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| Sprucing up the vane |
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| Cockpit after the deck paint's been touched up |
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| The topsides are white once more |
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| A new coat of non-skid goes on |
Boat work has begun in earnest. As soon as spring arrived (five days ago) we spent four hours deep-cleansing the vessel, getting rid of any greenery and dirt that had accumulated over the long winter break. Then our canoe came out of its bag again and we spruced up the topsides from it. Oxalic acid treatment (magic stuff), wax and polish. Jim used the deck brush to remove some of the fouling, but the plan is to dry out somewhere in Brittany and clean the hull properly after it's been out in salt water again for a week or so. The water in the marina is somewhat brackish and maybe some of the growth will die when it comes in contact with the sea again (one can but hope).
The deck was looking in need of some TLC with some chipped-off paint in places. We've had the 2-part poly-urethane since Mallorca when it was left over from painting the decks, but it needs to be applied between 15C and 25C - it just wasn't going to happen when the boat was in the yard in Scotland! This time, we had perfect conditions for it, 20-25C and sunshine. In Mallorca, it had been too hot after 11am to apply it and the wind had blown in Saharan sand overnight, luckily too late to spoil the finish. Today, a fresh coat of non-skid went on so that's the paint jobs taken care of.
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| Out in the main channel into Mortagne |
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| Side channel into the marshes |
We miss having the tandem, but the canoe has come to the rescue and we've been exploring a very peaceful world among the reed beds in small side arms off the main channel into the harbour. We had so much fun checking them out that we missed the lock opening times on the way back and had to do a bit of portaging - but no hardship.
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| A frequent visitor on board: Zorroette, also known as The Chat |
We've still got a few little jobs to do, but departure is definitely on the horizon. Once the waves in Biscay drop beyond 2 metres and we get a nice easterly breeze...
2 comments:
Whoo-hooo ... when are you planning to get back?
Fettler's looking as pretty as a picture....can't wait for you to be on your way home! The Chat is absolutely gorgeous....any chance of him/her becoming the ship's cat? Take care & safe journeys, love, Mum.
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