed, lightning diffuser and anemometer to be installed when the mast is put back up. See photo 186

The mast is scheduled to be fitted back on Pachuca on Tuesday afternoon. I'll arrange to have Pachuca lifted into the water on Wednesday. If this goes to plan Pachuca will have been on the hardstand one day short of 4 hard, expensive, but very productive weeks.

I cannot resist including a shot of Pachuca's hull. I guess that I'm biased, but to me that hull looks like a thoroughbred built to punch through any seas at a great rate of knots.