As usual, every task throws up it's own problems that have to be sorted out. With the booms we've discovered that the track in the mizzen boom is too narrow for the bolts that have to slide in with the slugs to hold down the outhaul traveler track. Facnor has never come across this problem, in the USA at least, so it's looking like I'm going to have to use a grinder to skim back the edges of the groove so the bolts can slide. Just one more delay.
This has been a very difficult week. It has become more and more apparent that we are not going to be through the work until we are well into December. Well, the essential work anyway. I don't think we will ever complete all the work!
We are both so very aware that we've been here longer than we intended and have been looking forward to the Caribbean chapter. We're also tired and feeling rather strung out.
Local experience around here is telling us not to venture into the north Atlantic in the winter, starting with December. The frequency of storms and gales increases and they can be dangerous. Horror stories abound.
I did a lot of research in sailing guides and on the net and the advice is, don't go, and if you do, have strong, experienced crew and a proven boat.
The boat is solid, but the new rig needs to be tested and sailed and we need to know it well. We also decided long ago that we would not take on ocean passages until we have got to the point where we know the boat and all it's idiosyncrasies intimately, have the personal skills and experience to take it on, and would always time our sailing to make the best of the seasons and weather.
It was a horrible and disappointing decision to have to make, but we've decided to do the sensible thing and reschedule our departure to early next year when the weather is more favourable and the boat is better prepared.
We both felt completely deflated by the change of plan and it's taken a lot to pick ourselves up and carry on. Things were very tense around here for a few days!
In the mean time it continues to get colder. We went and invested in a big oil filled heater that stays on day and night and keeps the inside of the boat just warm enough, together with the very latest in Walmart winter fashion!
But winter is set to get a whole lot colder yet.
Already we are only working outside between 10 and 4. The wind is cutting and our thin Aussie blood is not built for this stuff.
But it is still beautiful here.
The other morning we had a whole bunch of geese swim by the boat. There must have been 60 or more. They swim a bit like they fly, in kind of follow the leader lines. We've really enjoyed their arrival here with their haunting honking across the water. We just can't believe that they don't keep going a bit further south to where it really is warm. Dumb birds.
On a brighter note, the bigger, better dinghy with the built in locker arrived this week so we can start building the davits to suit it. Just one more thing that is going to make our life on the water so much better.
When we think of the folk in New York we really don't have too much to complain about. Buster's Marine, who sold us the dinghy will have many months before they can open their doors for business again. In fact their building may have to be pulled down. They had 6 ft of water surging through the place followed by raging fires and lost everything, along with most other businesses in their area.
I guess hurricane Sandy really did let us off lightly.
Until next time...