IS OIL THE SPAWN OF THE DEVIL?
03 May 2018 | Charlotte Amallia
Ag/hit
As our transatlantic adventures come to an end in a flurry of sails off, on and off again, cleaning, polishing, dinghy deflating, packing, unpacking and generally doing everything three times before we get it right, strikes me that amidst this plethora of persecution, changing the engine and generator oil is the Room 101 of sailing. I mean, one sails to be free as a bird, at one with the winds and the seas, clean pure unadulterated fresh airs with all the graces etc etc etc. And then the black evil that is oil strikes.
Yesterday was The Longest Day. Brian spent it in the engine compartment relieved only by a few hours in the aft cockpit when he swopped engine for generator. I de rusted, washed and polished on deck. And passed tools. And supplied kitchen roll. And applied psychotherapy.
Didn’t work. We’re not talking. I blame the oil.
PS Actually today is competing for Longest Day title as we were up at 5am taking the head and stay sails off “before the wind gets up”.... But....he had to talk to me. And say please.