Plymouth Progress 2

Current Location: Ebley, Stroud, UK

For Christmas last year the girls bought us a night in The Pig on the Beach in Studland Harbour. However, as I was in the middle of chemotherapy our booking had to be cancelled. But now, superfit with an undectable PSA and my own personal trainer we re-booked on our way down to Mehalah. Thank you girls. We had a fab time!

And then it was on to Plymouth, again in appalling torential rain. We had Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday to fit in....a lot. Because Saturday was to be 'berth holders Christmas dinner'!

10 miles from Plymouth I realised I had left the socket set in Ebley. This was a critical tool for the next few days so Mrs Google led us to the local Toolstation where we were able to smoothly purchase a replacement in the pouring rain. The rest of Wednesday was spent opening the boat up, connecting batteries (one pole lost its thread so there's another job to sort), runing the 220V cable from power post to boat etc etc. But not before I had handed over the old cooker to the lucky eBay winner. He only lived in Torpoint so this turned out to be a successful transaction all round with Jon the Oven saving himself £40 of transport costs.

Then to work. Gilly filled the starboard water tank carefully ten litres at a time to spot where the known leak was. As the tank reached capacity water started to seep and then squirt out of the seal joining the top to the sides of the tank. NOT GOOD! And this in a new tank installed just before we purchased Mehalah. We've already alerted the supplier to the problem (and indeed the port tank may be leaking too) so we foresee a long, probably futile debate with him ahead. At least we know what that problem consists of now.

The worst 'squirt' from the new tank

Next day was 'oven and stainless day' with a visit from Mike and sister Ali thrown in. When the visitors arrived Gill and Ali began polishing stainless on deck in the drizzle whilst I set Mike to work on devising a system to install the new microwave kindly donated by Harry and Sandra, or to be precise, Sandra's aunt. The trick was to wedge the microwave in place so that it could not escape if the boat was turned upside down. Mike's prototype of a piece of wood in the receiving hole with small holes drilled in it to take the feet and then a second piece of wood screwed down from the shelf above was to prove successful the following day when adapted with thinner pieces of wood scrounged from the porthole project temporarily on hold. Thanks Mike.

Component parts

Installed

Delivering!

Meanwhile I was on a wild goose trying to get the cheek blocks for the main oven planed down by 5mm each. I had purposely not cut more off them back home in order that they would not be too thin so I was prepared for this. Otherwise they were ready to go. I had sourced these nice pieces of hardwood free of charge via Nextdoor a local virtual swapshop for services and goods. I wanted 10cm x 15cm x 3cm but it turned out the first little old lady who got in touch only had smaller pieces when I got there. Doh! Waste of time. The second respondent though came up with the goods and I sanded and varnished them up a treat. However....it turns out that 15cm is too short to go through a joiner's planer so in the end I had to purchase new pieces for cash in hand over lunch time far out of Plymouth. There's another two hours gone. Yes Gilly, I know I should have rung round first! All that meant that I was late to receive the stainless steel guy who was quoting for solid guard rails at the back of the boat to take solar panels and granny bars at the mast to stop old farts like me being swept off by a big wave. We had all of these on Petronella and knew we wanted them on Mehalah too.

After soup and bread courtesy of Ali it was back to work on the main oven. Wood was drilled, measurements were taken, measurements were re-taken and then we took some measurements. Each side of the new cooker has a rod sticking out of it on which the cooker swings. This is known as 'on gimbals'. When the boat rocks the cooker stays still. The boat moves around the oven - wierd when you see it for real, especially once you are used to the motion of the boat. So the trick was to get the brackets that support these two rods in just the right position from 1) front to back, 2) side to side and 3) level. The cupboards it was to fit into of course, weren't square themselves and the adjoining worktops not at the same height. And level was not level because the wind was heeling the boat over by a few degrees. In the end we said, bugger it, let's just screw the blocks on and hope for the best. And indeed it was the best. Here you go.....

The forward bracket awaiting arrival of the cooker

Up a bit...

It's in!!

So that was a great success. I just need to take out the new blocks and varnish them here at home and take them back with me next time we are down in Plymouth. As you can see it was dark by now and as Mike and Ali left so Dick and Mary arrived for a natter and a meal at our favourite restaurant, Suphas - fresh Indonesian food cooked in front of your eyes.

Friday was Mike Stone day. Mike had helped Dick when he was outfitting Alacazam here in Plymouth and we had asked him in one day to..

- Service the Beta engine
- Understand the Beta engine better (gear shift plate, lagging etc)
- Change oil in generator?
- Understand the generator better (fuel filter etc)
- Fix generator diesel leak
- Discuss proposed stainless work
- Review and resolve bilge pump situation
- Decide on shaft brake solution
- Look at skeg bolt
- Discuss approach to Aries bush freeing
- Experiment with Aries drive options
- Discuss dinghy, davits, steps, Aries options
- Review hose/jubilee clip replacement
- Look at mainsheet winch

Basically I was looking to shortcut the learning curve. Most of this I could probably have done on my won but with Mike on hand we saved loads of time and I know now to do the jobs properly. As it was we did all but the bilge review. Pretty damn good for one day's work. I was knackered by the end of the day and Gilly had spent much of the day shooting out to chandlers to buy the odd little things we needed like smaller jubillee clips, PTFE tape and tinned wire. The new Beta engine looks to be in good shape and tightening the negative battery terminal means she starts up like a dream.

Impellor housing

Oil filter

One of the Racor filters (some diesel bug here!)

Air filter

Guys. Are you really interested in all this stuff??

The diesel leak in the generator turned out to be, as I suspected, just the wrong sized clip and the impellor was the wrong one but that didn't matter because it didn't need changing anyhow.

We talked about how to install a shaft brake to stop the prop shaft rotating horribly when we sail. Mike has found a neat solution using a secondhand VW electric handbrake driven by a little computer called an arduino [yes Chris B, you know them well]. I'll source the brake for next time we are down.

Finally we addressed the 'back of the boat' issue. We need to sort out the location of the dinghy, the davits, life raft and the wind steering. Basically the wind steering (Aries) and the dinghy on the davits can't co-exist. What to do? Mike had a brainwave and we're going to make the Aries removable. That way we can use the dinghy on davits when we're at anchor and when we are passage making we would anyway put the dinghy on the foredeck and put the Aries back on the transom. Simples.

And that was that. Saturday saw us at the Christmas dinner where we met up with many of the others berthed in Sutton Harbour. The main action from this social occasion was that we must book our spring haul out sooner rather than later to ensure a slot.

Happy Christmas all.

Plymouth Progress 1

We've decided to split our time between Stroud and Plymouth during the winter. At present we're working on window seal replacement and cooker replacement. We're back down next week to work on the windows but meanwhile we've taken out the original small cooker and purchased a larger shiny new Force 10 replacement.

Next week we hope to get the new one installed.

Old cooker - nice but too small

Old cooker removed

Shiny new replacement on the dock

Old cooker at home after cleaning

Successful eBay sale!

Mehalah - A Visitor's View

Current Location: Boat - Sutton Harbour Marina,Plymouth, UK, Us - Ebley, UK

Mehalah is now settled in her excellent winter marina in Plymouth. We've loads to do on her still to be ready to set off for Spain next spring but we're hopeful that will prove possible. I'll post later on the work we've done already which, as always, is two steps forward and one step back.

Meanwhile though, here's a visitor's eye view of life on board. Ali and Mike stayed with us for a week as we pottered around Cornwall. Ali is Gilly's sister. This is her, unedited, account of the week....

Landlubber’s Blog 4th September – Written by Ali

Mike and I went to stay with Gill and John and ‘met’ Mahala for the first time, having heard all about her! I had ‘in my mind’ what it would be like to be onboard and I was keen to see what life was really like for them and to understand why they are so passionate about sailing and the associated lifestyle. These were my thoughts as we boarded the dinghy and gently made our way out to the pontoon for the start of our sailing adventure!

We were really lucky with the weather as it had been raining and windy the week before.It was not hot, but certainly pleasant and dry and we got our first glimpse of her in the beautiful sunlight with calm seas. She certainly is a beautiful boat and offers much more than Petronella in terms of comfort and space. We slept very well all week, although at first it seemed very strange to be climbing up onto a bed, which was at chest height and facing the wrong way! It was also interesting to visit the loo in the night as we had to remember to navigate the obstacle courses at each doorway! Lifestyle was ‘early to bed and early to rise’, partly because of the lack of mains electricity and poor lighting without power from the generator.

G and Ts on the aft deck on the River Fal

On the first full day, we set sail and saw Mahala (and Gill & John) in action!!! My image of gently cutting through the waves, with music and a glass of wine in hand was way off the mark! Everything was hard work!! Just having water in the taps involved an excursion to land to fill up the 4 jerry cans and plastic containers, followed by siphoning each one in turn into the relevant holding tank, using Gill’s jiggy jiggy!’ (don’t ask!!). Sailing it seems is a constant process of monitoring water depth, the weather and tides, the direction (Mike loved steering her!), looking for oncoming ‘traffic’, checking the state of the sails and ropes to ensure the right ones are tight, and in order to do this, using a winch handle and superhuman force to tighten each one to Gill’s satisfaction. I look at my sister with new respect – she must have arms as strong as an ox!!

Safety was a key part of the routine too. Each task we carried out had sensible and vital safety elements to consider – any lapse of this could result in loss of a finger – or worse!

It also made me realize why they cannot ‘plan’ precisely what and when they are doing. The sea is a very powerful force and the tides and wind direction have a huge impact on what is feasible to achieve. Conversations about these things are commonplace and it explains why the blogs that I have read talk about setting off at unearthly hours to get the right conditions.

I also got to see Gill and John in their ‘natural habitat!!’ (I sound like David Attenborough!). They absolutely love their lifestyle and all things nautical. I must say, that when Mahala was cutting through the waves and you can feel the wind in your hair and hear nothing apart from the crashing waves, it is a wonderful feeling! Everything else seems a lifetime away and the only thoughts in your mind are about the sailing and what you are going to eat later on!!

We have only experienced sailing in the South coast of Britain, but I can understand how the life on the wider and warmer ocean waves appeals so much to Gill and John!!

Multi tasking...

..with some limited success.

Thanks guys for a great week!!


Glad you had a good week Ali. We enjoyed your company.

Is this the most expensive disc of plastic in the world?

When we bought Mehalah the two staysail winches had cracked plastic tops.

Note broken black ring

This meant they did not grab the rope properly. "Get some new ones" my 'good' mate Dick said. I ordered them. Each one cost £24 and shipping was £5. Not cheap. But necessary. And presumably a complex piece of plastic moulding.

Yesterday they arrived. Along with Dick who bought them from Plymouth. Thank you Dick.

I unwrapped them. Bu**er me. £24 quid for each of those!! For some reason Dick seemed to find this amusing!

24 quid - EACH!!

Still, I had them now. So today I fitted them. In the sunshine. At last. Here they are.

Renovation in progress

And a lovely new black ring. Do NOT break this one!

Unfortunately I need to buy some winch grease to complete the restoration. But at least they work now. Thanks Dick.

Meetings with Friends

Current Location: Fowey River, Cornwall

We had a great week with Harry and Sandra. Not much sailing but then that was the plan as it was Sandra's first time on a big boat. But first it was 'gardens'. There are several famous ones around Helford and Falmouth and we made the most of them all. For once our National Trust memberships came in handy. One day Dick and Mary came to visit.

Dick, Mary, Gill, Sandra, Harry and Me.

We also spent time with Harry and Sandra at Frenchman's Creek of Daphne du Maurier fame. Unfortunately for Gilly, who has a bit of a thing going for the Frenchman, La Mouette was nowhere to be seen. I've since started and finished reading the book.

Where's that Frenchman?

Soon it was off to the anchorage at Falmouth and a bit of sailing for us all. The anchorage cleared out nicely and we had a good night before making our way up the River Fal. Beautiful. Nice pontoons to tie up to and interesting people to meet. We dinghied up to Trellisick House and sneaked a sneaky overnight in the car park first for Harry after an adventurous road trip to retrieve his car from Helford and then for us once we realised that no one really cared. Our car is still there after I drove it back down from Ebley (thanks for the lift back there Harry). Fishing is good. Horse mackerel have fed us on several occasions.

Hand lining on the Fal near Malpas.

Then it was Gill's Uncle Sydney's turn. Well into his nineties he's one of our favourite people. He never got to see 'The Good Ship Petrronella' but he came down to King Harry Ferry with son John and daughter-in-law Julie. We did a 'fly past' for him on Mehalah, dodging the ferry as it crossed the River Fal. Great to see you Sydney.

Hey there Sydney.

Later we met up again with Simon and JoJo for Gilly's birthday lunch at the famous Heron Inn Malpas. Unfortunately I took no pictures of the event and with a series of other omissions it was, to say the least, not Gilly's best birthday. [Serious note to self....].

After a few days we felt it was time to move on so yesterday in 20 knot winds we sailed eastwards to Fowey, a major sailing centre. Dinghies, big boats, old gaffers, there's a bit of everything here. And at last the weather is brightening up.

Fowey with Mehalah (blue hull) in the centre.

We're getting back into life aboard now. Here's a pretty picture.

Washing Day.

Somehow it reminded me of our days in Greece!

Drying Day.

Electrickery

Current Location: Anchorage off Falmouth town.

Gilly was ashore waiting for Harry and Sandra and I was busying myself stowing things away and wondering where the mysterious 0.4 amps and now 1.4 amps was draining away to. The usual thing to do in these situations is to turn off the breakers for each circuit one by one until the current disappears. Then you know where to start your hunt. But we had done that and even with them all switched off the current drain remained. Bilge pump had been suggested but we couldn't hear it running.

I opened the space beneath the floor to stow the funnel and outboard oil and there it was - a continual whine.....one of the automatic bilge pumps. Ouch. Never good to hear especially when it tastes salty. Sea water. Where is it coming from? The water's not rising but it's not going down either. Soon I realise the pump is not sucking anything either. Let's try and stop it. I find my way into the battery bank and see a label, "Engine Bilge" on it. Not that one. But there is another thin red cable, maybe that's the one. [The reason the bilge pumps do not run through a breaker switch is because you always want them on, sensing for water]. I switch everything off including the main battery isolator and disconnect the red cable. The bilge pump stops. I switch the main switch back on.....and nothing is working at all. All the 12 volt appliances are dead! This is slightly disturbing especially as a phone call to Gill determines that Harry and Sandra have just arrived and will be coming back to the boat by water taxi any minute. A great way to welcome them. I then realise that although I've switched the main switch back on, the breakers are still off [idiot]. I turn them back on and bit by bit Mehalah comes back to life.

Now it's just a case of getting Harry and Sandra onto the boat together with yet another mountain of gear. Welcome aboard guys.

We've seen the ammeter show 0.1 previously so this is our goal. Disconnecting the bilge pump had bought the drain back down to 0.4 amp but we just can't find the other 0.3. It's not until the following evening as it's getting dark that Gilly shouts "there's a light on in the oven". That's it. Switch off the light and we're back down to 0.1 amp which is just all the warning and indicator lights dotted around the boat. Another small step forward.

There are any number of stories like this to relate at present. Launching the dinghy for the first time from its davits, fixing the seized windlass gypsy, working around the main sheet winch slipping issue, trying to understand how the boom brake works...and..and..and.

Meanwhile we've been exploring The Helford River here with H&S. Two famous gardens, a couple of pubs, the showers at the Boat Club. It's all new to Sandra but Harry spends time on a friend's boat in Majorca each year so he picks things up very quickly. Yesterday we sailed round to here at Falmouth. Two reefs and a small front sail were a good introduction for Sandra especially as we only had 10 knots or so of wind. Today it's up the Fal to Trelissick Gardens where we will all lunch with Dick and Mary. Things are good aboard Mehalah.

[Every morning Harry tells us the weather will be gloomy today. Today he's right. Boo.]

So, MEHALAH it is

Current Location: A Mooring Ball in The Helford River

Registering a boat in your name(s) can be quite a complex business. For us, as British citizens we were sure we wanted to register Mehalah on the UK registry. But which one?

When Jackie owned her she was registered 'Part 3'. This is simple, costs £25 for five years and you can call her what you like. This is how Petronella used to be registered. In practice it is just a nice little laminated A5 certificate that you show to marinas, coastguards etc anywhere in the world as evidence she is yours. The problem is that the MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) who issue the registration document are now requiring you to declare that you will not be out of the UK for more than six months in any year. Hopefully we will not meet that requirement in years to come.

So we have decided to register her 'Part 1' instead. This shows proof there is no outstanding mortgage on the vessel and there is no restriction on the time she can be out of the country. However it does require a special antiquated survey, evidence of previous owners by way of Bills of Sale, a UK residency declaration and the payment of £300. And lots of forms with associated processes. But the big thing is that there can only be one boat on the Part 1 registry with any particular name. And they won't tell you what names are already taken. Crazy or wot? What you have to do is submit up to four names in order of preference and they tell you which one you can have. No silly names [not sure how the Hull registered boat we met called "Wet Dreams' got through that check] and no names that could confuse the emergency bodies. 'Mayday' or 'Maedae' for example would not be permitted. We submitted three names. 'Mehalah' which we thought would probably be gone already, 'Mehalah of Bristol' as a port name near us that most authorities abroad might have heard of, and 'Jaluka', the name of a South African pop group, just because we liked the group and the African name.

Yesterday we heard that our first choice had been accepted. As a result she will still be known as 'Mehalah'. I feel the name is an appropriate one considering the skipper's character. Google tells me that "The unusual name of Mehalah, (is) an old Hebrew word meaning a powerful but tender and affectionate woman". How fitting!!

Mehalah it is then. And here's the proof.

Now we need to get a carving done to attach firmly inside the boat and a sticker saying 'Bristol' in an acceptable colour and font size for the stern and then we are done.

And people ask us how we fill our time on the boat!