Yeah 2017 Ready Set Go......!!!!

Well after a busy end of 2016 getting all sorts of bits and pieces organised in preparation for now things are finally kicking into gear. Over the past months there has been a serious amount of work started, completed, partially finished, in process, You name it, its been happening. It took Milan and Me the better part of half a day to drop the fully battened mainsail and extract her from the big stick. Jeckels of Norfolk sure make tough sails. So with the main off the sail went of to the sail maker for the first service in 10 years. All battens checked. Then the Foresail which is a massive 140% full genoa also came down and went for some serious love and attention, we had notices some stitching was starting to give way so again love and attention required. Stay sail was good from the full service last year. We also shook out the MPS. Its pretty big. First time we have seen it in all its glory. Stopped the Marina when she flew out.

Then we had a rather obstropolous starboard windlass that would only go one way. The wrong way of course. Well for this one we needed the experts so down they came and announced in no uncertain terms that, well yes its broke. (we smiled) so after a rather strenuous couple of hours we got the offending beauty out and sent her of the the love bug shop to get herself all fixed and repaired. The guys did a good job because the windlass had completely wrapped its hand in and they rebuilt and manufactured new parts to bring it back on song. Refit was a little more strenuous because we had to modify the mounting slightly but eventually all in and operating, good as new.

At the same time as all this is going on the Admiral had had a plan to change the interior. Well before that could start a modification to the nice curved salon seat around the dining table had to be made so master carpenter Ante was called in. He was the guy that made our new cockpit table out of massive bits of teak. Well he did us proud again and made a curved seat straight and made it look like it was always that way. Well the end product is great. so now we can slide into our trough seats easily and also with the modification proposed by the Admiral we can now open the starboard engine bay cover without removing have the interior seating. Awesome! But the Admiral's requirements were still not dealt with. Cushion, Walls, coving, fames. Not acceptable. Ok so Milan, myself and several very patient upholstery people were called in to work out how to convert the blue to something spectacular. to change the walls from a little drab to spanking amazing. Well a touch exaggerated but I am sure you can imagine, the admiral wanted something a little nicer. So delivery of the finished product expected in April.

In addition to this the main halyard was showing signs of getting tired so ordering of suitable string was required. the existing line was pretty thick at 22mm diameter and was making hauling the main a major effort. So after consulting with Jackals of Norfolk about weights and strengths etc we sources a suitable 18mm diameter which has to be threaded up there in April.

Also Miss Elle being a lady of steel, although in excellent condition, she sometimes suffers from some blemishes. there was one particularly grotty area which was as a direct result of poor initial design and fabrication and had finally given up the ghost and so a major project was to remove the main air intake and replace the steel supporting this massive stainless steel beast. So I was unable to stay for the final completion of the fancy fairing and filling work but Milan completed that in my absence.

Oh almost forgot. During the first week of february I left Miss Elle and travelled up to Murter to undertake my IYT Recreational Instructor course for sailing yachts. That was quite an experience with sailing in 50 knot plus winds on the odd day but routinely in the plus 30 kt bracket. A great course and one of the best instructors it has been my pleasure to be taught by. Big shout out to Roger Harrison of Harrison Maritime Associates based in Nice in France. He jumped on a plane and froze his proverbial butt off while we endeavoured to prove our worth. We survived. Great fun really now that I am tucked up at home writing about if from the warmth our my study.

So what else. Well the big haul out is next. April the 5th. I will be back with Miss Elle on the 3rd April and will update you as soon as i get five minutes.

I have not told you what we have been doing since I got back from Croatia but suffice to say. Instead of writing this from Dubai I am in our new home by the sea in a place called Telal in Egypt. More later.