From: "Rodney Field" <rodneyfield@thedogpaddler.com>
To: "1 Rodney Field" <rodneyfield@thedogpaddler.com>
Subject: I'll give you one guess what's happened - no photos for a few days
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 21:51:11 +1100

There's a local computer shop who reckon that this time the main CPU motherboard is overheating and had it (it's hardly surprising from what I've asked this auction bought computer to do for the last couple of years) - and a new motherboard costs $150 - which I suppose is pretty reasonable if it gives it another life. So when I get a chance I'll take it over to them - but in the meantime - all the photos are on the hard drive on it - until I take some more new ones - and you end up with emails on 2 computers - and it's not a simple matter to re-consolidate the folders - or copy individual emails across later - so I might just wait a couple of days before sending too much out.

I've spent the morning down in the bilge - under the floor - trying to get the sump pump to pump out - I disassembled it twice and it's working fine - I even switched over the lines to a new 240v pump - but still no good - eventually - it seems now - like there is a blockage at the outlet of the sump tank itself - perhaps some build up - because when I checked the flow again later - there was nothing coming out.. But whatever - no matter which way you look at it - it's a filthy situation. Although we're only talking GREY water from the laundry, showers, sinks - it's still pretty unpleasant and you can't avoid getting it all over you.

These sorts of jobs are the less glamorous side of yacht life - just wait until the day the toilet system blocks up - and you'll be thankful there's a whole ocean to jump in afterwards to wash off.

All the thru hull fittings for drains - engine water inlet/outlets - sump pump out - speedo/log - depthsounder transducer - and the all important stern propellor tube seals - are all in perfect sealed order and totally sound and leak free. The yacht is completely dry inside - with not the slightest drip to be found anywhere - which is just how you want it to be.

I have made slow but steady progress sealing up and taping over - the cut join - so that the yacht is weatherproof and splashproof - it has taken me about 3 days in the dinghy to do it all carefully and thoroughly - and rain this morning prevented me from doing about the last 20 feet. There is also a section where the yacht has been leaning against the dock - with fenders and boards - that is presently inaccessible - and I will do it as soon as we are away from the dock next week. But having sealed it all up - the yacht should be fine - until the job of putting on the hull plates permanently can be done. I can only put on the hull plates if I have someone on the inside to do the backing plates and nuts too - so we'll just have to see how that job pans out over the weeks ahead.

Tomorrow is Sunday - with the boatyard usually locked up - but John will be bringing down the anchor chain in the morning - and I hope to have him back right up to the dock end - so we can somehow get the 131 metres onto the yacht. I'm thinking - to lead it straight on to the bow rollers and just the let the deck winch haul it in - like it's supposed to do from now on - so we'll see how we get on with that when it comes.