Brett & I picked up our new spinnaker from Doyle Fraser Sails today. Will Hammond (SailMaker) layed it out in the loft to give us a look at it.
IT LOOKS BIG!!!!
Plus, the design looks good as well. I was originally a little concerned about the size of the stars that they would end up doing, but the size looks just right. Layout seems to look okay, but wont really know that until we get it up.
We wont be able to try it out for a few weeks, as we go away up north next week for a week. But, hopefully towards the end of July we will get out and try it, and see what it looks like. I will see if I can get Dad out there as well.
Leaving it for a while suits the 3M glue they have used on the stars, to ensure they stay stuck.
Also, they have included a proper deck launching bay, that Vera will be happy about, although it is still an unknown to Brett (but he will have to learn to use it). I never liked the one that came with the last spinnaker, and I ended up never using it. But, Vera has insisted on using it, plus it will look after the spinnaker as well.

Received a phone call from Will Hammond, at Doyle Fraser Sails in North Fremantle, today telling me that our new spinnaker was ready. I told him that I wouldnt been able to make it in to pick it up this week, but would come over early next week.
Hopefully the design they have done has worked out well, but the cut is the important bit.
I cant wait to get it out on the boat to test it and get a good look at it. Although that wont be until the later part of July, as we are due to drive upto to Monkey Mia and Exmouth in the north west of Western Australia for a short holiday.
But, the first fine weekend we have we will be out there to have a look at it. Cant wait.....

Well today I went down to Doyle Fraser Sails in North Fremantle and ordered our new (thanks to the insurance company, and chipped in from me) spinnaker. It should take 4-6 weeks for delivery. I had a good talk to Will Hammond the sailmaker, who has made a number of our sails over the years. We decided on a 0.9oz Tri-Radial, white, with the design as seen in the post down a little. No extra cost for the extra work and size, and I am very appreciative a Will being able to give it to us at the same cost as originally quoted, plus a bit of a further discount.
Thats why we keep going back to him.

Here is a draft of our new spinnaker design. Hopefully the sailmaker (Will Hammond, Doyle Fraser Sailmakers, North Fremantle, Western Australia) will be able to do this without too much more expense. The Southern Cross will be on a white sail cloth, with probably a green starboard luff tape, a yellow (or gold) port luff tape, and white foot tape.
The panel pattern is not necessarily the way it will be, as this was the only appropriate template I could find.
Hopefully it will look good.

This morning I went and took the backstay adjuster to see if it can be fixed. In the past we have used Ernie Redford of Redford Engineering in Osborne Park for work like this. Parts for this equipment are not available anymore, and so any parts that are required need to be fabricated. Ernie had a quick look at it, and I helped him pull it apart to find the problem, and it looks as though the gear that threads onto the stainless steel shaft coming off the actual backstay itself is worn/stripped. We attempted to get it off, but ran out of time as I needed to get to work. Ernie said he would look at it to see what he could do. If he has to make a new cog for it, it will be expensive time consuming and thus expensive, however if he is able to retrofit a new thread into it then it might be "easier".
In the meantime I will do a little bit more research to see how much a new one will cost. Looks like the best/cheapest option is getting it in from the US.

Brett and I stopped off at the boat this afternoon on the way home to fit the new Genoa halyard. After whipping the ends, we re-threaded it easily by going end-to-end with the old one. Just have to go down early on Saturday, before the race, and whip the snap shackle/knot end to make it more secure. Now that we have a smaller diameter, 12mm Spectra v's 14mm double-braid, it runs through the new halyard clutches and it will make life that little bit easier.

This afternoon I quickly popped down to the boat to check it out. I checked the bilge and found the normal amount of water in it, although I think it is time for me to clean the automatic bilge pump as I dont think it is starting automatically at the correct setting.
I also noticed that there was a bit of a layer of oil on top of the water. This is pretty normal for our old Italian Arona motor after a long journey under motor like what I did on Monday evening.
So, Saturday I will go down early to the boat before the race and clean the bilge out (quite an easy, but messy job), and clean the bilge pump as well. The bottom is starting to get a bit of slime on it (which is not good for racing) so Brett and I will give it a quick clean at the same time.

I mentioned yesterday the RPYC are re-developing the marina. They are replacing 3 of the 5 hard jetties with floating jetties, as they have been around for many a long year and are desparately I need of replacement. Unfortunately our jetty (B) is not getting replaced, because it is pretty good condition.
So, as they are floating jetties there is no need for weights on the pile end of the mooring lines, and there are many spare just sitting on the club lawn waiting to be disposed of. I had noticed last week that we had lost a couple of our weights. The chain had probably rusted through and they dropped off. So, I went and checked with the Club Manager to see if I could take a couple of the ones from the old jetties.
Brett and I then only spent a couple of minutes hooking them on to the mooring line. Now the boat will move less in the pen when a bit o wave comes through.

This afternoon I decided to take Swagman out by myself to give the motor a good run, and get some real charge in the batteries. So, initially decided to head out from RPYC and head down the river to the Point Walter/Claremont area (about 30 min motor away at 5.5kts). The weather was really nice so I decided to continue down river around Point Walter, through Blackwall Reach, past East Fremantle and to the Fremantle bridges. Which I either turn around, drop the mast and continue on to sea (but I didnt have the gear on board to do), or smash into the bridge. So, I just turn around, although the temptation was to drop the mast and continue out into the ocean, and just go....but.....
There were quite a few boats out returning up the riverfrom Rottnest Island, but it was a very pleasant outing.
Got back about 7pm, and this was the first time I put the boat into it's pen at RPYC by myself. But the wind was kind and it was simple. The boat basically faces WSW in the pen, and we are will protected by the shore, but it is a shocker in anything north of east. Although the redevelopment of the marina will improve this with jetties being built further out to accommodate new pens and more boats, and this will protect us a lot more. Plus they are putting on wave attentuation devices to reduce the slop in the marina from NW'ers and passing boat traffic.