Thursday 30 January 2025

Rain today. Delay to rudder fiberglassing until tomorrow. No worries, that may be better... assuming you trust weather forecast.

Friday

Today Cory was in Kingston until late. Delay to rudder fiberglassing until tomorrow.

Saturday

Rudder actually delivered. Not pretty, but appears serviceable. Cory and buddy helped install it in shaft aperture, which would not have been possible had it been half a centimeter longer. Boat tilted bum down on stands and yard surface hard, so couldn't dig a trench. Sometimes things just work out. Barely. Yowzer!

As the thing weighs upward of fifty kilos, aligning and pulling it up via rope and winch to connect top and bottom bearings took rest of day, but she's in and set. Most of steering gear reconnected. More yowzer!

Sunday

All preparation to go back in water completed today, but can't splash until Tuesday as lift operator off until then. Above mentioned small delays can be frustrating, but getting temporary rudder fabricated and installed here in ten days is nearly miraculous. Final yowzer!

Would go to Grand Cayman if mates still there when we could arrive - unlikely to happen. They expect departure same time we leave here. May rendezvous in Isla des San Andres, off Nicaragua, owned by Colombia. Plan thereafter is sail to Bocas del Toro, west side Panama. Better angle than to Colon.

Not only is boat ready to go, but laundry is done. Tomorrow is for groceries and lying about slothing for recovery. Sounds like a new reality show and more fun than last week or so.

This rudder thing has gotten horribly boring. Please feel free, if fortunate enough to have missed last ten days of entries, to not go back.

Jack & Jan