| s/y Nine of Cups Tying the Knot - Back to Opua April - May 2011 |
Entering the Bay of Islands and returning
to Opua from the Chatham Islands was
like coming home. We arrived 11:30 pm
on a moonlit, calm night and anchored in
Matawhi Bay, just off the little port town
of Russell. After a sleepless night...too
calm, too quiet and still on our 3-hour
watch cycle...we moved the boat to a
mooring off the Opua Marina.
We're excited to be back and rearing to
get going on the ever-lengthening "to-do"
list. Everything needs to be complete by
the end of May for our scheduled
departure of Fiji.
We hauled out 3 May and splashed on
18 May. During that time, we had an
inordinate amount of work to accomplish
while out of the water.
to Opua from the Chatham Islands was
like coming home. We arrived 11:30 pm
on a moonlit, calm night and anchored in
Matawhi Bay, just off the little port town
of Russell. After a sleepless night...too
calm, too quiet and still on our 3-hour
watch cycle...we moved the boat to a
mooring off the Opua Marina.
We're excited to be back and rearing to
get going on the ever-lengthening "to-do"
list. Everything needs to be complete by
the end of May for our scheduled
departure of Fiji.
We hauled out 3 May and splashed on
18 May. During that time, we had an
inordinate amount of work to accomplish
while out of the water.
First things first...we ordered a new
mainsail after the blow-out off East Cape.
mainsail after the blow-out off East Cape.
David has been complaining about our leaking
hatches for a couple of years now. We bought
rebuild kits for the Lewmar hatches which cost
almost as much as new hatches which reduced
the leaking, but didn't cure the problem. This time
we're trying Maxwell/Weaver hatches, made in
Australia, and hoping for a better result.
hatches for a couple of years now. We bought
rebuild kits for the Lewmar hatches which cost
almost as much as new hatches which reduced
the leaking, but didn't cure the problem. This time
we're trying Maxwell/Weaver hatches, made in
Australia, and hoping for a better result.
Our return to Opua "tied the knot" for our
circumnavigation of New Zealand!.
circumnavigation of New Zealand!.
There are still some areas of delamination
in the deck and David tackled one on the
starboard aft deck in order to secure a
turning block mounted in that area.
in the deck and David tackled one on the
starboard aft deck in order to secure a
turning block mounted in that area.
The boat never seems all that big until we
haul out and start painting her bottom with
anti-fouling paint. Marcie applied two coats
to the hull and three on the leading edges.
haul out and start painting her bottom with
anti-fouling paint. Marcie applied two coats
to the hull and three on the leading edges.
Marcie worked on polishing the topsides,
but in actuality, David did most of it.
Marcie's afraid of heights.
but in actuality, David did most of it.
Marcie's afraid of heights.
David masks the boot stripes in preparation
for repainting them.
for repainting them.
Our hailing port read D_nv_r, CO...evidently "e's" don't wear well. The cost to have it
done was expensive, so we opted to do it ourselves using some adhesive stencil material
Marcie had purchased previously. The results came out rather professionally, we thought.
done was expensive, so we opted to do it ourselves using some adhesive stencil material
Marcie had purchased previously. The results came out rather professionally, we thought.
We managed to get our "out of water"
tasks done in two weeks. We spent our last
night in the sling ready for a morning splash.
tasks done in two weeks. We spent our last
night in the sling ready for a morning splash.
Back in the water, Cups was looking fine
as she sat in her berth on the work dock at
Ashby's Boatyard.
as she sat in her berth on the work dock at
Ashby's Boatyard.
After splashing, we still had nearly two
weeks of workdays. Despite working
every day including Easter Sunday, we
were barely ready to leave Opua when
our departure date arrived. We altered
the "to-do" list to the "must-do-before-
we-leave" list and left several chores to be
completed in Fiji. Phew! We're exhausted.
weeks of workdays. Despite working
every day including Easter Sunday, we
were barely ready to leave Opua when
our departure date arrived. We altered
the "to-do" list to the "must-do-before-
we-leave" list and left several chores to be
completed in Fiji. Phew! We're exhausted.
| Chores accomplished in Opua: Haul out New prop paint New anti-fouling paint New mainsail Repainted hailing port New bimini Repainted bootstripes Replaced anodes Replaced water htr hoses 2 new hatches Topsides clean/polish/wax Repack stuffing box Stainless clean/polish Repaired staysail Repaired boom at gooseneck Refurbed prop seal Repaired staysail furler Repaired dodger Replaced/repaired reef lines Tuned rigging Replaced engine oil gauge Polished fuel tanks Repaired propane solenoid General cleaning & Replaced forepeak locker sole airing all lockers Repaired speed transducer Dental/doctor appointments Provisioning |
| Chores to be completed/done in Fiji: Strip and varnish topside brightwork Aft deck repair needs priming and painting Port and starboard side deck repairs Mast boot still leaks Install remaining three hatches Replace gasket on galley portlight Strip, repair and varnish name boards Dinghy lettering Cruising = working on your boat in exotic places |
At last, ready or not, time to go. A good
weather window appeared at the end of
May and we took advantage of it.
Come with us to Fiji. Yeah, there's
more work to do...always... but we'll
have fun, too. Come on...you need a
vacation!
weather window appeared at the end of
May and we took advantage of it.
Come with us to Fiji. Yeah, there's
more work to do...always... but we'll
have fun, too. Come on...you need a
vacation!
| WHEW! |