Shakedown Cruise "Fix It and/or Change It List"

(By Steve)

In some respects the last ten days or so have been a bit of a shakedown cruise in the sense that this is the first sustained use the boat has had in probably five years or so and whilst we have done a lot to it there is nothing like using it in anger to get the last of the bugs out of it. The list then......................

The first thing, and by far the most serious in terms of the possible conseqences, to go wrong (within 30 mins of leaving the slip) was the transmission cable. I am just glad this didn't go wrong when we were going into a slip because the boat would have rammed the dock and potentially done a lot of damage. This is pretty much fixed, though a new transmission cable at some point seems likely, not a difficult job just a bit of a pain to replace.

The second thing to go wrong was the wind generator (generates electricity provided there is about 15 knots of wind) threw one of its three blades in the gusty ( 40 knots) winds we had a few days ago, again not a difficult problem to sort out (we have a spare set of blades) but this is 25 feet off the deck so its up the mizzen mast for me tomorrow. Note to self, turn the bloody thing off if it blows hard!

Other stuff which is largely fixed now includes; a new switch for the forward heads (toilet) mascerator (thing that grinds the waste and pumps it into the sea when you are out at sea), a light in the engine instruments, tighten a couple of hose clamps. All in all a pretty good result really.

The change it list is a bit longer, some examples are; modify the internet antennae so we can get it higher and get a better signal, we need a new lifting harness for the outboard, the one we have doesn't look quite up to it and I have a vision of a 90 lb $1500 motor falling in the water and sinking for ever, fit some winch handle holders, one in the cockpit and one on the main mast, adjust the fitting of the swim ladder as its not quite vertical etc etc.

We are in good shape and better than I expected we would be at this stage of the game. Plan to knock these jobs off tomorrow then we should be 100% serviceable, though I realise that this is not likely to last for very long!!