A week has passed in Kudat and what a busy week. Weather is ok, warm of course with occasional showers and nightly sojourns into town to eat at our favourite haunts.

But on board fun and games. Filled 440 litres of diesel with 20 litre containers and runs to each of the three servo's in town as they can only sell bottled diesel in 20 litre lots, so Dianne buys one, I buy one and we go to the next servo. 60 litres per run lug it on board and fill the tanks!

Bled the diesel through to the three engines, oil changes, checked all plumbing clamps, changed oil in V drives, checked gearboxes, all engine oil filters, oil and the five inline diesel filters have been changed and are all clear to go. Greased everything that moves and a bit more. Lots of polishing and cleaning go on as well.

Fitted the new mainsail, well sort of, of course it doesn't fit in the old boom cover so tomorrow we need to refine the design to take it all to KK for alteration - significant alteration.

Still have to add the reefing lines, run up the Genoa, run the the new anchor chain on and fit the new anchor - just an over cautious precautionary measure.

Then up the mast to change a few lights and get some others going and in a few days should be ready to splash, all going well.

Into town tonight, after two days sweating in engine rooms, for chilli crab, calamari, chinese style vegetables, rice and two tall Tigers, down the road for fried banana and coffee and over- ready for bed and another day tomorrow.

It must be fun or we wouldn't do it, but like all things boating it takes twice as long as planned and is two steps forward and one backward, too much pressure on the water strainer lid and it broke, now using the spare - lucky to have so many spares I guess, and what a job wrestling the battens into the main, three men and a dog job - took almost half a day and a lot of grunting but no new words just a few not used in polite company!

But it has been nice catching up with our Kudat friends at the various restaurants and eating places and around town. It is like coming home.