More Preparation

[NOTE: This and the previous blog entry have been sent via Sailmail because I haven't had land based wireless internet for 3 days.]

Today has been one of those crisp cloudless days and I took advantage of the drying opportunity to hand wash the "Ice Breaker" wool top and green sweater which I wear week after week. Once I set sail fresh water will be too scarce for this kind of washing.

When I went topside to hang them I realized that I had not put up the "Dieter Line", the rope lifeline that I pass from the cockpit, round the mast and back. I dug out the rope from storage and strung it up with great care because a sloppy knot could prove fatal.

I also carried the gas cylinders to the hardware store for filling. It was about a 3 km walk generally up hill with the half-filled large one on my back in the duffel bag and the smaller near empty one in hand. I pick them up tomorrow afternoon and I'll probably take a cab back to the marina. On the way back to the boat I dropped by the boating hardware shop and picked up a new Argentinean flag. The one on Pachuca has been flying since February and has developed a tear. I want to return to Australia with flags in good condition of all of the countries and that we have visited, to be used on yacht club occasions when the boat needs to be "dressed up."

This day, Monday, isthe third without access to the internet. I tried at 10 AM with no success. If a fail again at Club Nautico this evening I'll either post the blog entries via Sailmail, which means no photographs, or perhaps visit the nearbby Esso station restaurant tomorrow and try their internet.

In the afternoon I had a go at bringing down the wind charger. The plan was to open it up and see if I could find any problem. I was particularly eager to look at the state of the brushes, which may have been worn to nothing during the charger's phenomenal rpm's in the incessant gales around the Horn. Unfortunately I hit an unexpected problem. One of the bolts holding the unit in the vertical mounting tube at the of the boat will not back out. I manage to get a slight movement but I could not improve on this after much effort using WD40. The bolt is stainless steel and I don't think that galling is an issue. The fit of the stalk of the wind charger into the mounting tube has become sloppy and it is possible that the bolt has been ever so slightly bent. I can put only so much force on the bolt because I must use an allen key. Rather than persevere and risk damage to either the unit or myself I decided to back off and think about the problem for a while. If I cannot make progress I'll call in a professional who, if he can't remove the bolt the gentle way using mechanical tricks up his sleeve, can always knock off the head of the bolt with an angle grinder. I won't be too upset if I am not able to fix the unit in Brazil because I'm comfortable with the thought of sailing back to Australia without the use of the wind charger.

After that disappointment I decided to fit the heavy waterproof cov er over the lazarette doors. This cover was made by Doug the sailmaker in La Paz and resent tests indicate that it will probably stop the large amounts of water that have been finding their way into the bilge in heavy weather. After screwing the top and sides into position I used a generous amount of silicone sealant across the top to make sure that no water can find its way from the seat into the lazarette. If I have access to the internet I'll publish photos of the curtain.

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