The Title for this weeks update is a bit of a play on words.Most of my efforts and progress ave been focused on the wiring / battery issues on Galley Cat.With the entire battery housings and wiring being moved forward to under the lounge suite in the main cabin.This not so small exercise means that approximately 200kg of weight is now forward of the mast thus dispersing the load on the YOT more evenly,and reducing the chance of flooding the battery compartment. While this has been my main focus I've also been putting in some long periods on the vessel "Freedom". This power cat was severely damaged during cyclone Yasi but is now ready for her refloat.
The cummins engines had to be refitted, then rewired,along with all the on board fridges and pumping systems. These tasks could not begin until a VERY large hole in the starboard (right) hull was repaired. The boat was then lifted onto the small cradle "carefully". As the designated paint person it was up to me to prepare and repaint the anti fouling and generally help out where I could. This small job left Galley Cat as a secondary task until Saturday, now work is back on trak with wiring, batteries and general mess everywhere inside.
I have managed a couple of fishing trips this week with polar opposites in success. The first trip resulted in zero crabs and zero livebaits while the second yielded 11 big crabs and 12 livebaits(go figure!). These baits then resulted in the most intense session of fishing I've ever experienced since arriving. I literally couldn't keep 2 rods in the water as a school of Wolfe Herring savaged every little fish I cast out the front of the YOT. It wasn't til I actually landed one of these "herring" that I realized why I was losing so many rigs. They don't look anything like a W.A herring with a set of choppers that would scare a W.A tailor.
On the culinary front the new lighting outside has seen a huge increase in the usage of the outside kitchen with Friday lunch being a necessary culling of the rear deck spinach (triffids), to produce a lovely Florentine Quiche. Friday nite also saw an impromptu B.B.Q with marin8ed chicken wings and lamb riblets making the night a success.The rear garden is back in full swing producing enuf salad ingredients for greek ,caesar and tossed salad on a daily basis (almost healthy),the hydroponics are still in a stagnant state neither growing profusely nor dying ,so more thought will have to be put into this concept with the distinct possibility that a hybrid system of the plants living on the rear deck while I'm anchored then being transferred to the growroom during any sailing as just a few drops of salt water is enuf to kill any of these salad type vegetables.Only thyme will tell but the plants are now classed as "essential" to the culinary success of this journey. Also completely necessary is the fitting of the new rear deck roof as this week has seen the annual sugarcane burn off with mountains of ash raining from the sky causing everything to turn a lovely shade of grey (visage). The main roof of the Yot has now been prepared for removal with all wiring and ropework removed ready for the big chop when Kenny returns from holidays. The canopy will then be married up to the new roof line and the rear deck will be nearly completed with just insect screens and safety railing to go.
So that's about it from tropical Qld this week.
Keep in touch!
