We got a lot done today, primary among them was to FINALLY, FINALLY get our wind sensor system working! Hurray! As Conni constantly reminds me, it's been 5 years since we last had working wind data. it IS a sailboat, after all.

Initially, I began work on another project down in the space below the cockpit, the space that Conni has dubbed "the Man Cave". For me to work there, I must shinny into the space on my back and work in that position, holding my arms upward to work. It's tiring and uncomfortable. After working in there for a few hours, removing the many years-worth of work that I did to install the old Raymarine electronics, I needed a break. Working on the new wind system seemed reasonable.

The process requires that we "pair" the wind sensor that mounts to the top of the mast, to the base station that mounts to a rail at the stern. Everyone has used this system to pair a BlueTooth keyboard to a computer. Last year, the two units failed to pair and it cost us another year without wind data, although B&G did send another unit at no charge.

I set up the pairing but got no pairing. Nothing worked on the network! What was the problem? Had I disconnected some necessary wire while disassembling the old network? Back to the Man Cave to suss the reason. In the end, I found that the wire that powers the network was loose. I removed the switch panel, tightened the wire, and the network was on! When I mentioned the lowest of all low-hanging fruit, it refers to the troubleshooting process of checking the most obvious and easiest things first. A loose wire is a classic problem and this time it was the cause.

Conni, I'm glad to say, was ecstatic! The new electronics from B&G processes data from the wind in a manner that displays extremely useful information to a sailor. It would be useless to power craft, but to a sailor, the specific information displayed is miles ahead of any other company's systems. We've been unable to access those extra features because we've had no wind data. We also have a working network!

The yard at Raiatea Carenage where we keep Wings has undergone and is undergoing a transformation. Dirt is being covered in concrete, electrical systems are being upgraded, and the yard is losing its collection of old, derelict boats. Losing the boats requires a diligent effort on the yard's part since one can't just dispose of someone else's property, so it can take a lengthy and expensive effort to find owners, if they're alive, and acquire permission. Still, Dominique, the yard owner, has managed to do that for, perhaps, 12 boats, all in various stages of disintegration. With those boats gone, he can make some money on that land, a worthy investment. The boats must be cut into pieces and shipped to Tahiti for burning or recycling. Dominique also invested in new and very sturdy cradles and stands for storing boats. These are extremely expensive but are very fast to use and very safe for the boats.

I've got some unlabeled wires to track down today. I use a "toner", a device that sends a signal along a wire that is traceable with a small handheld tool. The wire can hide among a bundle of wires or disappear behind a bulkhead but the toner can track it. For the wiring in a boat, it's a very useful tool. I'll spend some quality time with my toner today.

For the tasks that we've been doing, there are precious few photos to show, but I have some of some trips to town. I'll get them up soon.

Conni will not be going up the mast today.