First Visit of the Year 2017

Saturday 14th January... It's cold on the coast but not as cold as at home. After yesterday's snow, a sunny day welcomed us as we arrived to spend the first proper visit of 2017 with Thesee. Surprisingly there were a number of people around the marina even though it was quite chilly. It's funny, as we walk from the car park towards the marina we are both always eager to pick out Thesee's furled headsails and feel assured that he is OK. I say 'he' because French boats usually have a masculine name (Thesee translates as Theseus) so of course he is strong and courageous. He was looking good basking in the Gosport sunshine, and we couldn't wait to get on board. 

By 1pm we had unpacked and settled in. Saffy was asleep in her basket after eating two chews and some salmon for lunch. Next thing we know Dean appears with his 'Knots Handbook' and we both sit for an hour or so trying to make a Turk's Head Knot. Oh dear, it's not going well.

That's the way to do it

Oh dear.....must try harder

So we all ventured out for a walk heading to the nearby 'Explosion' Museum, and further along the seafront to Hardway. 

Reminds me of the Daleks

Exterminate! Exterminate!

Now the Thunderbirds...

Nice Knocker

Was this boat exterminated?

You're just an old wreck

Troops Thankyou

What a big anchor you are

We were there

Now we're here by the old Slaughter House... nice

An early happy hour and a snooze followed, and we settled in for a cosy night, lovely...

Sunday 15th January... So what happened today then? Dean's overalls came out and he morphed himself into engine servicing mode. Here's how he kept himself occupied until lunchtime:-

• Changed the engine oil and oil filter
• Cleaned the raw water inlet filter
• Cleaned the air filter
• Changed the gearbox oil
• Checked and cleaned the raw water impeller

Chocolate break already?

Cleaning the air filter

Topping the oil up

A good job well done. Time for more chocolate.

It made Linda feel exhausted watching all this work going on, and she had to have a sit down to get over it! Luckily the 'Knot handbook' was close-by and it was time for another practise.

Now we're getting somewhere

Monday 16th January.... Yes it's still raining, so any plans of a sail about have been abandoned for this weekend. After breakfast, and spurred on by yesterday's knot success, Linda set about learning how to do a 'Rolling Hitch'......easy peasy. The handbook states that this knot is used to tie a rope to a pole, or to take the strain off another rope. In order to remember how to do it, Linda has named it after one of her fellow Ramblers. 

It's quite odd that it was actually Dean's New Year's Resolution to learn how to tie some new knots! However, he was busy fiddling with the Parasailor. The collar on the Snuffer (the Parasailor's bag) is too big to fit through the hatch into the sail locker at the front of the boat, and we have been trying to find a solution for the past few weeks. At home last week Dean made a wooden template of the Snuffer, so that he could attempt to adapt it to fit through the hatch. After a few modifications to his template he was successful, and we are a step closer to resolving this problem.

Dean with his home-made Snuffer template

Linda with the real thing

We had some lunch, and went out to 'Tecsew' (a local marine upholsterers). They are making Thesee a new Sprayhood and we wanted to confirm some of the finer details, because we are going to fit an extra Solar Panel to it as well as some other modifications.

It's still chilly, and so we just had a quick walk along the promenade near Haslar Marina. Then we headed back to the boat and got ourselves comfortable with a Rum & Coke. Ah, that feels much better.

Hope we can get some sailing in next visit please x