skip sunny
03/20/2011, Falmouth Marina

Hey all, well we've been busy and trying to get the work load complete before we leave the marina in a week or so's time.

The Hatch is now complete and we've adopted a 'helmut' approach to ensuring it closes properly. A new hatch dog would have cost us 130 pounds sterling. However I cut a thread into the bar, and bought an M12 wing nut, polished up an old bronze bushing that was on the boat and we have a very secure hatch lock now. Total cost: 8 pounds including spares! This is the essence of the verb 'to helmut' in that we think about how we can do things on Emerald with what we already have. Here is the story of the real Helmut, we salute you!

The Story of Helmut

Nichola has been busy today making a canvas cover for the hatch, which is looking good. Tomorrow I'll be heading up the mast to check it over and move our strong track a little lower.
Excitement is mounting for our escape to the seas again.
slainte
skip

2010: Winter in Falmouth

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skip dry!!!
03/02/2011, Falmouth Marina

Or in my case measure six times cut and keep your fingers crossed! Have you seen the price of teak!
We've had a a good weather window, so have begun to install the new 'old' hatch. The old Atkins and Hoyle hatch and leaky surround have gone and we are now in the midst of building the new surround. This is pushing my woodworking skills again but so far so good.



Tomorrow I'll finish off prepping the hatch base and get that sanded and ready to bed down and bolt through the deck.

The main photo is a shot of the hatch set in place. The unvarnished piece is the base I've been working on.

In the mean time Nichola has been busy making new fender socks, of a new and patented design! More to follow on this.

Slainte skip

2010: Winter in Falmouth

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skip mild but blustery
02/27/2011, Falmouth

Well hello all,

Nichola has been busy in her alter ego as Head Brewer on Emerald, and completed the 2011 vintage wine. We have both a full bodied Shiraz and a light and fruity Sauvigon Blanc this year, after the success of the Merlot last year. They'll be left in the bottles for a month or two to settle a bit then should be ready for evening sunsets over the Outer Hebrides.

On the winter work list things are slowly progressing. The good news is that the Galley is finished, hurrah! The new staysail tracks are in, Hurrah! The mast has been adjusted, and no longer resembles a banana, Hurrah! The freezer appears to be working correctly, Hurrah! I've at last finished Nichola's mosaic and stained glass work table for the forepeak (a christmas present, rather late!) Hurrah! and I've tested the gas fitting sent to us from Rick on SV Godspeed (thanks Rick) and it works, so we can now fill our propane tanks properly, Hurrah!

We have a few things left to do, the main one being installing our new to us hatch over the saloon, moving the mainsail track lower to stop it chaffing the halyard, and a few plumbing alterations, and repairing a fitting for one of our flexible tanks.

Then we have to stock up on food and supplies top off the gas tanks and fuel tanks before leaving Falmouth Marina on 1st April to head up the river Fal for a month or so.

Then we'll swing our bows Northward and head towards the Irish sea and the West coast of Scotland.
Slainte
skip

2010: Winter in Falmouth

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