15th
March 2013
I"ve had a few calls/messages from people asking what's up so....
Good stuff…
Bruce Springsteen
was rather epic. He started at 7:40 and left the stage at 11:20. There were 17
musicians on stage including Nils Loffgren filling in on guitar. So that works
out to be less than $20 each. It was a show. Fairly regulated but filled in
with lots of impromptu stuff. So much so, that he was like an old, white,
rocking version of James Brown. He’s 64 – fuck I must be old. 
The young girl
Mel in the front of the photo was with her mum. A bit of a character. Yes - a
ranga as well. She had made up a big sign “Please Bruce dance with my mum”.
When he started playing dancing in the dark we got her to the front of the
stage. I was the crowd clearer and Mel pushed her mum. It didn’t take him long
to pick up on the sign. When it he took the sign and held it up to the crowd
there was no backing up. We shoved her up on the stage… She had to go and have
a little lie down afterwards and was still shell shocked at the end. Bloody
funny.
And now for the bad
news…
The anchor locker
is as bad as it could be. Looks like a days work cutting out the rust. Managed
to clear out the bog that someone patched it up with a couple of years ago.
Most likely when is was refitted in Malaisia. Couple of big holes to plate over
so I’m going to be busy if it is going to be ready for the lift on Wednesday.
After the welder finishes there will be a bit of painting to do. The photo was
taken from inside the boat looking through the bulkhead into the anchor locker.
I’d better put some metal back in while it is all apart.
Actually have a
plan and shopping list ready for tomorrow.
17th March 2013
Bought a tinnie from a poor little rich boy. It’s been used as a tender and has been kept up
on a crane. Has a 6hp with a 9hp carby
so goes a bit faster than the deflatable.
Drove it back 10km through the channels from broadbeach to runaway bay.
Used the navionics ap on the phone to navigate. Works really well but needed to be able to
park under bridges to see the screen due to glare. Gave Bill what was left of the deflatable in
exchange for a pair of oars...
Tomorrow I have to go to the marine shop so it is going to
be an expensive day. Need to get this
finished so that I can stop spending money.
18th March
Spend, spend, spend. I’ve been so bloody busy running around trying
to find specialist parts like the pump for the big diesel tank. Ended up getting sent by the guy at
Blackwoods to an irrigation place telling me “They’ll know what you’re talking
about”. Guess what. Explained what I needed to do and the
reticulation bloke walked over to the shelf and says in laconic Queenslander
“This’ll do the job” . Sure enough.
Exactly what I was looking for.
That was five hours spent locating that one part. Have to admit to getting a bit frazzled with
6 jobs going on at once and I have had to buy a clipboard. The photo says it all.
The electrician has been able to fix the autopilot and is
coming to install it tomorrow afternoon. I also found a welder with long arms who
wasn’t scared off by the photos I sent him of the anchor locker.
Yes that is the sea you can see on the port side. I can't find the cable for my camera so all
these pics are from my phone so the quality is pretty Kogan. That my new
description for anything crappy.
Actually the phone works pretty good for everything else so I shouldn’t
be so harsh.
It was too hard for the welder the marina suggested. The guy who will do it is coming around
tomorrow afternoon so he can plan what needs to be done when the boat gets
hauled out. This is going to cost money to get done properly - I wouldn’t do it
for less than a $1000. I wonder if he’ll work for rum. So I may have some visitors other than Bill
tomorrow…
A very sick bat crapped all over the hire car.
If you look
closely you can see his footprints on the bonnet where he must have
squatted. Yes, I am driving a really
cool car these days. I couldn’t get
anywhere to stay the first night down here so slept in this. There’ a challenge for you.
19th March 2013
Peter, the welder with the long arms turned up today to have
a look at what he’s got to do. He’s a
“no worries” type of guy and I’m pretty confident he’ll do a good job. Got the dighy up on the davits using the
existing blocks and lines. It is a bit
heavier, harder to pull up and I’m not happy with the holding power of the
ropes which are a bit old. I’m still
going to look into the winch idea. While
I was pottering away Bill was on his dock cutting up the old deflatable and
putting it in his bin. A bit of an
ignominious end.
Fitted the side shades and new diesel pump while waiting for
Dockhertys marine to turn up with the autopilot controller. They were a no
show. Still, they have only had it for seven weeks…
Haul out day tomorrow so I’d better gaffer tape up the hole
I’ve punched through the hull before we head around to the marina.
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