Techie Weekend

Saturday 22nd October.....Gosport greeted us with splendid sunshine on our arrival this lunchtime and throughout the whole afternoon. Last time we were here we left Thésée facing north with stern to the pontoon, because we always try to leave him with wind 'on the nose'. Since we were last here we have been researching our NMEA 0183 connectivity issues, and that has resulted in Dean purchasing a Multiplexer. We were eager to get it set up, and as per usual Dean got to work straight away. He must have been using all his concentration because he never spoke or lifted his head out of the wiring cupboard for over two hours. Finally he emerged and we flicked the Nav switch to ON, fingers crossed.... Whoopie!! Dean's perseverance has paid off, and all communications seem to be talking to each other. For the sanity of our little family, thank God for inventing Multiplexer boxes. 

I've never loved a little wiring box so much as this Multiplexer

You will be pleased to know that you have been spared a photo of the Dad dancing celebration that followed.

Outside it was still sunny, and here is a photo looking from our boat across to Porstmouth. Can you see the Navy warship moored across the water?

Sunday 23rd October... Well, this weekend was originally named Newtown Creek Weekend, but after getting up at 6.30am this morning to catch the last of the ebbing tide our plans were scuppered. The wind had picked up overnight and the early inshore waters forecast from the Met Office advised a strong wind warning Force 5 to 7. Although sailing was not completely out of the question, we had planned to go to Newtown Creek which is a very unsheltered and open nature reserve with large wetland areas, and shallow, narrow inlets. Having to pick up a mooring buoy in these conditions would not be ideal and there wouldn't be much room for error, so not wanting to end up stuck on a mudbank we decided it would be prudent to stay put. After all, this sailing lark is supposed to be fun! The day therefore turned into another 'techie' day, and Dean made the final fitting of his self-designed security grill for the companion way hatch. 

Protecting ourselves from the 'Pirates of the Carribean'

After lunch our attention turned to finding the answer to the faulty anchor chain counter 'ONCE AND FOR ALL'. After another frustrating few hours climbing in and out of the sail locker, and checking everything in sight and getting nowhere,  there was a breakthrough when we realised there must be a faulty blocking diode on the original Beneteau wiring to the engine, causing an electrical problem on the chain counter system. It was strange because he had fixed the problem but at first couldn't work out how or why, but it seems that this could be an issue relating to Beneteau's. 

So, worried that another session of Dad dancing might be imminent, Linda made sure to keep Dean occupied with double rum and cokes for the rest of the day. 

Monday 24th October.... You could say that Autumn has arrived the last two days and it has been much cooler, but at least today the wind abated. So much so, that we took Thésée out for a sail for a couple of hours this afternoon. There was a bit of swell, with the sea state slight, and not a great deal of pleasure craft around, but it is Monday after all. 

Ready to practise Dog Overboard....not!

Our chartplotter screen (with AIS targets!)

Newly installed navigation lights for the Navy's two new warships

Hovering across the Solent

So you can see from the last photo that it's hard to tell the sea from the sky, and indeed when we arrived back at base it was just starting to rain. We may not have been anywhere this weekend but we have finished off a few long running jobs.... Well, 'Techie' Dean has. 

Well done Dean. Thésée loves you and so do the crew xx