The "Windwalker"
The Daily Log -- June, 2005
Date -
PositionHeading
Made GoodDaily Log Comments Wed, Jun 1
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0400, cool NW 5 kt breeze, high cloudy overcast, high 60s. Happy 92nd Birthday, Mom. Woke early, with thoughts of Mom, and the 21st anniversary of the start of the Barefoot Expedition with Casey in 1984. Had a cup of tea and went back to bed after programming this first bit of the June log page. Dozed off and on again until 0745. Ships horn woke me. High overcast and calm. Busy all morning accomplishing items on my repair list. Adjusted the genset governor to run smoother while powering tools and charging batteries. Ashore at 1330. Went to boat yard looking for salvage. Queried Sailor Exchange on needed parts and cable. Had tea with Adrian, then returned to boat at 1600. Spent rest of day checking and re-checking my calculations of cable assemblies. Beanie is back from NJ so I can use his shop to make the tangs for the lowers and jib forestay and other parts as necessary. Thur, Jun 2
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, cool light NNE breeze, part cloudy, high 60s. Filled out extension form in case more time is needed for repairs. Went ashore at 0730 to check with Leon. Cruise at 1300 at Bar's Bay. Hamilton at noon, extended my clearance until June 30. Cruise ended at St. George at 1700. Dinghied back to the boat at 1715. Fri, Jun 3
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0530, wind easterly 5kt, raining, high 60s. Woke to rain drumming the cabin top. Spent an hour gloomily looking at finances, I need to borrow about $2k to get off this island and back to Florida. I was somewhat of a damn fool to leave there with so little cash reserve. Ashore at 0815 to Beanies. Checked on new wire, $1.96 a foot, and sail track $44.50/12', Tricolor Anchor Light $130. I talked with Judy, and can borrow the $2000. Jordie is home from hospital, and with better meds. Straightened bands to make tangs. Back to boat to sketch tangs so I can cut and drill them. Painted the mast step. Adrian Harris from the MARICARMEN stopped by and we exchanged email addys. Took sails into sail loft to measure. Need the dimensions before I can determining furler lengths or how much the sails need repairing and modifying. About 1830 I went over to see a 60 ft speed sled trimaran LARU ROC that anchored near me.. It has almost no accommodations for Ian and crew .. nice bunch on a race to Halifax ... I gave them my chart of Bermuda to Newfoundland. Went ashore at 1945 to the Ebenezer meeting at the church, informal discussion, just 4 of us, Junior with 38 years, Malcolm with over 20, me with 31 and Don with 3 months. Aboard at 2000. Dinner and bed. Sat, Jun 4
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, wind easterly 5-10 kt, high overcast, high 60s. Slow start this morning. Ashore at 0830 to sail loft to measure sail luffs. I can use the sails as planned. The internet was down, waited for an hour and gave up. Back to boat at 1130, lunched and went to dinghy club for a shower and laundry at 1345, spent $10. Towed Ian and one crew back out then took the other two in for a shower and back. Home at 1730. The LARU pulled anchor at 1745, motoring out of the harbor at 1800 just as weather began to spit a little. Nice bunch. Had a hamburger at the White Horse with Adrian and his new crewmate Gary who flew in from Toronto, good man. Engine 2100-2200. Sun, Jun 5
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0630, wind southerly 10 kt, low overcast, high 60s. Rain squall started at 0745. Ashore 0830 to internet, spent $20 for internet trying to find needed parts from a company that would ship to Bermuda, sent email to Blad Hansen in Canada and to Judy in St. Augustine asking if they could get them and ship Fed Ex. Adrian and Gary on the MARICARMEN cleared the harbor at noon bound for the Azores. Weather front passed at 1230, they should have a good reach the rest of the day. Worked at straightening and assembling furlers and rigging, not much accomplished. Went to 1900 BB study meeting in Smith parish. Onboard at 2145. Mon, Jun 6
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, breeze NW, mostly clear, high 60s. Checked the engine compartment and found 15 inches of water since I checked a week ago. I have a leak, either the rudder gland or the shaft log or slosh back thru the bilge pump. Pumped it out. Went ashore at 0800 to Bean's and made the mast tangs for the cutter rig, done by 1400 and back out to the boat. I went to town to check for mail and returned to the boat. My back was cramping so I tried to nap and to rest as I have been feeling extra tired. I have not been sleeping well. Charged batteries 1930-2030. Need more. Tue, Jun 7
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0615, SE freshening breeze gusting 5-15 kt, clearing, high 60s. Slept better, only woke once during the night. Got started about 0730. Tightened rudder gland. It had worked loose. Vacuumed all the water out of engine compartment. Made mounts for spreader lights. Went ashore and performed a goose chase trying to find hardware and lumber to make a boom, walking about 3 miles and busing another 20. A waste. Back aboard at 1630. Spent evening figuring out a gooseneck for the boom. Ran genset for a couple of hours to charge batteries. Wed, Jun 8
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0500, southerly breeze, clear, high 60s. Woke early, couldn't go back to sleep. Soup for breakfast. Engine starter didn't work so I took starter off and cleaned and lubed it. Problem not in starter or solenoid. Corroded connection in start wire from panel to solenoid. Eliminated it. Charged batteries 1030-1130. Went to fuel dock, 12 gal diesel - $66, and 3 of gas, $18 - damn. Replaced pump/alternator belt on engine. Over to Bean's to try and locate the screws and wood I need. Rode into Hamilton with Bean to PW Marine and got most of what is needed - $135, and to Radio Shack for coax and connectors - $37.50. Back on the bus by 1745 after walking a 1/2 mile at each end to/from a stop. Rested. Engine 1930-2030. Thur, Jun 9
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, southerly breeze, clouded, high 60s. Ashore to bring Andre's genset out to boat to fix it, then back ashore at 0800. Waited until 0900 to check the possibility of wire transfer to Blad, no, then internet, bus to Spanish Point for spruce lumber for new boom, $115 including milling. John, an employee at BCM McAlpine, brought me and the lumber from Hamilton back to St. George and we had a hamburger at the White Horse .. he really went out of his way for me. Lumber on the hulk and aboard at 1800. Back to town at 1810 to go to St. David meeting with Malcolm. Back aboard at 2115. Tired. Fri, Jun 10
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, southerly breeze, clouded, high 60s. Went to Bean's and town for internet to Blad at 0730, back and started work on boom about 0815. Drizzling at 1045, damn. Cleared enough to glue the top inner strake to the sides at 1230. Glued the bottom inner strake at 1515 and planed the top side. Assembled the jib furler while waiting for glue to set. It assembled fine. Glued top board on the boom about 1745. Should finish the wood work tomorrow and have it painted. Brought tools in about 1815 and went to Ebenezer meeting. Sat, Jun 11
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0530, light southerly breeze, clouded, high 60s. Glued bottom board on boom at 0715. Mounted lower shroud tangs. Stripped wiring from mast to mount jib forestay tangs. Ashore at noon to check email and make a run to the hardware store for the jibstay bolt and butt splices for the mast wiring. Tangs are mounted. Planed, routed and finished the boom and got the first coat of paint on it just before dusk. Charged batteries 2030-2230. Sun, Jun 12
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0615, light southerly breeze, clear, high 60s. Started at sun-up, spreader light mounts and boom painted. Took Andre's genset apart while paint was drying to find why it doesn't generate, shorted coil in the armature. Boom sheet traveler installed. Worked the antenna coax from the VHF to the power panel and down through the bilge and back up under the mast step. Planed and painted a damaged area of mast where it bounced on the bow pulpit and raised the grain. Mounted the spreader work lights. Battery charge 2015 - 2215. Mon, Jun 13
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0400, light southerly breeze, high light overcast, High 60s. Woke early, had coffee, then laid in bed until sun-up. To Bean's at 0730 to make gooseneck and boom tangs, then to bank to see about cashier's check to send to Blad, then internet. Blad shipping Tuesday Air Canada. It is the queen's birthday and everything is closed, including Bean's. Got the mast rewired and the mast cap installed, and some miscellaneous done. Visited with Bruce and Anne on the WHALE SONG, tried loading a Imarsat software on an old laptop for them, wouldn't load. Had a good dinner with them and pleasant conversation, trying some of Bruce's pipe tobacco. Bruce is a retired marine scientist and Anne is a nurse to newborns. Beautiful calm evening, wind change in the offing. Home at 1015. Engine for 30 minutes and then bed. Tue, Jun 14
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, light north westerly breeze, high light overcast, high 60s. Woke earlier with leg cramps, got them stopped and slept another hour. Went ashore at 0830, checked the email, Bald was boxing the shipment yesterday. Checked the bank about getting a money order for Blad. Salvaged the four 5/16 TB and ends needed for the stays and shrouds. Assembled the aft lowers. WHALE SONG with Bruce and Anne pulled the hook at 1245 and went sailing, bound for the Azores. They went to customs and cleared, then came alongside the Windwalker to deflate, roll and stow their inflatable dinghy. Used my deck to do it, cast off and cleared the harbor into the Town Cut channel at 1430. They will have a nice easy beam reach on a WNW easy breeze the rest of the day. It can't get much better for a start. After they left I napped for a couple of hours. My bones hurt. Painted the top side of the mast. Will roll it in the morning and paint the other side. Installed clips and blocks for the flag halyards. Engine 2030 - 2200. Wed Jun 15
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0530, Wind westerly 10-15 kts gusting to 20, clear, mid 70s. Reviewed progress to date this morning, status of funds, estimates of repairs, remainder to be done, and find I am still within budget. Shored up and rolled the mast, and painted aft side so I can install the sail track when it arrives. Finished and installed the boom gooseneck, works fine. Cleaned up and went ashore at 1400 to check on shipment from Canada. Shipped Tuesday, should be here Friday or Monday, sent Blad a bank check for $620US. Back to boat about 1600 all worn out, laid down for a nap, and woke at 0200. Boat bumped hulk, found spring line chafed through, re-tied it, unwound an old piece of line on the hulk and added it as an aft spring line, then went back below and watched the last half of "Crocodile Dundee." Back to bed at 0430. Thur Jun 16
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0630, breeze NW 5 kts, cumulus clouds, mid 70s. Ashore at 0900 to go to PW Marine in Hamilton to get eye bolts, $30, and look for a masthead anchor light and a salvage bow pulpit. Found a pulpit for the right price, free, except I had to walk about three miles to where it was. Page brought me back from Hamilton in Bean's truck about 1530. I napped from 1630-1830, a siesta. Cut the bolts on the busted pulpit and removed it to the hulk. Fixed potatoes and onions for dinner. Watched a movie while the batteries charged 2030-2230. Fri Jun 17
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, breeze WSW 3 kts, nimbus clouds, mid 70s. Spent most of morning reviewing, rechecking and recalculating stay and shroud lengths. Installed eyebolts in boom for topping lift and boom vang. Took new pulpit ashore at noon to straighten and modified it to fit foredeck. Checked on shipment, will clear and deliver Monday late. Marked pulpit to drill holes to mount navigation lights on pulpit when it started to rain and sent me inside at 1530. Nap time. By 1630 the wind backed to dead out of the south gusting to 20 kts, setting a chop under me and blowing a much higher than normal tide into the harbor, the deck of the hulk half awash and only 6 inches below the areas where I have been working. Rain and wind let up about 1900. Finished mounting the lights at dusk, used pieces of an old mouse pad to gasket them. Rice, vegetables, and corned beef for dinner. Sat Jun 18
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0545, calm, some thin clouds, mid 70s. Took Andre's genset pieces ashore at 0745, and made 4 more 3" tangs. Back at 0945. Breakfast, then cleared foredeck, sanded and filled damage where old pulpit bolts pulled loose. Siesta time while I waited while it set up. In the high 80s and humid. About 1300 a rust bucket 85 foot double ended work boat of some sort tied up on the other forward side of the hulk. Mounted pulpit on deck of hulk and shaped it to fit foredeck. Engine 1500-1900 while I drilled holes for screws for cleats and chocks for boom vang. Calculated lengths of lines and halyards needed, think I can make do with what is salvaged. Sun Jun 19
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0530, light SSW breeze, high overcast, mid 70s. Reworked antenna mount to tighten coax fitting better. Waited until dew evaporated on foredeck, Polyester putty filler not setting, maybe sun will cook it off. Didn't do much today, napped, measured and sorted out lines for halyards, topping lift, and boom vang, and set them up ready to attach when I get the stays assembled. Reeved boom vang and blocks and attached to traveler car. Re-checked my figures and procedure for shrouds and stays, it has to be right. Mon Jun 20
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, light SSW breeze, high overcast, light drizzle, mid 70s. Looks to be a damp day. Ashore at 0815 to internet and to clear shipment through customs and transported from airport to receiving center. Cleared and heated up mid-morning, sticky humid. Received shipment at 1230 and $118.13 clearance fees and delivery charges. Loafed during the heat of the day, then uncrated shipment. Walked the half mile and back to the hardware store to get 3 boxes of screws for the sailtrack and a new deck brush. Installed sailtrack on boom just before sundown. Relaxed and read the rest of the evening. Tue Jun 21
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, near calm light SSW breeze, part cloudy, mid 70s. Bones hurt this morning. It will be a hot and muggy day. A cruise ship left at dawn, two more came in an hour apart. Same three are here every week. Started putting sailtrack on the mast first thing. Engine two hours while installing sailtrack. Siesta time 1230. Damn but it is hot and muggy. Napped and read until 1600 until the heat let up. Installed tricolor mast light and sealed it. Made first stay fitting assembly on one end of new cable. Laid out measurement alley to make shrouds and stays on what is left of the hulk deck. Re-measured, re-checked my calculations again. Extra high tide, deck work area of hulk awash, hope nothing floats off. Tools and rigging secure. Wed Jun 22
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0515, WSW 5-10 kts, part cloudy, mid 70s. Looks like rain today. Slept through the night, unusual for me. Early start at getting shrouds and stays done today. Shoes coming apart, Gorilla glued them. Upper shrouds, backstay and genoa furler assembled by 1100. All attached to the mast and ready to stand the mast up by 1500. Walked to the hardware store to exchange 2 bolts. Had a butter pecan malt, $6, sheesh. Drew $200 cash and back to the boat. About 1800 I went to the Dinghy Club for shower and laundry, returning at 2045. Engine 2100-2200. Thur Jun 23
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0545, westerly breeze, cloudy, mid 70s. Rained during the night. Ashore at 0800 to get Bean to contact crane truck. It will be here about 1600 to step mast. I went on to the sailmaker, and he wont be able to get to my sails for a week or more, as he is repairing sails from the boats in the Newport-Bermuda race. I will have to go to Hamilton tomorrow to extend my clearance. It will put me later in the hurricane season and I will have to consider going on to the Azores rather than returning to St. Augustine. It will give me a week or more to tidy the boat and do more repairs. Returned to boat and loafed until 1430, then moved the boat to the quayside to wait for the crane truck. There at 1515 and the mast was standing by 1545. Moved back to the hulk at 1645 after drilling out the aft lower shroud chain plates for 1/2" turnbuckle pins. Shortened aft lowers 3 " and tightened. Got one new backstay lower 3" longer made just before dark. Dead calm as I go to bed and the tide has the hulk awash. Fri Jun 24
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, dead calm, overcast, mid 70s. Made the other backstay lower, completing the rigging. Stoll need to drill two holes in the furler drums for better adjustment. Rain spitting at 0730, worked inside to complete wiring to mast. Mounted the gooseneck track to the mast and attached the boom, topping lift and main halyard. Looking good. Toured the harbor looking for one of my fenders that has drifted, went to the hardware for screws and connectors, stopped at White Horse for a burger, came back to boat about 1600 and installed the main halyard winch. Went to Ebenezer meeting, myself, Junior and 2 ladies from Connecticut. Sat Jun 25
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0615, SSE breeze, overcast, mid 70s. Slow morning getting started, coming down with a head congestion, taking Indian carrot, should stop it. Rigged the furlers and furler lines. Cotter pinned the turnbuckles. Little stuff that needs doing. Tweaked the bow pulpit mounting flanges flat to the deck so they can be re-welded. The filler putty I put down last week never did set up properly so I scraped it out and re-did the areas with resin and mat. While waiting for the resin to set I put the dinghy up on the hulk and replaced another leaking fastener in the bottom. Again waiting I got to missing conversations with Judy. Hardly an hour goes by that I don't think of her and Spyder. I wonder how Spyder is doing? Haven't heard anything via Leslie, I had better call tomorrow. Ate early and went to bed about 2000. Sun Jun 26
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0500, Wind S 5-10 kts, dappled clouds and clearing, mid 70s. Tied here alongside the old hulk the least protected wind quadrant is from southerly wind with a 1/2 mile of fetch to build chop. In other directions the most fetch is 150 yards to the east and north bluffs. The most protected is from westerly winds as the boat is lying along the east starboard beam of the hulk which is grounded aligned very nearly due north in 20 foot of water at low tide. The last few days I have felt strung out, unable to be persistent in getting the work done, tired, even though I have been sleeping well, 9 hours last night in 3 hour pieces. My bowels are upset too.
The delay of the sailmaker puts me further into the Hurricane Season and that worries me, getting back to Florida. I may have to run for the Azores, but that worries me too, with the limited sail inventory I will have. On studying the pilot chart to Florida I would be beating into the wind and current, or to the Azores with favorable current and average force 4 winds, 11-16 kt, on a broad reach.
The delamination on the starboard ama where it was gouged during the dismasting has turned out to be 2 ft square after checking it and removing the loose fiberglass. It has to dry for a few hours and the wind calm, then I will grind and re-glass it from the dinghy.
I wrote a letter to Casey and updated the Voyage Photo Page while waiting. Ran engine from 1830-2030 to charge batteries.
Mon Jun 27
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0600, light southerly breeze force 2 - 5 kts, part cloudy, mid 70s. I have to go to Hamilton today to extend my clearance, and get a haircut and beard trim. I found I have a short in the wiring to the masthead light, will have to borrow a bosun's chair, get someone to help me, and go aloft to fix it. First thing this morning I ground out the area on the ama. It needs to dry some more and be filled in before it can be glassed. I took the bow pulpit in to Bean's to be welded then went to internet and on to Hamilton. I received an email from Casey so we can communicate again. Clearance is extended until July 31. Got a haircut and beard trim in Hamilton, $26. Spent the afternoon filling the area in the ama, waiting for it to set and calculating the geometry of the old Jib and Main to be used as the genoa and jib, and their dimensions will be just fine with minor patching. They don't need to be re-cut. That makes the major problem the main that I have been given, cutting as required to make the proper hoist and attaching sail slides to the luff and foot. Tue Jun 28
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0530, gentle southerly breeze force 3 - 7 kts, clear, moonlit, mid 70s. Used the heat gun to help finish setting the filler. Page welded the pulpit flanges for me. Ashore to the internet cafe to check email and update web pages, to try to call Judy, and to the sailmaker's. Sail repair will be next week. Couldn't reach Judy, Bermuda pay phone system on the fritz. Returned to boat and ground the filled area flush finding some more glass loose. The crashing seas during the storm May 22nd must have hydrauliced it loose. Trying to finish grind from a rocking dinghy is a real exercise in coordination. The next time the boat is hauled I think it would be wise to strip the glass from the hulls and re-glass them using epoxy, and do a better job of fairing and finishing at the same time. Later I placed and temporary mounted the bow pulpit, I need 8 more 1/4" screws, tomorrow a walk to the hardware. Wed Jun 29
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0615, south easterly breeze force 2 - 2 kts, clear, mid 70s. Damn leg cramps during the night, and woke with them again. Fibreglassed ama patch area at sun-up. That was a bit of a trick, glassing near the waterline from the dinghy, but it is a proper job, well done. With the morning sun it will cure quickly and well. I will grind it in the morning when the wind is light again. Ashore at 0830, to Bean's, fuel dock, hardware, internet, phone. Again, was not able to get through to Judy. Started the final setting of the bow pulpit and found I was out of caulk, back to hardware store. Siesta until 1545, then finished the pulpit and wired the bow navigation lights. Leon got me two halyard winches for free. Ashore at 1730 to try calling Judy again, no luck, sent Leslie an email asking if I am dialing the right number??? Back aboard at 1815. My beans soaked all night and have been boiling all afternoon and are still hard...one damn thing after another. Engine 1830-2030. Thur Jun 30
32:22N, 64:40WBermuda Harbor 0545, force 0 - calm, clear, mid 70s. Sanded patched area before sun-up. Caulked foot of mast in step. Sanded half a dozen other minor areas that were damagged from the mast rubbing during the dismasting or from the dunghy bumping on corners of the hulls. Ashore at 0800 to Bean's to pick up the winches Leon sent me, to the sail loft to leave the main, and to hardware with Bean to get some sanding disks. Back to the sail loft to rip some seams to take off the sail cover zippered sleeve???, whatever it is called. Saved a couple of hours of sailmaker time at $75/hr doing it. Checked email, nothing, bought pipe tobacco, then back to Bean's to saw the aluminum mast mounts off the winches. Back to the boat, cleaned and lubed the winches. I made one good winch from the two, and the other saved for spare parts. Siesta 1530-1715. Sanded the back corners of the amas and re-glassed them and all the other spots just at dusk as it looks like rain tonight. Beans still hard. Tuna and ramen for dinner. Watched the last half of MacArthur while the batteries charged 2045-2145. Bed.
