Small and Big Stuff Done Today

Yesterday was the last day of babysitting, so today I was able to nip down to the boat.

First job was to put the pulley I'd bought on the downhaul, which replaces the basic shackle the line was running through and will save the rope from chafing.

Yep, its a Lewmar. Not bad quality for a few quid.

I re-oiled the handrails. To be honest they are going grey again and rather than sand and use the teak oil I might just stain them next time.

I took a picture of the Fire Extinguisher I fitted last time:

Not a car accessory Extinguisher this one: its a proper 1Kg job. Robbed from our caravan which I'm trying to sell if only the non-paying bidders on eBay would let me. Maybe eBay needs to start suspending NPBs for serious amounts of time on there as the problem is a lot worse than it used to be. The last two major items I've sold on eBay I've been messed about by winning bidders.

I also brought aboard a couple of items that I'd recently bought. The first was an extension for the 12 volt socket that Aldi sold again this week. I got one last year for the car and with 2 USB sockets and three 12v sockets its pretty invaluable. One of the guys at work asked me to get one for his campervan when I got mine this week.

They are on the Aldi website here: https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/sunday-11th-may/product-detail/ps/p/car-socket-adaptor/?pk_campaign=uk_product_newsletter&pk_kwd=2014-05-09_16-49

If you have an Aldi nearby I'd pay them a visit and get one, they are really handy.

The big job of the day was fitting new locker tops. This involved major planning as I had to be on the boat early in order to have time to remove the old top and side, then row ashore and use the jigsaw powered by the generator to cut new tops.

The tops were cut and taken back to the boat, but I only had time to fit one side. By the time I'd drilled the holes for the hinges, laid the first coat of woodstain, fitted the front panel back on and fitted the locker top it was time to come off the boat. But having one new and one old side by side shows the difference:

The old ones really have had it. The top looks OK I guess they were varnished or stained on the top but underneath the edges are rotten. One of the constant bugbears on Sprite are the little bits of wood in the cockpit that have flaked off the locker tops. Hopefully once replaced that won't be a problem.

If you look behind the orange rope on the picture, you'll notice a lump of wood. That's going to get a sanding and a coat of woodstain as well.

The locker tops in the end worked out pretty reasonable. Ten quid for exterior grade ply from Wickes and a five pound tin of woodstain from Wilkos. The brushes were Wilco's cheapie range (I think 3 quid for a set) but good enough to splodge on some woodstain.

Next week is a Bank Holiday, so possibly three days of boatiness. The tides look set to be good for running the boat up on the beach to give the hull a scrub down. No chance of anti-fouling yet as the stuff is so expensive, but the boat will  get a few weeks of clean bum before we get clingons again.

Jim needs his boat up on the beach so he can drop his mast and have a look at his jib furling mechanism. The top section has come out of place and is dangling. Its been like that since we went to Cowes last year. That'll be the second day of the weekend taken up. So if I can get the Jib Sail restitched then I might have at least one day of sailing. With a high tide in the morning and one in the evening it might be a good time to have a good long trip out into the Solent.

I've got details for joining the SeaWych Owners Association as well. Seems reasonable at £15 for a year's membership. That'll be something for next month when funds allow.

At some point mid-week I might nip down after work and re-fit the spray dodgers now I have some thin rope (purchased at Netley boat jumble last week).

I'll also get round to fitting and staining the other locker top and the