Hi All...
     Well we have come around the corner and through the padock......(Bass Strait)
Currently in a place caled Eden......and a harbour called snug cove...

Which aint.
Bouncing off the jetty in 40 knots running straight in is a pain in the  ^%#

We sure are having a "proper winter" this year.

If anyone is interested we have a group email that goes out pm me your email address and I will add it to the list......

cheers
All......
SV Jannali

.....still waiting for the weather to moderate.

A series of strong low pressure systems are spinning of the  Antarctic and keeping us stuck here. These systems drive our local weather , and make for such a changeable pattern.

We are looking for a slow moving high pressure system that will moderate the wind speed and help to keep the low pressure systems more southerly. These highs typicaly herald light northerly winds and can last for a week or more in Summer. Unfortunaely we are having a proper winter this year. (The first since 1998) and the lows are coming through  fast and strong...

Never mind...plenty to do on board.....

My front diesel tank has sprung a pin prick hole....AND I cant weld it up. It leaks straight into the front bilge, which means that water from the bilge can leak back into the tank.....
Big Bummer......
The solution that I am trying at the moment is to insert a complete stainless "Inner bilge liner". This has been completely epoxied in. A horrible job....done mostly upside down.

I have taken to wearing garbage bags on my arms to reduce some of the amount of epoxy that I have been wearing......

Wont know if it is sorted until the epoxy goes off and I stick a 100 litres of diesel back in to the tank.........cross fingers....

.....First weather window opening......6 more sleeps....Big high predicted to enter southern Victoria next Saturday....

Hopefully it will be big enough to give us our three days of stable weather to make the dash.....

More as it happens.....

Well thats the last of the major items sorted. We are now down to the final load of food and other stuff ....

....and the search for a suitable weather window is a twice a day preoccupation....

So far the nearest is about 8 days out.....

TEST BLOG

chugging along.....

Jannali is now fully painted. The deck coat has worked out perfectly. Two coats of white, followed by an outrageeous amont of time with masking tape to make nice sections. A coat of a sandy colour liberal doese of blasting garnet and then another final coat. Attractive and very grippy.

Main sail has arrived. (The first brand new sail I have ever owned). A very nice job and about half the price of the local sailmakers (Yep I bought it from Hong Kong, made to order).

Well the weather has closed in.

Wet and windy are the prominent features now. We had a wind warning from coats radio Melbourne for 45 knots and 4 metre seas......and thats in the bay (Western port) !!

The aft section of the boat that has one top coat of poly (and needs another as well as non slip) is like ice. Getting on and off the boat is treacherous and the dog is not at all happy.

Solar panels are in place but still trying to work out a good mounting system. Perhaps a little bit more adjustment than just bolting them straight down. So far they have been a big disapointment. They are just not putting out the amps I had hoped for. May have to look to a wind genny as a helping hand.
Final trim and wiring inside are still chugging along.

D day (departure day to start heading North) is sometime around the 25th of May.

This is very flexible but it would be nice to start moving before winter really settles in. 


 

Took the chance of a weather window to start the final deck paint.....

The reason for doing this now instead of way way back in the olden days is because I didnt want non slip under the bases of any gear.
Two coats of polyurethene white. Many hours with masking tape. A coat of a very light sandy colour, sprinkled with sand blasting garnet......
followed by a final coat of the sany coloured polyurethene.
IT LOOKS GREAT !! and is very grippy ...wet or dry..bare feet or shoes.
If you wish to try this method then DO sprinkle the garnet on....DONT mix it into the paint.
Garnet is very heavy and settles to the bottom of the paint straight away. 

Garnet = free
Commercial deck grip granuals = $36 per little tub.

I now have to find another weather window to do the last third of Jannali.
The combination of high humidity, running showers, thunderstorms, heavy overnight dew fall, and a deck that wont dry off until after midday is slowing things down... 


The new main sail is now in production and should be on its way soon.

I will post more about this when I get it. It has been ordered from a large loft in Hong Kong at a fraction of the cost of one produced here. I hope the quality is up to scratch....
 

Winches and clutches are now installed. First overnight anchor in a place called Chicory lane. A Channel that cant be seen except at the lowest of tides in between mud flats on the northern end of French Island. Navigation by chart plotter only.
Blew up to 30 knots for the return trip , short sharp waves that threw the boat around but all went well. Engine now has 35 hours on it and purrs.

Ive been back from OS for a week now and had a little trouble "starting the engine" again....me that is not the boats. My clutches have arrived (thanks Tim) so I have started to lay them out. For the last couple of days I have pushed them around the place without being happy with their positioning. Today I decided that they needed a spacer. More deep thunking....
Looking forwards in contemplation I spied a "C' shaped section of SS complete with returns, that I was going to use with my nav lights. Problem solved it is the perfect spacer.

Its funny how so many bits just seem to slot into place.  

HHmm, I think the engine just started up again.  : )