Galleycat haz spent the past week high and dry on the beach at Seisia.
We came here to use the beach and big tides to allow the fibreglass repairs on the hulls.
However during a dive the day B4 heading here I located a far gr8er problem than the damaged fibreglass!
He entire lower portion of the Stb keel has been torn off. Taking with it the support bracket for the rudder.
So what was 2B an easy few dayz of glassing turned in2 a monumental effort.The hullz still got there layerz of glass but the entire focus waz poured into rebuilding the missing keel and supporting the bottom of the rudder shaft.
Several "safety meetings" were held and it waz decided to remove the damaged timber and create a clean surface to attach the new hardwood.
Obviously a chainsaw waz needed!
In fact the chainsaw made short work of a really difficult cutting job.
We then epoxyed and screwed a base timber plate 75 x 50mm should B solid enuf.
The rudder was then supported with a couple of lengthz of spring fencing wire.The new bracket will be 50mm x 5mm stainless plate with much bigger strapz up each side of the keel then bolted right through with stainless boltz
The biggest dilemma we faced waz the water filling our work area causing issues for powerdrillz and epoxy resin
The answer came in a bilge pump in the hole which worked fantastic. We were able to slowly build up the layers of timber until we had a keel again.
The whole job still needs 2B shaped and fibreglassed B4 the welding man can come down and build the new bracket in situ, that way we know it'll fit first thyme.The tides have now changed to falling highz which means putting a boat on the beach is extremely hazardous as you may not float again 4 ten days or so.
So our little group set off 4 York Island for the weekend B4 returning to Thursday Island next week.Fibreglass and toolz have given way 2 emporer and oysterz!
We are now parked on Mt Adolphus Island around 8 miles North of Cape York. It waz mentioned last entry or earlier that we were heading to this island but ended up touring Pince of Wales Island instead.
We were beaten back last thyme by the near constant 20 knot South Easterly. That breeze iz still upon us, only this thyme we came up from Seisia instead of Thursday Island.
A full nights sail from Seisia we parked the Yot off the crystal white (blanc) sands of "Paradise bay!We arrived just after sunrise anchoring 100m off the beach just off a grove of coconut treez that screamed "hammock".
We had the advantage of a very low tide to return to the oyster rox at the far end of the bay. We were not going hungry 2nite as heapz of fist sized oysterz filled the bucket.
We returned to Galleycat and with everyone else heading ashore I took the opportunity 2 get sum shut eye!
Much needed shut eye it waz!
This volcanic island sports at least 8 beautiful bays 2 choose from depending on the wind and swell direction.
We are now on the Eastern side of Cape York so the swell now becomes a factor again.
While the fishing haz not been fantastic we have more fish than we can eat.
Quentin (Switzerland) and Alex (France) have kept the Yot supplied with emporer and coral trout fillets
Once again not much on the troll lines, not 4 lack of trying with a full spread of lures clocking up sum serious sea miles
WFT No2 haz decided to join the list of failures. The lower support bracket has failed.
So we have pointed once again to Seisia to repair and re-supply. The wind is forecast to drop to almost nothing over the next few dayz so I'm heading out to the Gr8 Barrier Reef.
What is claringly obvious now is the simple fact that the Yot was pushed to the absolute edge during our crossing from Groote.I met a couple of guyz that had just completed the same voyage in a twin masted ketch and their description waz
"8 days of sheer hell!".
It seemz I'm not the only yot damaged in this area.
Itz thyme to stop fixing and start using!, this trip to the reef is all about getting confidence to push the envelope again.
Captain Felix
