It was a strange moment. Everything back on board, stowed and ready to sail forth from my concrete berth. I am in a strange kind of bewildered state. I am still waiting for completion of the engine. The engineers have promissed to return with the old fuel tank, cleaned with a new filter system and inspection hatch; launch the boat and then sea trials. The question is when. Fingers crossed, by next Wednesday. Last Thursday was really the day that I was finished, the boat ready for launch. I spent the morning polishing the top sides with a wax solution. The boat has never looked so smart, even the fenders have been cleaned.
I knew in the beginning I was looking at an uphill battle to get the osmosis treatment done, anti-fowl, sand and oil the woodwork, plus varnish the washboards, paddles and companionway woodwork and tiller completed before the engine but I have done it. Somewhere in there I got a canvas canopy made for the boom and an engine cover. That was a riot. Explaining my design to two Canary women without a word of English. I bought them a box of chocolates in the end. They also sowed in my leg straps and additions to the life jackets for the ARC. Of course I should not forget to mention the new anode and bolts.
It is funny how things work some times. A while back I looked at the websites statistics wondering what they meant, who was actually reading all this. Well, literally a day later, I got a tip from a reader, that stainless steel bolts might be a problem. I looked into it. My Nigel Calder, "Boatowner's Maintenance Manual", definitely seemed to throw up a caution but as usual I found the advice unclear and hard to interpret. I consulted the company I bought the anode from and their advice was that the stainless steel bolts were OK. The zinc should protect any galvanic reaction between the bolts and the zinc/aluminium plate. Well we shall see. Definitely something to monitor the next time the boat comes out of the water.
The good ship will sail on but until then, it might be another thriller. The Stephen King novel was not that bad and I've bashed my way through a Fredrcik Forsyth too. Ugh. Was the ending ever corny. At least it filled a gap. Ads are out for a second crewmate for the ARC and Fuerteventura looms on the horizon; bring on the 10th and a reunion with my special canary guide!