Finally found our windlass chain and were able to run up the new rocna 20, big day :)

Well here we are in the rain working on the boat. I have removed all the interior finishing, wiring, plumbing. I have re fibreglassed all the bulkheads to the hull, both making the lockers water tight, and strengthening the hull in the process. I removed the old stainless water tank, and made a smooth strong locker to allow me to install two flexible tanks. This should increase our water capacity from 25 gallon to closer to 50 based on the unused space around the old tank.
I removed the old chain plates, reinforced the bulkhead to hull connection, where originally there was only one layer of glass on the aft side, I have now added 5 layers to the aft side and 4 to the forward side. I fabricated new stainless backing plates to spread the load, as well as extending the chain plates another 8 inches beyond the existing footprint. I pulled the chainplate out of the deck, found a small bit of surface contamination which I removed with a nylon brush. The chainplate was reinstalled with a thick butyl tape waterproofing layer applied with a heat gun to ensure it penetrated deeply. The rig was retensioned to 15 percent of breaking strength. Will see if it needs tightening.
Today I will redo the shore power cord. I have a new cord and will put in a new connector to the new blue sea systems panel and plugs.

Well we have made it back to the coast, after many months of hard work in northern alberta. We have started to empty the boat in order to start the repairs and upgrades that are needed for the spring. So far we have taken out 3 car loads of books, food and dishes. Surprising how now the boat sits about four inches higher in the water. I think we will have to think about putting the library back on board or not. We need a few more days to finish emptying it out and then will look at starting the rewiring and other projects. We are slow moving as we are also catching up on the missing sleep from the last three months.

We brought the boat from Powell River to the Discovery Harbour Marina to get the boat hauled out and get the fibreglass fixed.

The forecast for the trip over was for a heavy wind warning, so we were not sure if we were to go or not. However Saturday morning the weather was great. We fuelled up and left the South Harbour about 945 am. We motored out past hardwood island to ensure we were clear of the ferries.
We saw many power and sailboats fleeing south from desolation sound, with the sailboats healed far over as the wind is from the south east.
Once past hardwood we ran out the jib and shut down the motor, from motoring at 6 knots we were sailing at up to 7, until we had to furl in the jib a bit to bring the speed down to a manageable level.

The wind held all the way across until the entrance to discovery channel. W put the sails away and powered up. We were assigned to float H #32, bow in starboard tie. It was a bit tricky getting in as the space was downwind. After a bit of boat handling we got it all tied up and secured. We arrived about 16:30.

A good day for sailing with perfect weather.

Father stayed the night and Tanja and barb came up Sunday morning, toured the boat and took dad back to the PR ferry, so he can get back to work Monday.

We are waiting at the harbour until Tuesday for our lift time, but will check into a possible earlier lift on Monday.

Then it is back to PR to get the camper and then back to alberta to work.

Well, after some sleep, where I think everyone woke up wondering if we had drifted, or some other calamity had happened, and after Fred wedged a particularily bad squeak silent, we awoke about 6 am.

A brief tussle with the stove and we got it lit and made some coffee. Every one was happy. The seas were flat and the wind low. The decision to leave was announced by Fred in saying that the "wind is dry, it is time to get going".

We powered up the trusty gas engine and while most everyone else was still asleep, we left the anchorage and motored out into the straight and north towards Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay and beyond.

There was very little wind to speak of that day, so we motored and motored and motored. Once we passed Secret Cove we were able to sail for two tacks across Malaspina Channel and then motored once again.

It was a long day of taking turns driving and watching the water go but. Fred made lunch and we motored on.

After 13 hours or so we motored by fathers place to see it from the water, and then on into Westbiew Harbour. They assigned us to the empty finger 11, which was great as it was ther first time we had every actually docked this or any other boat.

But no problems, we managed to get it tied up like old pros, or as someone I know says " fake it like a pro".

We were met by Gwen with the van, so we secured the boat and piled into the van to go to fathers for a shower and some sleep.

We were more than a little sunburnt and a bit dazed by the entire experience.
Day 2, delivery accomplished, and now we can start the cleaning and see what we just bought.

This is a brief account of the delivery trip from horseshoe bay where we took possession of swell time to arriving in powell river, where we have been going through the boat systems, and repairing or replacing them to allow us to get to Cambell River to get hauled out.

We arrived at the boat in the afternoon, went into Park Royal to get food supplies and dinner and got back to the boat in time for Browns visit that evening. We hung out and visited for some time and then had to go to bed, as we did not know if any of the cabin lights worked, which battery to use on which switch, and as there was no shore power connection, we went to sleep at dusk.

The next morning we were up bright and early, somewhere around 6am, made some coffee, and Freddie and father went to find more coffee. Janet and I readied the boat as best we could, not really knowing anything at this point. Once they returned with no coffee but with the Dreamspeaker guide to the coast, a great find we were unable to find the day before, we headed over to the fuel dock.

We managed to get the boat filled up with gas, as it has an Atomic 4 gas engine, and some coffee from the gas bar, we headed out into the bay.

The sailing behind Passage island was great, sunny, enough wind to get 5-6 knots and fun for everyone. Our plan was to head out in front of Bowen Island and up the coast to halfmoon bay or secret cove for the night.

Well the plan changed.
Once we were out past the wind shadow of Bowen Island, the wind hit us hard. Father was driving and heading us south on a beam reach, crossing a debris line of kelp and logs we really got into the wind. The seas had built up to 5-10 ft, and as the wind speed indicator did not work, well lets say the wind was horrid fast. We would get gusts and heal over making us all feel very nervous and unhappy.

I managed to get out to the mast and put in a reef in the main without falling overboard, however the reef line mostly parted in the process. Back in the cockpit I was able to furl in the jib and we slowed down to a walking 2-3 knots.

Janet took the helm and with the help of all of us we timed the tack around in a lull and headed back to Bowen island with our tail between our legs.

Looking about we could see all the other sailboats in the area following suit.
Once we got back behind Bowen the wind dropped back down and we had a great sail around the island. We tried to spend the night at Gibson's marina, but they were full. We ended up in plumper park across the channel and anchored for the night. A small learning curve on anchoring, with rusted up chain, but in the end we settled down for the evening. A good swim in the ocean, a pasta dinner made in a frying pan and we slept, rather poorly i think but we slept.
Hmmm day 1 on the water over and we are worn out.