Windy Weather

Remember the southwesterly systems I mentioned in the last blog?  Right, the last few were proper windy!  Thankfully we are in an excellent marina but unfortunately, our berth had us rather exposed to the waves inside the marina.  The marineros were very diligent and were seen checking all boats and bow lines throughout the night.   It was no surprise that the storm reached it’s peak between 1 am and 3 am.  We had gusts in the marina up to 45 knots and watched trepidatiously as our stern lines creaked and groaned and our windward bow line progressively stretched.

There was a stunning 80 ft swan moored side to on the windward dock right next to us and their professional crew, Jay and I were up most of the night keeping a close eye and adjusting fenders and lines as needed.  The next day, everyone was riding the “tired train”.  We took advantage of our new drop down table and saloon bed to curl up and have a chill movie night introducing the boys to Shrek.

On our daily dock walk we walked past one of the stunning mega sailing yachts at the end of our pier and found that one of their lines had pulled the bollard clean out of the concrete.  One can never underestimated the forces generated by heavy boats and windy weather.

We have had some good news and further forward motion this week that is quite promising.   The marina was able to find us an empty spot in a different, more protected berth, at least until Thursday.  The batteries and electrical system are completely finished aside from waiting for the replacement invertor to arrive hopefully today.  The air conditioning system was quickly found to have a very small freon leak and has now been removed and is in their shop getting repaired and after only two days they are installing it as we speak!

The quattro invertor has also arrived and is planned to be installed today as soon as the air conditioning is completed.   This marks the completion of all our “big item” to do’s; YAY!  Now, we unfortunately have to contend with the weather.  We continue to have back to beck Westerly systems.  We are now into the season where this is the predominant wind so we have some upwind pounding for 600 nm in our near future.

In preparation, I have been steadily provisioning the boat on the off chance that we commit to the entire 1200 nm passage in one go.  After numerous bike trips to stock up, I finally realized that the large grocery store has an online ordering and delivery option.   I am looking forward to a big provision delivery but definitely appreciated the regular exercise.

Other excitement on the boat has been the work on Halloween costumes.  The boys are thrilled that unlike last year in Turkey, it would seem that Spain actively celebrates.  I haven’t the heart to tell them that we are likely going to be on passage for Halloween, but I have lots of decorations and plans for a fun fiesta on the boat.

Fingers crossed we are on our way soon.

Miles Sailed: 0

Projects Completed this week:

• Airconditioning repair and servicing
• New charger installation
• Finalize battery install and wiring
• Teak refurbish and oil
• Enhance boom preventor system with a line that can be managed from the cockpit
• Stainless polish
• Ditch bag review and repack
• Sell old pilot books
• Make new dinghy straps
• Deck rust remover
• Start making dinghy bumpers
• Remove last 3 links of anchor chain
• Starlink final mount and wire runs
• Moving the dinghy to the lazarette
• Wash down the anchor
• Deep clean the bow locker
• Lithium installation completion
• Modify the jackline attachment points
• Secure new boat rescue hook

This year’s major maintenance:

• Watermaker overhaul
• A/C and heating compressor overhaul
• New Lithium batteries
• New Invertors
• New Charger
• New soft rigging
• Haul out and antifouling
• Repacking Sail drive
• New water heater
• Teak refurbishment
• Replace companionway door line
• Service dinghy motor/clean carburator/replace spark plugs and propellor
• Surface gel coat repairs
• Formal rig check and adjustment
• Certify and repack life raft
• Certify all fire extinguishers
• Hull polish
• New anchor bridle (Mantus)
• Replace underwater sensor
• Service scuba tanks and regs
• Replace PFD canisters and service MOBs
• Starlink install
• Replace portable vacuum
• Wash interior upholstery
• Make more electrical adaptors
• Replace stern water intake hose.
• Replace stern showerhead
• Replace winch handles sleeves
• New jack lines
• New horseshow buoys
• New dinghy straps
• New ladder mount point
• New dinghy bumpers on davits
• Changes all interior lights to LED
• Night watch lighting
• Change bow thruster blades
• Jordan Series Drogue

I’m sure there is more, but this is what I can recall at this time.

Finally, the boys have wanted to contribute to the blog as well.  Their posts are included below:

Evan:
 The Car Games

               We have now developed a car game, though it is rapidly getting trickier. Its history goes back to 2020 when we began zapping the back of each other’s seats for Tesla’s though it quickly deescalated (partly because we could not tell a Tesla from a ford). It stayed this way until in 2023 (while we were in France) when my mom punched James for a Volkswagen beetle. We soon went to the beach and I ultimately made an unrealistic punch buggy in the sand, and I punched mommy for it.

               In Barcelona my dad invented a new part of this quickly expanding game; for Mini’s we push down on the other person. Soon my mom noticed James’ keen interest in cars, and bought him a Lego Land Rover Defender. When we arrived in Palma there was actually a land rover defender and James wanted to do something for it. My mom soon came up with the idea of pretending to be a rhino.

               One of the amazing things about Palma is there are Mini’s everywhere and lots of Land Rovers and VW Beetles.

James:

Miles sailed: 0

Scary event: flooding our engine room.

Things checked off our list: boom preventor, starlink attachment, drogue, review ditch bag, dingy motor to lazarette, teak, stainless polish, remove end anchor links, salon red lights.

Best part of the week: getting my Lego.  I got a Konigsegg Jesko!

Stuff I want to do this week: make my Halloween costume.