The sand-in-PVC worked so well for the butterfly hatch, I used the same trick today to sew a cover for the forward hatch.
Cover for the Forward Hatch
Cover for the Butterfly Hatch
I sewed a cover for the butterfly hatch today. An unique aspect is the one-inch PVC filled with sand that weighs down the edges, making it unnecessary to cinch down the cover.
Covers for the Dorade Boxes Sewn
On a roll today. After sewing covers for the teak handrails this morning, I sewed covers for the teak dorado boxes for the for the ventilation cowls. They were harder than they look as the deck is sloped in two directions.
New Handrail Covers Sewn
We completed new covers for the teak handrails today. Snaps were used to attach them.
New Reefing System
There was no reefing system installed. The mainsail has two reef points with grommets to tie, but no mechanism to backhaul or shape the reefed sail. The problem was addressed by adding two cheek blocks, and to cleats to the starboard side of the boom and two pad eyes to the port. Reefing lines were the run from pad yes, under the sail pack, through the reef clew, back down under the sail pack, through the block and to the cleat. The blocks and cleats were offset to avoid interfering with one another. The cleats were placed near the main halyard so they can be operated from the same position.
First Sail
We took the Aegir-Ran out for a shake-down sail today. The wind was blowing about 10 knots when we began and about 25 knots when we brought her back to the dock about two hours later. We raised the three sails and achieved almost 8 knots. Docking after the wind picked up proved challenging. Using the “stern upwind rule”, we had to back the boat into the slip.
Staysail and Mainsail Halyards Shortened
The halyards are cable spliced onto rope. The cables of the staysail and mainsail halyards were too long to allow the sails to be raised completely because the winches were not designed for wire. Today I shorted each by a couple of feet (as I did previously for the jib halyard), so all the sails are operational.
The Vessel Was Formally “Denamed”
In keeping with traditions, our vessel was formally “denamed” today (in preparation for the renaming ceremony). Once every reference to the old name had been removed , we prepare an “ingot” with the old name and invoked the name of the ruler of the deep as follows:
“Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection the name “Stormy” which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom. As proof thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through your powers and forever be purged from the sea.”
First Time Out of the Slip
The boat was finally ready for a test run to learn more about the leak in the engine’s coolant system. We motored just outside the Bahia, tested the instruments, raised the sails, and when motoring back took some time to practice motoring skills using a mooring buoy.
Notably, we learned the boat speed was not being reported, the halyard for the mainsail needs to have its cable shortened, and the coolant leak is substantial, perhaps leaking a quart. The problem with the halyard prevented us from sailing, which was a moot point as there was no wind (one of the reasons we chose the day to go out). We also discovered the prop walk forces the bow to the starboard when backing out of the slip (will need to figure out a way to control that) and it is almost impossible to turn the stern to the starboard while in reverse.
Wind Instruments Remounted
The block to raise the wind instruments to allow the unit to faced in the correct direction was installed today.
