Well everything went to plan with the re-launch and we got
back in the water on Tuesday morning. We immediately went for a quick sea trial
to check the rebuilt steering system and also to do engine checks. Everything
seemed fine except that the engine didn’t seem to attain the revs that it
should at maximum throttle. This is not something we were particularly worried
about as we rarely run at maximum throttle. However, the engineers undertook to
do further checks.
Debi arrived on Tuesday afternoon and we spent Wednesday buying
provisions, stowing provisions and then Debi started cooking. Once again she
has done a fantastic job and prepared eight meals for our passage and we are
all fully stocked and ready to roll.
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| A serious load of provisioning |
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| It's important to include the essentials |
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| Now the difficult task of stowing it all |
On Thursday, Debi finished up the cooking, did the laundry
and got everything stowed, whilst Pat filled up the water and did final
preparations on deck with a plan to head up the coast on Saturday to our planned
departure point at Marsden Cove.
Whilst driving to the airport on Thursday to pick up our
third crew member, Leanne, Pat got a phone call from the engineer, saying that
they had investigated the tachometer issue and had decided the alternator was “fried”.
Not good news.
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| A depressing look in the engine bay |
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| The offending alternator |
Given that the alternator was a) a very expensive one and b)
only two years old this seemed completely improbable. However, further
investigations have revealed that it is indeed “fried”, that being the
technical term for a short in the windings. A new one is now on order but has
the come from the US. It should hopefully be here on Tuesday. Having been on
the brink of departure with everything lined up, including notifying NZ customs
of our imminent departure, this has been to say the least, disappointing.
The weather has not been the best with very squally showers
and high winds coming through, so it wouldn’t have been the best weather to set
off. It is also quite cold.
Yesterday we decided to get away from the boat and go and visit Piha, a small village on the west coast of North Island. There is a lovely long beach of black sand and some wild waves rolling in from the Tasman. Thankfully there was also a Surf Life Saving Club, selling good beer and hot food!
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| A stormy Piha Beach |
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| Sheltering in the Surf Life Saving Club |
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| Leanne, our new crew member |
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| A very windy Piha Beach |
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| Debi getting to grips with her new camera, courtesy of Leanne |
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| Sea spray on a windy Piha Beach |
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| You've been framed! |
Leanne has undertaken to upgrade the interior design of
X-Pat and has been busy embroidering anything that doesn’t move! Our interior
is gradually being transformed!
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| Our new look interior! |
And so now we wait for the alternator to arrive, be fixed
and for the next weather window!
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