Firstly the most obvious issue once I arrived back on board, was what I'm guessing (hoping), is a leaking seal on the toilet in the main bathroom. I had left the toilet bowl full of fresh water and the bowl sealed over with gladwrap- not for party night tricks, but to preclude evaporation. Toilet bowl was now completely empty, and a tell tale water mark was a dead give away. Oh joy! I knew it would come to pass to one day. Good ole Google came up with the manual for said model of 'quiet flush toilet' flushing mechanism, and my darling sister will arrive with the required service kit bits next week. Until then I have just decamped to the other hull and will use the the other toilet! Can barely wait to get into that job!
Secondly and of far more concern is the AIS (Automatic Identification System) is not talking to my chart plotter system and therefore I can see no target ships and nobody can see me. I know that Magellan and Christopher Columbus and even Cheng Ho, didn't have such mod cons, but it sure is handy , not to mention mandatory these days, in many countries. So that will need to be resolved.
It appears to be working, correct lights flashing, but patently isn't.
Thirdly, starboard electric bilge pump not playing nicely. Dr Google and Youtube to the rescue again, to find a manual and see how it comes apart. That done, still not working. Skype a friend- ( Steve)- and he suggests that I have done what he would do, so before investigating the pipes etc , just try submerging it totally in water and give it a whirl again. Success! It just needed a real drowning to make it realise what it's true purpose in life was!
,
Next , change the charcoal filter in the water maker and fire up water maker , for future use. All good no leaks drips etc.
Talking of leaks, there is no sign of water anywhere. Which is excellent, the 'usual' suspects are all completely dry. Either it really is fixed or there has been no rain, and definitely haven't been using the fresh water deck wash, which is totally taped up and secured. I do have a replacement one for that, which I flew up with, in my baggage (20.35kg, plus 'cabin' baggage weighing exactly 7kg, plus every pocket on my multi pocketed cargo pants and my fleece stuffed to capacity (1 kg ), although why I bother to be so meticulous about the weights of my cabin baggage, when you see that some folk arrive with apparently the entire contents of their house as permissable "cabin baggage”)- anyway, just need to fit the new deck wash hose at some stage. Probably an easier plumbing task, than the toilet!
Tested the EPIRB, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon- all good.
Turned on the HF radio- can hear radio Australia and the BBC- wouldn't mind finding someone to actually talk to though, so that I can see it transmits ok. Trouble is I dont really know many people up here or if they are sailing or in port.
Re ran all the sheets and halyards which had been totally derigged and secured away in the sail bag out of this incredibly vicious equatorial sunlight.
That folks, has taken the best part of the last three days. Also watched a gentleman, Mark, as he investigated the missing AIS, by using a diagnostic program on a computer- Stay tuned for the outcome on that front. Sooner rather than later I hope.....also getting feed back from back at home as Peter and Peter from the Vietnam delivery trip, are googling up information as to possible causes of the lack of AIS.
Then yesterday, amused myself by debagging the props and saildrive legs, a task not made particularly easy by the murkiness of the water, due to a heavy downpour on Saturday , complete with spectacular lightning display, which always make me nervous as they get closer. Couple of definite cracks exploding over the marina, but everything electrically significant checked out ok again, after it had passed- except of course the AIS. The lightning didn't scare it back into life unfortunately!
This morning it was time to do all the engine checks, and start them up. All appears good and functioning as expected, which is excellent. Got 100lts of diesel (spare) , so now at capacity of diesel,with both tanks full, plus a total of 125 lts spare for the engines and 30 litres of petrol for the outboard, which should last a while! Not sure where or how easy or how clean the next fuel might be, as not entirely sure where I will be re fuelling next.
Major tasks left are bending the jib on again , uncover the dinghy, clean the couple of extra lines which were run on my outboard side to hold me off the wharf for the last few months, which have a small build up of slime on them, give the bottom of the fenders, which have 'just' been sitting in water for the last 3 months a clean off and await the outcome of the AIS saga.
Monday 12 June 2017
K'Gari turns two .
Last week as K'Gari sat all alone in Port Dickson , she officially turned two years old.
Some stats follow for those who are remotely interested;
Distance traveled in last 12 months, 1992 nautical miles.
Engine hours 317.2
Fuel consumed 573 litres
Which works out as 1.81 litres/ per engine hour, and 0.287lts /nautical mile. When motoring , or motoring with sunshades, sometimes also known as sails, I try to keep the average speed at 5 kts.
On board I have had, my sister Jo, nephew Chris and Steve for run from Langkawi to Port Dickson.
Lynne from Port Dickson to Phuket, which unfortunately for Lynne, rattled up most of those engine hours.
Then Jo,Chris and Steve around Phuket and out to the Similan and Surin Islands- beautiful.
Steve for the haulout and re-antifoul in Thailand and back to Port Dickson, for which I am eternally grateful.
Far more importantly, three fish were caught, the mahi mahi with Lynne , released because I just wasn't sure. The mackerel which did for Christmas dinner and a barracuda which was released as “not required on board”.
Visited only two countries this year , Malaysia and Thailand.
One haul out :
One coat of primer, three coats of antifoul, a new set of anodes, a new set of flexible bushes for propellers ( thank you – not , to whoever filled them with grease during installation!), a new antifoul job on the saildrives – serious thank you Steve, a load of stress and we were back in the water and out of Thailand the day the visas expired!
Finally found some wind and managed to get the MPS set a few times whilst in Thailand and on the run back to Port Dickson. Even got the photo to prove it, courtesy of Ray and Shaunnaugh on Parlay.
Some stats follow for those who are remotely interested;
Distance traveled in last 12 months, 1992 nautical miles.
Engine hours 317.2
Fuel consumed 573 litres
Which works out as 1.81 litres/ per engine hour, and 0.287lts /nautical mile. When motoring , or motoring with sunshades, sometimes also known as sails, I try to keep the average speed at 5 kts.
On board I have had, my sister Jo, nephew Chris and Steve for run from Langkawi to Port Dickson.
Lynne from Port Dickson to Phuket, which unfortunately for Lynne, rattled up most of those engine hours.
Then Jo,Chris and Steve around Phuket and out to the Similan and Surin Islands- beautiful.
Steve for the haulout and re-antifoul in Thailand and back to Port Dickson, for which I am eternally grateful.
Far more importantly, three fish were caught, the mahi mahi with Lynne , released because I just wasn't sure. The mackerel which did for Christmas dinner and a barracuda which was released as “not required on board”.
Visited only two countries this year , Malaysia and Thailand.
One haul out :
One coat of primer, three coats of antifoul, a new set of anodes, a new set of flexible bushes for propellers ( thank you – not , to whoever filled them with grease during installation!), a new antifoul job on the saildrives – serious thank you Steve, a load of stress and we were back in the water and out of Thailand the day the visas expired!
Finally found some wind and managed to get the MPS set a few times whilst in Thailand and on the run back to Port Dickson. Even got the photo to prove it, courtesy of Ray and Shaunnaugh on Parlay.
I'm back!
Yes it's true I'm back in board,
Everything looked good upon my first squizz, when I arrived back on board late afternoon of the 6th.
It wasn't too bad a trip back .
Flew from the Gold Coast, as it was still considerably cheaper, than flying from Brisbane, inclusive of the hotel and if I hadn't been driven down by my darling sister , the bus fare I would have needed to get there.
So having left home about 0900 on Monday morning, driven to the Gold Coast and checked into the hotel the afternoon was mine,
The reason in the end I asked Jo to dive me down, was due to the difficulty I was having in getting a concise answer to a query that I had, about lithium batteries- carriage thereof.
Everything I had read indicated that it was possible to carry them, as long as they were not checked in as hold baggage. I had seven with me, of various sizes for different things. Radios, the drone , a man overboard device and an electronic flare. The last two being gadgets I had picked up at the boat show the previous week.
So having emailed my Asian based discount airline, I eventually, after several automated responses, received something along the lines of, medical equipment could be carried as long as it wasn't in the baggage hold, unless it was a wheel chair with a battery which would need more information supplied........As at no time had I mentioned that my request was about an electronic wheel chair and I had specifically listed out the sizes and use for each battery, I gave up. Then dreamt up the cunning plan, that if I was driven down, we could go to the airport , I would be able to ask the question and get a specific answer. If there was a problem , Jo would be able to take the batteries home.
That very morning it had occurred to Jo, that unlike Brisbane International , the chances of anyone being at the airport unless at flight time was highly unlikely, so in the end we scrapped the idea of going to the airport and I would just take my chances, so she just drove me down anyway.
Next morning , checked in no problems and yes no problems with the batteries at all, as long as they are not checked in.
Managed to leave my laptop at the first of the X-ray machines and didn't realise until I had passed through the second screening for the International flight, including a full body scan - lucky me, passed through Immigration and was in the "sterile" departure lounge. So back out , confusing everyone ,but I was escorted out by a customs agent, who then disappeared and that meant I had to explain my way back in to the sterile area........
Went to do a claim back on gst for goods that were leaving the country with me, failed on one count, due to not having original receipt - photocopies won't cut the mustard, folks.
Had a coffee, and it was boarding time. Things were looking up as I sat and waited for my seating companions ,finally when the door closed , yes, I had scored all three seats to myself .WINNER.
Having been told by Jo that the flights were cold and as it was only 11 degrees that morning, I had arrived with several layers , shirt, windcheater and sleeveless fleece. Needed all of it and a woolly beanie wouldn't have gone astray either!
Stepped out into 30 degree and probably 85% humidity.
Sashidse my friendly previously arranged driver , once again delivered me safely down on board within an hour of jumping into his car,
There waiting, exactly as I had left her was K'Gari. Hopped on board and the first task was to check the seawater filter on the airconditioner and start it up.......
Everything looked good upon my first squizz, when I arrived back on board late afternoon of the 6th.
It wasn't too bad a trip back .
Flew from the Gold Coast, as it was still considerably cheaper, than flying from Brisbane, inclusive of the hotel and if I hadn't been driven down by my darling sister , the bus fare I would have needed to get there.
So having left home about 0900 on Monday morning, driven to the Gold Coast and checked into the hotel the afternoon was mine,
The reason in the end I asked Jo to dive me down, was due to the difficulty I was having in getting a concise answer to a query that I had, about lithium batteries- carriage thereof.
Everything I had read indicated that it was possible to carry them, as long as they were not checked in as hold baggage. I had seven with me, of various sizes for different things. Radios, the drone , a man overboard device and an electronic flare. The last two being gadgets I had picked up at the boat show the previous week.
So having emailed my Asian based discount airline, I eventually, after several automated responses, received something along the lines of, medical equipment could be carried as long as it wasn't in the baggage hold, unless it was a wheel chair with a battery which would need more information supplied........As at no time had I mentioned that my request was about an electronic wheel chair and I had specifically listed out the sizes and use for each battery, I gave up. Then dreamt up the cunning plan, that if I was driven down, we could go to the airport , I would be able to ask the question and get a specific answer. If there was a problem , Jo would be able to take the batteries home.
That very morning it had occurred to Jo, that unlike Brisbane International , the chances of anyone being at the airport unless at flight time was highly unlikely, so in the end we scrapped the idea of going to the airport and I would just take my chances, so she just drove me down anyway.
Next morning , checked in no problems and yes no problems with the batteries at all, as long as they are not checked in.
Managed to leave my laptop at the first of the X-ray machines and didn't realise until I had passed through the second screening for the International flight, including a full body scan - lucky me, passed through Immigration and was in the "sterile" departure lounge. So back out , confusing everyone ,but I was escorted out by a customs agent, who then disappeared and that meant I had to explain my way back in to the sterile area........
Went to do a claim back on gst for goods that were leaving the country with me, failed on one count, due to not having original receipt - photocopies won't cut the mustard, folks.
Had a coffee, and it was boarding time. Things were looking up as I sat and waited for my seating companions ,finally when the door closed , yes, I had scored all three seats to myself .WINNER.
Having been told by Jo that the flights were cold and as it was only 11 degrees that morning, I had arrived with several layers , shirt, windcheater and sleeveless fleece. Needed all of it and a woolly beanie wouldn't have gone astray either!
Stepped out into 30 degree and probably 85% humidity.
Sashidse my friendly previously arranged driver , once again delivered me safely down on board within an hour of jumping into his car,
There waiting, exactly as I had left her was K'Gari. Hopped on board and the first task was to check the seawater filter on the airconditioner and start it up.......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)