Finally, the day has come

[haiqu]

I've ordered a Davis 15 from the UK, should be here in about 10-14 days with luck. Meanwhile we could get the mast head down and modify it, if you still want to go that way and your mate is amenable to doing some drilling and welding.

While you're up there, the Ronstan pulley and coax cables could be fitted in readiness for the re-installation. Let me know if you're available later this week or early next week.

Rob

[pete_winning]

Early next week is best for me mate. Probably the Tuesday or Wednesday if it suits you?

Pete

[haiqu]

Wednesday's good for me. Gimme a call when you're heading out, I'll keep the phone on.

Cheers.

[haiqu]

Slammed by gale force winds for 30 hours, it was pissing sideways in Sydney until the wee hours this morning. Looks like I won't be going to the Dural hamfest, I'm just too worn out.

Fittingly, I had just hauled the dinghy aboard and performed a fibreglass repair when it hit on Friday evening. So I had the dinghy slamming around the deck and bouncing rain into the cabin just to make life more interesting.

Superstructure repairs continue to plod because of this weird rainy weather we're experiencing here in Sydney.

[haiqu]

Pete has been around again. Today's task was to fit the new Windex to the mast. He unscrewed the backstay and handed down the bracket. I ground off the old one then filed the hole out and fitted the Davis 15 and passed it back up.

Bloody good job all round.

Photos:

1. Pete up the mast.
2. Everyone needs a photo of the top of their own head.
3. The new Windex in place.
4. The old broken wind indicator.
5. Pete buys me a beer for my birthday!

[pete_winning]

I spoke to my fabrication mate tonight and he said he was happy to take care of it for us. 2 - 2.5 mm flat bar no worries. 1 week turnaround. I just have to email him the plans tomorrow. It's amazing what you can get done over a beer.

[haiqu]

Jolly good!! Thanks again Pete.

Lexx, you're getting a good man here.

[haiqu]

Pete, If you haven't sent that diagram yet hold off until Monday. I'm consulting a radio engineer about the ideal separation between antennas to avoid interference on AIS when transmitting on the VHF radio. Should have an answer by then.

In the interim and FYI, maximum separation is needed not to avoid the Windex but to avoid blowing up the AIS receiver when I transmit. :-)

My thinking is that by selecting a separation of an odd multiple of 1/8 wavelength there will be very little signal transferred even if they're close together, but I need to verify this with an expert.

Err, sorry for the technobabble folks, we now resume our regular programme.

[pete_winning]

No worries. It's on hold.

[Lexx]

Yeah I know Rob, I got a little job or two op the mast for Pete to do in the back of my mind ... need a wind vane installed and the fore deck log and steaming light doesn't seem to be working ... shhhh don't tell Pete or he might not want to come along.

Laughs ...

Lexx

[haiqu]

Mwahaha. Good one.

[haiqu]

Hey Pete, like my new self-portrait?

[Lexx]

My what a handsome sailor ... laughs ...

[haiqu]

Pete, my expert didn't respond. According to my calculations it should be 750mm between mount holes, so the bar will need to be 800x50x2.5mm with the holes 25mm in from each end.

He might also like to add another pair of holes 400mm apart (200mm each side of centre) so that other stuff can be added later such as weather instruments, etc.

[delatbabel]

I'm of the opinion that you do not need to, nor should you, mount an AIS antenna at the top of the mast. Short distance line of sight is all you need for AIS, so the antenna will do just as well mounted on top of the pushpit rail or whatever other construction you have at the back of the boat.

It also keeps it further from the masthead VHF antenna (for which you do want as long a distance as possible) and keeps any coax lines leading to the antennae further apart as well.

You should get 3-4nm range from a pushpit rail mounted AIS antenna which for most purposes is good enough. If you're in a busy seaway (e.g. Singapore harbour) and have an AIS antenna with 30nm range then your AIS stream is likely to be flooded which runs the risk of missing seeing something close in favour of seeing something larger but further away.

[haiqu]

I'll have to disagree with you there Del. At 6ft ASL I get 3-4nm range which isn't enough forward warning for a system that wakes me up if I'm sailing solo and sleeping. The software can limit the range in a busy seaway.

[haiqu]

Been a long time coming, but the cabin roof above the head is finally sealed against the intrusion of the elements. Following photos show the final stage of fibreglass prior to application of paint. This has taken months, mostly due to the unseasonal rains here in Sydney. Many attempts were made and many ruined in the process of figuring out just what it would take to fix this without replacing the panels.

There has been 1 litre of Everdure, 14 litres of filler and two complete fibreglass repair kits used, and I still have to fix the water damage inside once the exposed timber dries out again. More Everdure and filler I expect. There are still some soft spots but at least there's little danger of my foot going through now.

I will replace the deck panels eventually, but this is beyond my resources at present. To do it properly requires removal of the mast.

[haiqu]

It finally stopped raining long enough in Brisbane for my brother to go aboard Shenoa and bale her out. The floor and electrical system have taken a hit and the bilge pump no longer works. Since the previous owner reported the mast light still working after the major storm, this must have been due to continuous rains since then.

Trevor and his wife Kim unloaded about 1500 litres of water with a bucket and he's going back to finish the job with an electric pump next week. Looks like I may have to move the switchboard, it's too low. I already have a new bilge pump with a float switch ready to fit.

[haiqu]

Del moored Chiara Stella near me for a few days and it has been good to have some company. A little taste of what it must be like out there travelling amongst other cruisers. Helped him attach some new flat, thin solar panels that can actually be walked on (awesome design!) to the cabin roof and cut a few bits of SS threaded bar with my angle grinder for another job.

Del also let me have an old calico helm cover and a dead VHF radio that I now have working, and which is destined for Shenoa in Brisbane when I go up there again in a few weeks.

[haiqu]

Finally made a start on the ugly port side window in the cabin, photos below. I also have a bid in for a pair of Chinese 20hp Cummins engines, brand new and situated in Brisbane. One for each boat, or maybe I'll throw the 10hp outboard on Shenoa and keep one of the diesels for a spare.