Another three jobs done on Windchaser today before the tide changed and wind-against-tide made it too rocky to be enjoyable.
Outboard hoisted back on board: Had taken the outboard off for a service by a professional mechanic. Seeing as the 18 hp Tohatsu with electric start is a big mother to move, I thought some readers may be interested in how I managed to not injure myself.
I use two sets of pulleys, each set contains two pulley wheels, and a rope grabber thing. The motor is lying on a closed-cell foam mat and central to keep the dinghy stable. The dinghy is tied via two lines and against two fenders. The boom is swung out and used as a crane. The lower set of pulleys is on a harness I tied around the power head. I also tied a safety rope just in case the main rope broke.
I hauled mostly from Windchaser although to start with I had to jump into the dinghy to adjust the harness and pull the motor up a bit.
Once up, I found my safety rope was not long enough for the propeller to come over the coaming so I lifted it over by hand. Laid the motor down in the cockpit for later putting in the well
The quarter-berth is nice to sleep on but the mattress which came with the boat was falling apart so I binned it. When I bought a large sheet of quality foam to redo the v-berth cushions, I had two long triangles left over which I glued into a long rectangle. The glue worked amazingly well, I tested its strength by sleeping on it. So, it was to be cut to shape and installed in the quarter-berth but has sat at home until now.
Today I got out my Sunbeam electric knife, the mattress cover and marking pen, and set to work. Marked the size needed by using the cover. Cut to shape, popped into the cover, took out in my dinghy. Very happy to get that done. Finally.
Some time back when I was having some trouble cleating off the chain to take pressure off the anchor winch, I clumsily cracked the tension arm which pushes down onto the gypsy.
It was not completely broken and still was functioning, but I don't want to leave it like that so contacted South Pacific Industrial about a spare. Great service, fast, and it wasn't that many days and for $29.55 including postage, I had a new and improved part. Not plastic like the original but stainless steel.
The three jobs were done reasonably quickly, which I was pleased about as the water conditions were deteriorating with wind-against-tide starting up. I was glad to get back to shore.
Louis