20th March 2013
Finally hauled out and have started sanding the hull ready for
some new antifoul. The boat collar
arrived for the tinnie but I had left my phone in the car so they delivered it
to Bill’s place. It is 4 meters long so
there was only one thing to do.
I can really recommend Flag hire cars.
The guys at the ship yard weren’t very friendly at first but
I’ve managed to scrounge a ladder and when it started raining they helped me
carry the tinnie into the shed to start on the collar. I don’t think they’re used to having cruisers
stay there. It seems to be locals and
the lady in the office pouted when I asked to sleep in the boat and said they
had movement sensors. We’ll see about
that…
21st March
Bill came around to help me set up the collar.
We’ve glued the plates in so now need to let
that dry.
Peter spent the afternoon cutting and welding. A very likable and hard working chap. He
charged about half of what I thought the job was worth. The only problem was all the rubber neckers
wanting to have a talk. I think it is
the most work anyone has done on a boat here.
I was his TA putting out fires and getting rid of the ‘have- a
chats’. A long day but a great result.
Still a whole day’s work left cleaning, painting and fairing
– that’s a polite boatie term for bog.
I’ve bought a kilo but I’ll probably need more. Just like the old days bogging up HQ’s.
The auto pilot saga continues with a new head worth over
$1000. Stuff it- I’m going to get a new
Raymarine to match the plotter. The
electrician is going to fit it all up for rum so all up a new system is just
over $2000.
22nd March 2013
Spent the morning grinding back the repaired bow back to
bare metal.
Two pack primed all the bare metal and touched up the hull
ready to antifoul. Shouldn’t it just be
call fresh?
Luckily Bill came around and
helped me finish putting the moustache on the tinnie.
It is now a "tender" which I will call Merv.(as in
Hughes) Will I have to take it off after
each November?
Not too much achieved after this and a couple of beers. Only fitted the dinghy(sorry - tender) winch
, pulled the toilet intake apart, and started bogging up the repairs. All the guys working in the yard stopped in
to watch me work while having a Friday beer.
They were sorry that I had to work the weekend. One guy even offered to
give me a hand with the bog. When I
pointed out that after this weekend I’d be
off for the next six months the offer was rescinded (not in those terms) and I
was required to buy the next beer.
24th March 2013
The anchor locker is now shiny white 2 pack . 
Some statistics, five 12 hour days, 23 trips to Bunnings and
8 trips to the marine chandlers. Total cost to date $82,233. A couple of thousand into the travel
budget. Might have to do some relief
work next year before starting the second half...
25th March 2013
Splash down.
Still a couple of small things to do but the boat will be
ready to go and the weather looks good.
27th March 2013
Browns bay
Mark arrived last night and we got away this morning at
about 9:00. The hour meter isn’t working
on the motor so I’ll need to keep a log of what we do each day on the engine until
I’ve chased that down. I don’t have any
other way of measuring the amount of fuel in the tank apart from the hour
meter. So today we motored for about 3
hours from the seven we were travelling. It
was pretty awkward sailing through the channels but we only used the genoa to
keep it simple. Would have got here a
lot quicker if we had used the main as well but it was just pleasant to be quietly
meandering along.
The wind was basically in the wrong direction for most of
the day but, we plodded on regardless just making the most of leaving the work
behind.
When we finally got to Browns bay there was a professional
crab boat anchored were we wanted to go so we are stuck out a bit more in the
current. It didn’t stop us catching a heap of crabs. There were that many that they were climbing out of
the pot. Two of them jumped out and got wedged behind the stove. I was going to
pull out the stove but Mark took on the role of crab whisperer. He got a bit of bungee cord, tied a noose and then pulled them out. Well actaually he pulled parts of them out. It was piece work really rather than a once off job.
Mud crab wrangler in action.
Yes - this is absolutely ridiculous.
He pulled them out bit by bit as they gave up
their claws and legs in the fight. Later when I picked a claw to eat it still had the bit of bungee chord attached. "Boiled bungee in crab sauce" - Master chief hasn't got a chance.
While
this was going on the live bait line went off.
Caught about a meter long Hair-tail on the line. It has a set of jaws
like a fresh water crocodile and a piss poor attitude. Shane and Daryn will remember the last one of these
angry bastards we caught in Port
Hedland. Luckily Mark missed with the gaff
and it got off. It bit straight through the 200lb line. We are so fearless it actually frightens me.
Is this an M and M?
(Mark and Merv)
Took Merv out for his first run with his porn start mo. Merv rocks!
We have enough crabs to eat for the next couple of days and
will try to get to Tangalooma Wrecks on Moreton Island tomorrow if the wind does the right thing.
Thisis tonight's crab fest. About the same amount left for tomorrow and we still have to check the pots tomorrow morning. By the way, the Morgan Freeman god look was not intended.
