So, yesterday's repair action for them that's interested...... Cyndy turned up at around 5 as promised.....complete with gas gun and impact screw driver. All to no avail, the screws wouldn't budge. So, plan B was to send Ali up the mast to disconnect the forestay, allowing it to be lowered to the pontoon. As Cyndy was in charge, Ali agreed. With the screws on the pontoon to be thumped, surely they'd give in. Nope. So, the only option was to attack the polypr...

Couldn't shift the screws either, so we had to drop the forestay. Gulp. It was 9.45 pm before we'd finished, and there's a lot of mess outside, so we'll be here yet another day. Yet to put sail on and try it........

Replacing the furling gear did not go well. Four screws refuse to budge. A walk to the shops and a large screw driver and lump hammer now supplement the tool kit. Boiling water poured over offending screws, JJ bravely holds bit of 4 x 4 whilst Rog taps screw avec new tools. No luck so we await Cindy the rigger, Wednesday evening...... Luckily for us, Malcolm was passing thru the metropolis today and looked us up. Due to seemingly sub zero temperatures we de-c...

Why is it that the weather forecast is always right when they predict light/heavy rain?!! The day started with a succession of phonecalls to the furling gear manufacturers and after much successful negotiation and rendezvous arrangements, at Manningtree railway station, resulted in one brand new, shiny "do-da" and fitting instructions on board awaiting fitting by Roger, a.k.a. the Chief Engineer and his deck hands tomorrow when lighter rain is forecast. Wish us...

Up early(-ish) to look further into the problem with the genoa furling gear.. Diagnosis is that the ball bearing race at the top of the sail is not turning freely when under tension. Skipper's previous conversations with the manufacturers told him that it was feasible to fit a replacement masthead unit. It comes down to deck level with the sail, but today is Sunday so the project is on hold until the morrow. Hopefully, a new unit can be despatched pdq, cos we c...