Position 10°40’614N 061°38’4184W
At anchor, Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
Hi dear friends, thank you for following our journey. Here’s is this week’s update.
It was announced yesterday via the regular V.H.F. net on channel 68 that there would be an exercise called ‘April fool’s’, this would be a joint exercise involving the local coast guard, military police, local police and the YSATT shuttle (Yachting Association of Trinidad & Tobago, water taxi service vessel). The objective would be simple, a live firing exercise in Chaguaramas bay which involved the YSATT shuttle weaving in and out obstacles anchored while trying to sink all insight. The other services would just fire at anything and everything. It was planned that the exercise would start at 10:00hrs and continues until either all obstacles (yachts) had been sunk or the ammunition was all used up. Those who did not want to get involved should moor next to the Swiss yacht and lower their flag.
Needless to say, we beat off the offensive and the British flag (among others) is still flying high here in Trinidad and we are now once again at peace with or ‘Trini’ friends, however negotiations with those that moored alongside the Swiss yacht are still ongoing. Trust the bloody French!
This was just one of the many April fool pranks going on yesterday.
Life onboard:
We have settled in Chaguaramas well and now know all the in’s and out’s of where to get this and that etc. Below decks things are slowly getting back to normal after carrying out work on all the deck boards and the steps leading below (Read following section ‘the boat’) and there are now no more chances of falling in the bilge.
The web site has not been updated since we arrived due to some technical problems which should be resolved this week; I am in the middle of writing a new section for the site called ‘product tests’. This is a no hold bars section where I will be giving my comments on the equipment onboard, from my initial view, if I purchased the equipment too the day to day usage and how the equipment has held up to life at sea (rather than bobbing up and down in a marina, whoops sorry to anyone bobbing up and down in a marine but you know what I mean). So to all that may read this section (I will advise when it has been uploaded) I will apologise now for it has honest comments like, ‘my initial thought on this vent was, great idea but now after a few months at sea it is total crap etc. em more explicit than that but you get the idea.
The boat:
The water maker was ordered on Thursday, this is capable of producing 45Itrs of water an hour. The down side it requires >=18amps per hour. To enable smooth operation of this demand on our onboard power we will be fitting 2 x 200amp 8D batteries, one in each cockpit locker giving 900amps in total, I have managed to locate an area right at the back and to the aft of the lockers which will reduce the impact on storing most of the other equipment stored therein.
A quote for a Bimini, or to be more correct a stainless arch over the stern with a Bimini fitted too this and a solar panel fitted above that. I am debating whether to move and subsequently fit the radar and the present wind generator to this as well. If so I will be fitting another wind generator. In all one on each side with the solar panel in between and the radar just raised slightly above the panel in the centre. Also, canvas work to cover the entire vessel, so to reduce the heat effect below.
The main sail was removed as we took this to the local sail maker for some minor work; the new sail which I purchased from China needs a little alteration as I am not happy with the 2nd reefing point so this was also taken. This new sail is cut very nice and the workmanship is first class but as this sail has a bigger area I am having another reef point put in.
She, Pinta is looking very nice now as previously mentioned the deck boards are back down, the chart table… ok, to be more precise the area where you navigate from and totally impossible to use a chart from has also been varnished as well as the main table. All in all she is looking sweet.
Well my friends that is it for this week. I hope you have all had a liming weekend.
Fair winds and calm seas.
David.