03/10/2011, Gosport
Following a two week break in Portugal we are now back readying the boat for our summer cruise, we anticipate leaving late April initially joining with the Haslar Yacht Club Easter cruise to The Channel Islands. The new cockpit tent, sprayhood and drop bag were installed yesterday, just leaves me with a trip up the mast to install the new lazyjacks.
We also managed to get both water tanks cleaned out and sterilized and a phone call today told us the liferaft service was complete so at long last the "To Do" list is going down!!
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02/12/2011, The Solent
Saturday saw our first daysail of the year in The Solent. In pleasant sunshine and a light breeze we headed west beating into wind and tide and still able to make 6kts SOG.The object was to test all the systems after our recent lift out and service.
After a pleasant couple of hours we turned to reach back with wind and tide all systems working OK, next outing will be to test the newly installed Hydrovane
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In preparation for our Summer cruising Ruby was lifted out for antifoul a good polish and replacement of anodes. The anodes on the prop were totally eaten away and the saildrive anode was only 50% so as well as replacement we contacted M G Duff for advice on additional anodes to try an extend the life of these two items, we are going to try their recommendation of hanging an anode over the side with a connection to the saildrive.
The sails have been collected from Arun who serviced and repaired and our wind vane steering has been installed, we just need to get out and play with it to become familiar with its operation.
We are still awaiting delivery of a new sprayhood, cockpit canopy and sail bag.
Next on the list is a new anchor and the only other major job is to install an expansion tank in the pumped water system to try and eliminate the water that leaks from the PRV when the calorifier is heated when under engine power.
Last weekend courtesy of Haslar Yact Club we both completed the RYA first aid course and Kaye completed the VHF short range certificate.
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Ruby Tuesday is a Dufour 40 which we acquired in August 2009 to replace our first boat, a Westerly Kestrel.
For the last year we have sailed Ruby in the local waters of the South Coast as well as completing our first Channel crossing to Cherbourg and the Channel Islands.
Over the winter months we are in the process of upgrading and adding equipment for some extended cruising in 2011.
To date we have added chart plotter, radar and AIS, a new VHF and an additional service battery. We are currently awaiting delivery of a Hydrovane wind steering and a new cockpit tent, sprayhood and sail bag. Although the existing canvas was only 5 years old all the stitching was rotten and shall we say not very well engineered.
At present the "to do" list does not seem to be getting shorter but a lift out in January will no doubt concentrate the mind on the jobs in hand.
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