New year, new direction

[haiqu]

Webb Chiles is now about halfway between Opua and Gladstone, after 5 days at sea. He seems to be making a very consistent 140nm per day and having a great run.

[haiqu]

Adjacent steel yacht Rainbird dragged into another smaller fibreglass yacht a few days ago. A good samaritan yachtie here called the water police for help. "What do you want us to do about it?" they said.

So he called MSQ, who simply rang the owner and told him, "If you don't get down there in an hour and move it and we have to do it for you it will cost you $1000.00" Great way to help guys, and your PR sure is getting better too.

I've recently discovered that the big Forgacs boatyard that antifouls and repaints ferries and ships is closing down and the property will be sold for a $100M development. There goes the neighborhood. We here in Colmslie are living on borrowed time, it's the tail end of the free era I'm afraid.

[haiqu]

Webb Chiles should be rounding Fraser Island by dawn.

[haiqu]

I've had to make a tough decision today. Truthfully assessing the amount of work required to get Shenoa up to a condition that I'd be happy with, it is not financially viable. I could end up spending another $6000.00 on top of what I've already outlaid and still end up with a yacht worth $6000.00 in the end.

Looking at the fact that a hull crack developed at all indicates poor build quality, and I've noticed also that the builder used square mesh instead of the specified hexagonal bird wire. I've decided she has run her course and needs to be scrapped.

I've had almost a year's free rent living aboard for an initial cost of $2,200 plus registration over the past three years, and can still strip off all the parts and equipment bought for her including the mast, sails, radios, instruments, furler, bowsprit, engine, drive shaft and prop. So I certainly got my money's worth out of the poor old thing.

I'm considering building a CSC30 30' catamaran out of ply, to the style outlined by The Coastal Passage articles about the guy in Townsville who made them for a living. Total cost of the hull would be about $21,000 and almost all the bits I remove could be utilized.

It's six months' work but repairing Shenoa would have taken three months anyhow. The difference is I'll end up with a new hull, done properly, with a good resale value. Then I can actually go sailing, instead of "fixing yachts in exotic places."

Still thinking about what to do with Keppelena.

[Oldsquizzy]

Same here mate...Few medical issues the last couple of years have seen me able too Make Eleuthera good but just dont have the time or energy for Stand easy. Have decided to let her go.

[haiqu]

It's a tough call isn't it Squizzy. When you get past 60 every minute is worth something and you don't want to be spending them pointlessly. Up until now everything I've been doing has been from the viewpoint of merely surviving on what I had available, which wasn't very much. With a few dollars coming my way I can make longer term plans and I don't need to bother doing some of the things I thought necessary.

One yacht at a time should be enough, but it has to be a good one. Add to that a nice base to work from with a decent shed and life could be pretty sweet.

[haiqu]

Webb Chiles stopped north of Fraser Island 18 hours ago and there hasn't been a peep out of his Yellow Brick since. I hope he just turned it off early. Nothing on his blog either.

[haiqu]

3am Monday: He's on the move again. Must have stopped for a well-deserved snooze before attempting entrance into the Burnett River. Cautious as always.

[haiqu]

Rob's rantings and ramblings have moved here:

http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/f29...html#post44415

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by delatbabel

Good luck. I remember watching a doco on a fisherman from Taiwan who was living on the streets at age 64, then hit on a business idea and is now a multi-millionaire with his own fish farming company.

Maybe someone will make a doco about me then. Age 64, living in a boatyard in a broken ferro. Nek minnit ...