Mid winter update

Wow, it's been over two months since the last blog post.....time really does go by (though maybe not exactly "flying"!!!).

So, what's the news, on the different fronts here in Whangarei?

1.  Cindi's recovery is going extremely well!!!  Physical therapy has been very good, and the 2x daily PT exercises are quite intense and seem to be having good effect.  Her back is much better.  The arm break healed with a bit of misalignment, unfortunately.  While not disabling, it can be a bit painful if she moves it the wrong way.  Hopefully continued therapy will help it improve.

 2.  We've moved back aboard!!!  2 weeks ago we left our Marina Motel dirt dwelling, and moved back aboard Bravo.  The ladder was a bit intimidating for Cindi at first, as you might imagine, but the stomach butterflies have pretty much gone.  While we're not great fans of boatyard living, it really feels great to be back home.

3.  Project status:

Cindi's the undisputed varnish queen here in the boatyard, as we've commandeered more space for indoor project refinish work.  Companionway ladders, instrument coaming boards, bits and bobs of trim, all are getting her attention.  Sweet as!!

Electrical:  The new panel is nearly complete, just awaiting the arrival of new meters, a new product design supposed to be released for shipping any day.  But it looks and works great, a huge upgrade from the 30 year old jury rigged equipment.

Instruments:  All installed, and talking to one another like old friends!!!

Fractured glass ground away, center mold in place waiting for glass

Keel repair:  Glass repair complete, fairing done!!!  Just need to wait about 1 more week until it cures so that we can put on the 10 coats of epoxy barrier coat and 2 coats of anti fouling paint, and we can cross that one off the list!!

10-15 layers of glass per side

Glassed and faired, strong as new!!!

Sweet As !!!

Mast:  Mast is fully rewired, and crane stepped it back in place without a hitch!!!  New furler for inner staysail will make foredeck work in a blow that much easier!!!

Wires, then mast are S-L-O-W-L-Y lowered into the deck

 Other projects we've taken on include a new nav station (over time as instruments and radios get replaced, the old panel was looking pretty cut up), addition of VERY strong stainless steel anchor points at the transom to handle the loads of our new emergency drogue anchor, a new lithium house battery bank, new bilge pumps, and new sails.  Bravo is making the most of our time (and pocketbook!!) spent in New Zealand.....

Other than boat work, we've been going to the nearby gym every day to try to stay a bit active through the winter.  We have gotten out for some local hiking, and this weekend we'll head up to the Bay of Islands to celebrate our 25th anniversary at the 3 day Jazz and Blues Festival.....8 venues, heaps of tasty sounding acts.....should be a great time!!!

Adam's been racing on Sundays with a fun local boat.....nice to remember how to sail again!!!  Good crew, good fun!

The 2nd batch of IPA brew proved as tasty as the first, so it will be nearly time to brew up the 3rd barrel!!!  

Our house has not yet sold, unfortunately.  Many have seemed in love with the place, except for the roof.  An old shake roof, we knew it was likely in need of replacement.  It just seemed to throw up a big red flag at all potential buyers.  So we've decided to replace it, and put that uncertainty to bed.  The work will be done next week, and fingers are crossed it will do the trick!

Back in Whangarei, with any luck we'll splash in a month or so, living on the water once again!!!  As you can probably tell, New Zealand immigration approved our request for a 1 year visa extension due to Cindi's injuries, so we've become "instant kiwi's" for a year.  We really love NZ, and there are LOTS worse places to hang out!!!  All is well with the Bravo crew.

View from the deck of our boatyard bach (vacation home).

"If man can build it, man can fix it......

A kiwi shipwright friend always used to remind us of this when boat projects seemed a bit overwhelming.  I suppose the corollary might be, "If man f*cks it up, man HAS to fix it"

We've been hauled out for almost 3 weeks now.  Many projects underway, many more yet to begin.  None are yet completed!!!  Or so it seems.....

The first of the majors is to fix the "coral bite" we received in the Fulaga pass last season in Fiji.  ( see http://svbravo.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/fulaga-fijia-magical-experience-part-1.html  for the recount of how it happened)

After the incident on the reef, we dove the boat and decided that the damage was "just a flesh wound", not structural, and that the most sensible approach was to continue our cruising season and worry about the repairs when we arrived back in New Zealand.

Well we're back, and it's time to roll up our sleeves and begin.

As you can see from the photos, the trailing edge of the keel took the worst hit, when we backed off the reef.

OUCHHH!!!

Starboard side shows how the delaminated glass flexed

Forward edge fared better, just some scrapes.  (BTW, that's not "night soil" in the bucket....just galley sink waste!!!)

Adam prepares for the operating room

 A few inches of shattered glass needs to be removed.  We've decided to do most of the grinding before we leave to travel to New Zealand's south island, to be sure all is nice and dry when we return to continue the repairs.

Important safety reminder:  Always wear dustproof flip flops like these when grinding fiberglass!!!

BRAVO's keel is lead encapsulated in fiberglass, and happily there is no structural damage to the boat itself.  We were also concerned that water might have migrated beneath the epoxy barrier coat, but some exploratory holes shows all along the bottom edge of the keel appears dry.

Maybe we should just embed a few shark teeth in epoxy and call it good???

About down to solid glass

And this is how we'll leave her for the next 6 weeks or so.   (Remember that mantra...."If man can build it, man can fix it"???     Well, repeat it often.....and loudly; we do at least once a day!!!!!  


BONUS QUESTION:  What is the item pictured below?

If you guessed a gizmo from a passing Russian spaceship you were.........


ummmmmmm...............wrong.

Old and the new sump boxes

We decided to replace our 30 year old shower / head sink sump, as it was hiding all sorts of sludge, an old wrench, cable ties, rusty hose clamps, and other treasures of the bilge inaccessibly beneath, which were clogging our bilge pumps and switches.  Rather than pay $500 for a new Whale box, we made up this one for less than $100.  Even has a few extra hose barbs.  Has a switch inside which turns on a remote pump when water enters the box.  Looks a bit weird, but hey, it lives in the bilge!!!





Cindi's been hard at work on new mozzie screens for BRAVO.  We'll be heading into malaria country next season, and mozzies were getting under the old screens with their little top hats on.  The new screens are sweet as!!!  She even sewed up a set of magnetic ones for Dirt Bravo, our camper van.

Trial fit seems about right

And speaking of D.B........here's the latest kit for our little land yacht, will make the interior a bit roomier!  A fold-up bumper shelf thingie, holds a cooler/chilly bin, big plastic tote, and whatever else we strap on.  Had to weld up a trailer hitch, but should work ok.  We're low riding now!!!

Hey, the BRAVO stable has a new steed.....a brand spanking new Chinese P.O.S. bicycle!!!  We were looking for a cheap transportation old beater bike to run errands from the boat yard, but they were all way over priced, hard to find anything for under $100.  So we found a NEW beater instead, at a big box store.  $76 NZD  ($55 USD) before tax.  18 speeds.......just over 4 bucks / speed !!!! (though only about 3 of them actually work.......).  We really hate to support the disposable consumer import mentality, but this was hard to pass up.....will give it to a needy kid or the local hospice 2nd hand shop when we leave.  Sure a far cry from our race bikes of the old days!!!

Adam continued to give back to his geek lifestyle yesterday, when he served as a Volunteer Examiner (VE) to give ham radio exams to cruisers.  3 passed, and will now have US ham radio call signs, and be able to use the radios on their boats for email, weather, nets, and general chit chat.  Sponsored by the Seven Seas Cruising Association, we'll do another session in April.

That's all the news for now.  On Wednesday we'll be packing up Dirt Bravo and heading down to the south island for 6 weeks of adventures.....stay tuned!

And in the meantime, GO SEAHAWKS in tomorrows Superbowl!!!!!