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Saturday, June 23, 2012

SV Terrwyn Lives on... One Ocean At a Time

June 23, 2012                       Blog Summary and Progress Report

Good day readers.  This is Bill with a Dry Dock Half-Time  Progress Report for SV Terrwyn, currently safe and sound 'on the hard' in Auckland NZ.  She is under the watchful eyes of our boatyard friends, cameras and workers in Gulf Harbour Marina.

Gulf Harbour Marina Boat Services


It has been nearly 9 months since we arrived in Auckland and it will be another 9 months until we leave NZ bound for South Africa early April 2013.  Therefore this 'Half-Time Report'.

We have taken this opportunity in NZ to tune Terrwyn's systems from lessons learned during our first leg (Canada to NZ) last year May - November 2011.  Meanwhile Cath and I have returned back to Calgary living and working full time towards our coming 9 month cruise (NZ - SA), April - December 2013.We love Calgary, our friends, families, our little old house and Bill's practise.  Cath is flat out writing, managing our homestead - inside and out and being mommy to Daisy our new baby Dane ( www.daisythegreatdane.com )who is growing like a weed.  She is also mommy to Harley and Nessie but they have lots of life skills already. 

Terrwyn has had "mucho trabajo hecho" and much more to come.  Details below.

Back in Calgary we are gathering our navigational materials for the coming passage:  charts- paper and electronic; sailing directions; pilot charts; cruising guides and assorted articles.  We have also ordered a new Light Air (<10 knots true) symmetrical spinnaker from PT Sails and gathering proper deep sea fishing gear, deck winch and stand up Penn rod and reel (both with 1,000 metres of line).  Fishing gear was my biggest error of omission on our first leg.  Marlin and Tuna are now duly warned.

Other Terrwyn tasks completed include:

  1. NZ Customs' blessing for keeping Terrwyn for 18 months in NZ.
  2.  LOA from Bill's hospital for the required 9 months.
  3. Sailing Kitty filling up as quick as possible.
  4. Puppy care arranged for all three of our babies here in Calgary (thanks Cam) and Quadra Island (thanks Michael and Danielle).
  5. House sitting arranged again for Calgary (thanks again Cam) and Quadra Island (thanks again to Michael and Danielle).
  6. Terrwyn's refit partly completed and progressing.
    1. Engine, prop and shaft all reworked
    2. New electronics and instruments (Nexus) installed on an arch immediately forward and above companionway (boat speed, depth sounder, wind speed and angles, GPS).
    3. Rigging repairs - to jib sheet cars and tracks; new wire solent retractable headstay; Spinlock gear shift and throttle in cockpit.
    4. 2nd Ritchie magnetic compass to port forward cockpit bulkhead.
    5. Cold plate repaired.
    6. Upgrade solar panels from 85 watts to 300 watts.
    7. LED's and new speakers below deck.
    8. Install Irridium phone and docking station with email, fax and GRIB file capacity.
    9. AIS
    10. Overhaul VHF and SSB.
    11. Deck cover; topsides; and anti-fouling paint all to be done.
    12. Sole re-finishing, maserator and head re-fitted.
That's about all - B.O.A.T. units galore!

Billy stowing all halyards and replacing with 'messenger lines'.

Cath taping in preparation for doing brighwork.

Happy Skipper Billy on foredeck preparing for installation of new protective cover while Terrwyn is 'on the hard'.


Our intention is to sea trial these items in February.  Then Bill will return to Calgary for March while Cath stays on in NZ to re-provision.  We will leave NZ, sail north to New Caledonia in early April and then WEST...

Further video clips of our Pacific crossing may be forth coming...crossing the equator and various landfalls to follow.

Thank you for following our blog.  We intend to carry on beyond NZ and SA, to the Caribbean and back into the South Pacific in our circumnavigation quest in roughly 6 month blocks over the next few years - one ocean at a time.

Please comment with any questions that we will promptly answer.

Fair winds
Smooth seas

Billy

8 comments:

  1. Hi Guys,
    Enjoyed your blog. A first question: what are benefits of "messenger lines".
    phil

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    Replies
    1. Messenger lines replace the halliards so the halliards are put to bed and mainly out of the sun's UV rays, then on refloating, the messengers keep the halliards' internal mast tracts intact for replacing the halliards once again.

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  2. Movies, movies, movies :) Been thinking allot about you guys lately. Alan

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    Replies
    1. thank you Alan , NOW how about you my friend ?? your plans now _PLEASE ? Bill

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  3. Enjoy reading your updates and your plans...WOW! Looked out at the peaceful waters of Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Whidbey Island on Sunday from Ebey's Landing - beautiful!
    Mark & Laura

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  4. It's so exciting to read how others do this cruising thing! It's nice that Bill can come and go from a practice like that. What a blessing. We consider whether Mike could do some consulting or contract work as a programmer. What a trip you have planned! I so look forward to reading about it as you go.
    Again watched your video of crossing the equator and we both got a good chuckle! Nothing like pouring champagne in the dark when the glasses won't be still! We began planning to have turtle suits on board for our own 'crossing the equator' celebration! Don't know where we'd put them, but it would be worth it for the video alone!

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  5. Hi guys, great to meet you at Woodview today, love the blog, oh and Owen passed his driving test.

    Love to both

    Vicky Richard and Owen

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  6. Wow, truly enjoyed reading your blog. I will be following it now closely to keep up on your adventures. Thanks Bill for letting me know and wish you both all the best in 2013.

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