Mast & Motor

I managed to get the top of the mast off, freeing the trapped line, and enabling me to replace the Genoa Halyard, which was lost up the mast last season.
I dropped off the outboard in Strood to have a service.

Burnham-on-Crouch

I ordered a 4 man Valise Life Raft from Pirates Cave.

Chrissy and I drove up to Burnham to meet Craig, the Rigger. He is going to try to separate the drum on the roller reefing gear.

Picnic in the park, watching the lads on their BMX bikes doing tricks, followed by a walk along the river front.

The Shell Channel Pilot

Chrissy collected the latest copy for me from W H Smiths.

At a lunch of  Infrastructure Planning Engineers and the newly retired, Dick mentioned that Dave H would be interested in joining me for a leg. The other retired folk were also interested in my plans and asked to know this Blog address.

More Charts

3 more chart portfolios have arrived. Ramsgate - Chichester, Falmouth - Padstow (including the Isles of Scilly) and Falmouth to Teignmouth.

Two steps forward, one step......

The impact driver shifted the screws, but I still could not get to the bottlescrew. All the rigging is now in the boot of the car, along with the complete drum assembly. I hope that the rigger will be able to separate the corroded parts, if not, I will need new furling gear.

As it has warmed up, working on the boat.

I was pottering, getting ready to drop the mast to change the rigging. I phoned Rod to see when he and his crane would be available, and he said 'Why not now'. Mast is down. Most of the standing rigging is off, but the forestay is being awkward. I will return tomorrow with the impact driver.

6th February

We walked down town through the snow to collect the East Devon & Dorset chart folio from the Post Office. Also bought a nice new 3B pencil for my secondhand charts.

Sunday 5th February

Cold day, with approx 6inches of snow in Maidstone and a bitter easterly wind. Nice and warm in the study I create a Blog for my Round Britain Cruise.