My planned departure date is Sunday morning on the 2nd April 2017. This is of course weather permitting and if possible I will make for Dover with the option of going into Ramsgate if it looks like the light will fade before I get to Dover. I haven’t been into Dover before so I would like to make my first entrance during daylight hours. Having previously sailed past Dover, the amount of traffic going in and out is scary enough by day so I think discretion is definitely the better part of valour for me!
However, before I can depart on this trip, Fiesta needs some attention so is currently out of the water with the mast down and the following is the list / progress of the work required:
Rewire the mast getting rid of the old domestic untinned three core cable and replacing it with decent marine quality tinned three core – job completed 27/11/16
Fit new steaming / deck flood light – job completed 27/11/16
New standing rigging – job completed on 24/2/17 by Dave at DRS Rigging. Top job, thank you very much Dave
New running rigging – Received from Yachting Solutions and job completed 11/12/16
New hanked on storm jib for inner forestay – delivered 3/2/17
Replace UV strip on genoa – job completed 3/2/17
Replace genoa cars – job completed (Barton Heavy Duty Genoa cars)
Remove, reseal and reattach all rigging chain plates – job completed 27/11/16
Refurbish hydraulic steering rams – job completed 4/2/17
Service engine and engine leg – job completed 11/12/16
Replace gas regulators – job completed 5/11/16
New headsail furling system – received from Yachting Solutions in Turnham-On-Crouch. Thank you Andy, first class help and also a top man!
Add solar panel to davits – job completed October 2016
New dinghy and outboard – Zodiac Aero deck and Yamaha 6hp delivered October 2016
Fit small sine wave inverter for lap top and camera charging – job completed 11/12/16
New lazy jacks
Paint flooring in both hulls
Replace lining around saloon windows – job completed 29.1.17
Make outboard rack for pushpit – job completed 25.1.17
Fit new impeller and fuel filter – job completed 18/2/17
Various other five minute jobs that will inevitably become much longer FFS jobs as follows:
install updated charts onto ray marine plotter – job completed 11/12/16 and a true 5 minute job!
Replace second reefing line jammer in boom casting – 1.5 hour struggle but completed 11/12/16
Install new 12v socket at navigation station – 30 mins and job completed 11/12/16
Fit new table leg and socket – job completed 26.1.17
And then Antifoul, polish and relaunch!!! – So, antifouling and polish completed by John and his son Jake at Bridgemarsh. John looked after the coordination between Dave at DRS Rigging and the crane driver and they got the mast up and Fiesta back in the water on 24/2/17. Words can’t express how happy I am to have the boat back where it should be and as much as I love being on the boat even when its not in the water, it just feels so different, so right and so much better when its afloat. I know it probably sounds obvious to say that but there is just a tranquility and sense of calm that comes with sitting on a boat that is afloat and I’m sure that anyone who owns a boat appreciates what I am trying to say here. A huge thanks to you John for all your first class help, reliability and simply for being a true gent.
sailing Fiesta 