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Larry's LogWe arrived in the Playa Real anchorage, north of where we went last year, around 8:30 and anchored near some other boats there, but it wasn't crowded and was very peaceful. It was also breezy and somewhat rolly. We weren't used to it at all anymore after being in the marina or on the hard for so many months. But it was a pretty place, with a narrow channel and beach separating us, on the leeward side, from the rollers on the windward side. We didn't much else besides relax once we got there and got the boat straightened out with the sun canvas. I untied the dinghy so it could be raised to get some breeze below into the forward cabin but that, and putting on the sail cover, was about it. Diane took a nap but I typically can't sleep during the day so I just read or worked on the PC. A little later we finally got a chance to try out the side-boarding ladder. I had mounted it in the starboard gate and put a line on it so we could raise and lower the ladder easily. I used it first and it worked fine except the steps were a little hard on the feet since there weren't any treads. I had taken them off because the aluminum bar under the teak was corroded and the teak treads themselves were cracked. I though I would just wrap the rungs in some line to make them more non-skid and also easier on the feet. After downloading some weather from Winlink, I saw that the forecast had changed for the rest of the week - the wind was supposed to pick up to 15 to 20 knots from the East with seas around 5 to 7 feet, much more typical conditions. Going downwind to Margarita, our next destination shouldn't be bad but we would see. We decided we would stay in Los Testigos for another day. So, after a swim and a drink in the cockpit we were back in 'cruising' mode. The wind calmed down a bit overnight but picked up again in the early morning and we were still rolling slightly. But there was nothing to do except little things and we enjoyed it. Most of that day I just tried different ways of wrapping line around the ladder rungs to make them more secure and comfortable. It took me about 90 minutes to figure out the first one and then the next 2 took about 30 minutes. It was so breezy and sunny that we could run the watermaker for 2 hours and still had the batteries fully charged after an hour. I was in the middle of wrapping the second rung when a local fishing boat, with a man, woman and teenager came by and offered us a fish. At first I said no, gracias, but then I asked Diane if she wanted a fish. They held it up - it was a Red Snapper, a very delicious fish and one of our favorites. She came out into the cockpit and asked how much they wanted. The man said "nada", nothing. Well, this was the first time a fisherman tried to give us a present but Diane insisted they take something for it so they finally agreed on some Cokes. Unfortunately, we only had 2 small bottles but they took them graciously. The woman even scaled and cleaned the fish for us. We made the transfer, and they were very careful not to bump Destiny with their pirogue. We said "muchas gracias" and buenas tardes." It was a small gesture, and the fish was probably surplus to their needs, but we felt it was a very nice thing to do. Of course, now I had to fillet the now beheaded and gutted snapper. So I got out my fillet knife and went to work. The fillets weren't the same size but they didn't have many bones either and dinner that night was excellent. Since we planned to leave for Margarita early the next morning, right after dinner I got the solar panels stowed, took down the "at anchor" canvas and put on the "underway" canvas. I would have to tie down the dinghy in the morning. Sunday was my birthday but we were underway to Margarita early this morning. We left about 6:30 and although it was rolly, it was also a relatively easy and fast passage. The anchor was up at 6:15 after I tied down the dinghy, and we were motor sailing with a reefed main by 6:30. There was a nice breeze but we motor sailed to be able to run the watermaker. (Its DC powered but if the voltage is too low, it produces very little flow and it also draws 17 amps, a real energy hog.) By 8am though we were just sailing in 15 knots from the east to ESE with just a reefed main at about 6..5 to 7 knots. Of course, we had a favorable current also. At about 11am the wind lightened and I unfurled the jib as well and made some more speed. We had a very easy passage; Diane didn't even get seasick. There were 2 events though - one just annoying and one that could have been serious. The first happened about a mile from the Porlamar breakwater. We were rolling a bit in the 4-5 foot swells, on a broad reach, when a wave broke just under the boat and water splashed up and into the cockpit. The cushion and some other things got soaked. That was easily remedied by rinsing the stuff in fresh water, limited as we were. The second event was more serious and could have been more so. As we got past the breakwater, we needed to gybe the boat in order to get into the harbor. Diane was at the wheel and I brought the main in (the jib was furled already) and when it was in almost all the way, I moved the traveler car and told Diane to turn the boat onto the other gybe. She did so but as the main came across, very gently since there was only about 10 knots of breeze by that time and the mainsheet was in almost all the way, the bail holding the middle mainsheet block on the boom just exploded. The middle block wound up trapped against the fiddle block on deck and it was impossible to sheet in the main any further. Luckily we were in Porlamar harbor and there was only about ½ mile to go before we could anchor. We got the anchor down in 11 feet of water at 1:30 - a good passage for the 50 miles, averaging a little over 7 knots, with probably with about a 1 - 1.5 knot current pushing us northwest. Now though, I would have to deal with the mainsheet. After getting the boat squared away, I looked at the damage. I wasn't sure how I could even get the broken piece out of the boom since the bail was internal and located about 6 feet from the end. I looked more closely and saw that the exit plate for the second reefing line was just above the bail so I figured if I could remove the plate, I could get at the bail. I also had a bail that looked similar at the end of the boom that I had sometimes used for a boom preventer. I anticipated a lot of problems though, getting the stainless steel fittings out of the aluminum. I got my can of penetrating oil out before even beginning. Maybe I live right or maybe it was because it was my birthday but the first thing I tried, getting the similar fitting removed from the end of the boom, was so easy I couldn't believe it; I just loosened the bolts holding it in with a wrench. Now that I had a potential replacement in my hands, could I get at the broken piece to remove it? I got on deck with the tools and oil, held the mainsail out of the way, and looked at the reef line exit plate. It was held by 4 sheet metal screws, stainless steel into aluminum, and they had probably been there for 19 years, since the boat was built. Well, I tried turning the first with a screwdriver, and to my amazement, it turned fairly easily, as did the other 3. OK, now I had access to the broken bail - would that come out. Again, there was no problem turning the bolts that held the fitting in and it was out in 30 seconds. I then pushed my luck and tested the "replacement" in the spot where the broken one was and it fit perfectly! The bails were made the same way and I could have put the other one in right at that point and been done but I wanted to clean the fittings up a little and put everything back in place with either silicone or Lanocote, so if I ever needed to remove them again, they would come out. I silently thanked whoever put the fittings on the spars originally for making them removable. So, a problem that could have been very troublesome was not a major issue at all to repair. Of course, I needed to replace the bail I "stole" from the end of the boom, but that was not nearly as critical a fitting as the one for the mainsheet. After that Diane and I sat and had a drink and then got ready for Lois and Lynne, from Spice Island Lady, to come over. We had brought their old prop from Trinidad with us, they accidentally forgot it, and they were coming over to get that and have a drink or 2. We didn't really know them too well but we got acquainted once they came over and we enjoyed their company very much. Diane was going to go shopping tomorrow and would try to see if she could get a replacement bail at the local chandlery but it wasn't so critical now. So Monday morning Diane went shopping (what else do you do in Margarita) while I stayed on the boat. Lois and Lynne let us borrow their dinghy since I needed to patch ours where the fabric had chafed a little. They came over at about 9 and we all went in to the dock and I brought their dinghy back to Destiny. While everyone else went shopping, I busied myself with several tasks, the most important was patching the dinghy so I dug out the patch kit and went to work. The glue needs to dry for 20 minutes or so before the second coat so I started to change the starboard side lazyjack line. I had bought the replacement line in Trinidad so I could make the starboard side setup the same as on port, which I had changed some months ago. By the time I got the lines together, the glue was dry and I applied the second coat. I waited until it went tacky on both surfaces and applied the patch and made sure there were no air bubbles. It looked OK so I let that dry and went back to the lazyjacks. It took about an hour or so to make the changes and splice on a small block to the new line. I think it will work much better since the other side worked pretty well. Eventually, I wanted to change all the lazyjack lines since they were getting pretty old and also replace the thimbles with small blocks to decrease friction when I stored them against the mast or deployed them before bringing the sail down. I also wanted to move the attachment point to the second spreader, outboard a foot or so, because the lines banged against the mast now when they were stowed. The difficulty was drilling holes and mounting the fittings while sitting in a bosun's chair up about 50 feet. Once that was done, I decided to change the flag halyard since I had noticed that it was getting very frayed. I got out another line and taped the 2 ends together and started to raise the new line. Unfortunately, the new line was through the block and almost in my hands when the lines parted. It was pretty breezy and I couldn't reach it, even with a boat hook. Eventually, it just blew out of the block at the first spreader. Well, I could hoist Diane up to just re-reeve the halyard. It would just have to wait. I checked the halyard on the other side that held up the radar reflector and that was fine. I brought it back up, although not in the same spot so the lines would wear at a different location (called "changing the nip"). I checked the dinghy patch and it seemed pretty good - I couldn't peel it off so I assume the glue is OK. Around that time, Diane called on the FRS radio to say she was back so I went in to get her and after getting the groceries on the boat, we had lunch. She had gotten some different cheeses and salami that were unavailable in Trinidad and it was a pleasure to have something different. Just after lunch, Lois and Lynne called and they were back from shopping so I went in again and they dropped me off on the way back out. I thanked them for the use of the dinghy and they went back to their boat and we just did nothing for the rest of the day. Diane, though, made some lomito (filet mignon) she had just bought since we hadn't had any steak in months. It was excellent. The next morning we got the dinghy ready. The patch was holding well and first we flipped it over to inflate it and then launched it. Of course, then we had to put the engine on, put in the seat and oars and set up the security chain. After all that was done, I setup the hoisting block and tackle system I devised in Trinidad. It took some time because I wanted to get the length of the various lines correct. It was easy to raise the dinghy in the marina with some "fudging" but not so easy at anchor with the boat rolling and the wind blowing. That took about an hour. With the dinghy set and the hoist ready, we ate lunch and then Diane went shopping again. I drove her in and came back to do some work on our web site since it had been months since I updated it. After she came back, we went out to diner at Jak's. I went off the diet after about a month and had the fried calamari, which was delicious. I also had some beer(s) and coffee after dinner. Diane stayed on the diet by having a mixed grill plate but I had been looking forward to the calamari. When we got back, we hoisted the dinghy using the block and tackle I had setup earlier - it worked pretty well. |