Well: we have been here for 5 1/2 weeks, now, and we are, still, not on board!
The last piece of electronics has arrived at the factory and will be installed, Monday.
One item, which the yard forgot all about, is an alarm in both cabins, linked to the radar. Each will have its own on/off switch. The radar will have a “safety zone” set at six miles; anything which enters the safety zone will trigger the alarm. If Maggie is on watch and I have my head down, I will be instantly alerted to a potential problem and can return to the helm. I think this is a sensible solution, as Maggie, good as she is, has not attended any sailing course and, therefore, does not understand the various lights, displayed by shipping, at night.
The TV aerial needs to be taken to the top of the mast; and the rest of our upholstery should arrive on Monday; including our swing seat, which will straddle the back end of the yacht, overhanging water. We are looking forward to this seat, as you are head and shoulders above the yacht roof, when seated on it. Plenty of fresh air!
Our thoughts about entering the Caribbean have been revised, as the guy, who will commission the yacht, is in favour of us going ASAP. More on that, anon.
The engines were commissioned on Tuesday; sea trials were successful. The compass was, then, swung. This is a technique, whereby, magnetic interference is compensated for. It was interesting to watch. The end result: the compass is dead accurate, apart from two headings, in which the compass is out by one degree, only. The autohelm, linked to a compass reading, was equated to the main compass. Autohelm and compass will give the same reading, after this exercise.
Florida continues to be very hot and very humid. Our watches can, now, be set by the afternoon thunderstorm, which hits us, each day, at 4 pm! Thank heavens for air conditioning!
Next news, I hope, will be from BEESMEJ!
posted Friday July xxxx