As we mentioned in an earlier post, one of the things we broke was the wind generator. This meant a trip up the mast to replace the blade which flew off during the Cayo wind storm. Steve gamely got into harness and used the bosun's chair to winch himself up the rope. This involves sitting on a seat attached to a rope and raising your legs to move the 'rope gripper' up and then using your arms to move the second rope gripper up further. It is sort of like a caterpillar motion up a rope and uses intensive leg, stomach and arm muscle strength. The alternative is to have someone else winch you up - which we tried before and it took both Steve and Matt (strapping great lads) to winch Chris up the mast last time. At this point, I am unable to winch Steve up the mast so we were left with the caterpillar up the rope option.
After getting the harness figured out and on, Steve inched his way up, up, up the mizzen mast towards the wind generator. Although we had read the instructions and watched the video on how to use this climber, in practice these things always seem to be more difficult than depicted! After rearranging the climbing rope several times he made it up to the wind generator, examined the situation and requested tools which I put in a bag, attached the bag to another rope and lifted it up to him. Unfortunately, after all that, there was not a 5/8ths bolt as indicated in the wind generator manual - oh darn it (actually, it was more like x%$^%0&%*x%*, but we like to keep the blog profanity to a minimum).
So it was come back down the mast, get in the dingy, go across the harbor to the dingy dock, go to two different marine stores and a hardware store to find the appropriately sized socket, pick up the laundry, back into the dingy, motor out to the boat, back into the harness, up the mast and ... the new sockets didn't fit either!
At that point, Steve indicated that we would be getting a rigger out as he had no interest in continuing to journey up and down the mast, and back and forth the harbor on tools expeditions. He helpfully rigged it so I had Internet access and we quickly found someone to do the job.
Bolt / socket size aside, which is irritating but surrmountable, it was a very successful day. It should be noted that six months ago Steve tried to go up the mast in the same fashio
n and was unable to get more than three feet off the deck. Six months later (and six weeks into the sailing lifestyle) he made it up the mast twice in one day - a rather significant change!
After all that, we sat in the cockpit with our cocktails and toasted a beautiful sunset. It was a very good day.
After getting the harness figured out and on, Steve inched his way up, up, up the mizzen mast towards the wind generator. Although we had read the instructions and watched the video on how to use this climber, in practice these things always seem to be more difficult than depicted! After rearranging the climbing rope several times he made it up to the wind generator, examined the situation and requested tools which I put in a bag, attached the bag to another rope and lifted it up to him. Unfortunately, after all that, there was not a 5/8ths bolt as indicated in the wind generator manual - oh darn it (actually, it was more like x%$^%0&%*x%*, but we like to keep the blog profanity to a minimum).
So it was come back down the mast, get in the dingy, go across the harbor to the dingy dock, go to two different marine stores and a hardware store to find the appropriately sized socket, pick up the laundry, back into the dingy, motor out to the boat, back into the harness, up the mast and ... the new sockets didn't fit either!
At that point, Steve indicated that we would be getting a rigger out as he had no interest in continuing to journey up and down the mast, and back and forth the harbor on tools expeditions. He helpfully rigged it so I had Internet access and we quickly found someone to do the job.
Bolt / socket size aside, which is irritating but surrmountable, it was a very successful day. It should be noted that six months ago Steve tried to go up the mast in the same fashio
n and was unable to get more than three feet off the deck. Six months later (and six weeks into the sailing lifestyle) he made it up the mast twice in one day - a rather significant change!After all that, we sat in the cockpit with our cocktails and toasted a beautiful sunset. It was a very good day.
Two fantastic pictures in your blog, Steve atop the mast and Steve resting in the dingy. Having looked up at that generator and the distance to travel and knowing the frustrations of the wrong whatchamacallitsized wrench and bemoaning a trip just to the nearest Home Depot.....Totally impressed here with Steve and his well deserved rest and sunset coctail. The food does sound so much better than a packaged cruise. LOVING YOUR BLOG ....Joe
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