From: Guy Jones <footloose45@live.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2018 6:56:22 AM
Subject: Last Day - Hectic but Satisfying
Hi All
Busy, very busy day. There is a rule that if it can go wrong, it will. Well it did. The yard had promised us that we would have our repairs completed by Monday, and as the rule suggest, they were not. So, as you would expect, we took it upon ourselves to ensure that we could and should go to sea at Noon on Wednesday.
First remember the main, not the Maine (some of you will get it, I am sure). Well we had to bend it on in 15-20 knots of wind and it was a chore. The sailmaker had re-stitched the blowned baton pocket but, just for added measure Mike tied off the baton with whipping twine.
Next, the boom vang needed to be repaired and so it was. I got a piece of nylon block from Emily Morgan, a 57’ Bowman from the UK (more on that later) and with a Dremel, a vice and a drill Emitt fabricated a bushing (made two additional spares) to be inserted in the kicker plate to replace a bushing that somehow collapsed or exploded during the St Lucia to Santa Marta Passage. We had to remove and straighten the kicker plate bolt and then disconnect the boom vang. Two hours later we had completed the task and we once again had a viable boom vang assembly with somewhat questionable durability . Remember those spares.
By the way, How many of you know the name Emily Morgan and her significance in American History? See first picture.
That chaffed tack line was caused by the A-sail tack line coming in contact with the outer structure of the Mark 1V furler. Again, we had ask the yard to fabricate a leather sheath but to no avail. So Emitt found a piece of rubber from I think a bicycle tire and wrapped and stitched it around the lower segment of the furler and we had a chaff guard.
The yard was truly befuddled by the telescoping whisker pole and so Edwin spent the best part of the day redirecting their efforts after receiving a detail drawing of the pole configuration from Forespar. About 1600 hours, I was pleased to see our whisker pole on a cart heading to Footloose with three techs in tow. Edwin and the “team” put the pole in position and it worked as advertised, but everything works at the dock. Right?
As for me, I played King Tut and I surveyed my domain until 1600 hours (just kidding, I helped everyone) when I had to attend the skippers meeting covering leg two which is a 280 nm run from Santa Marta to the San Blas Islands (09 35 N 078 35 W). These islands are autonomous but they are part of Panama. As a matter of information, the currency of the realm is coconuts and even today I am told that the idgenenous tribes do not understand the value of money. I am not so sure because the port fees are $105 per person aboard the vessel and $30 per person for park fees.
Well a quick shower and we are off to the World ARC 2018 party at 1900 hours where we were delightfully entertained by a troop of Columbian dancers and a four piece street band featuring a violinist. They were Great. Dinner was exactly what you would have expected, CHICKEN. However, dinner was good and I must admit, I violated my own rule in that I had two “small” glasses of white wine, the night before an offshore passage. It is 11:20 PM and the crew is long in bed and I will be as well upon finishing this update. You may follow us on the World ARC 2018 web site as the next leg will begin on Wednesday at 12:00 PM EST .
Fair Winds
Guy
S/V Footloose