Phillip wrote:Louis, I'm sure you will be back in the future at some time.
We have all enjoyed your posts and I hope you visit us from time to time.
Hoping your family situation resolves in the positive.
As to Windchaser I must say that for a future buyer she is one of the better examples around
which is a tribute to your work on her Louis.
It's not a farewell Louis, but just a change in circumstances.
Phillip, I intend to do a few more jobs on Windchaser so I will be making a few posts yet.
For example, I will change the anchor rope from 14 mm nylon back to 12 mm nylon as the chain-to-rope splice tends to slip in the anchor winch gypsy. It is not something that a prospective buyer would notice but I know it is a potential risk factor. I changed the chain and rope for my last trip away, going up from the 12 mm to 14mm. Chain is 20 metres. The splice does not slip when the load is extra light but often does so with what I call 'normal' pressure on the rode when raising anchor (splice is thick enough that it rides up in the gypsy and so does not get gripped as well).
In my opinion, what makes this rather minor slippage a risk factor is that when the conditions are really bad like when sudden unforecast winds blow straight down onto an anchorage and one wants to move in a hurry, then that is when it may be nigh on impossible to take practically all load off the anchor rode to allow the splice through the gypsy. With bad conditions, one does not want to fiddle with raising anchor. So, it may seem a minor thing to some but to me it is a safety issue that I know about so I am not selling the boat with the 14 mm rope, it will be 12 mm. I have ordered a reel of Australian nylon 12mm and when Windchaser is off the anchor and back on the mooring (river still in flood) I will swap it over.
So, a few things yet to finish off with Windchaser. Might not be able to get them all done but some of them will be.
Louis
