Firstly, after chatting with the locals here in the marina, I thought I ought to downgrade my ‘mugging attempt’ to a ‘failed bag snatch’ which obviously is not such a big deal. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for this to happen at night in dark places away from the public.
So up early and up the mast to sort out the lights and install a new wind sensor. My first trip was a little uncomfortable, it’s a very long way to the top, and the shrouds (wires) get in the way at one point, also you have to use the spreaders as steps, and there not really in the right place.
However, due to incompetence on my part, I kept forgetting something to take up, and had to make several trips. By the end of the morning I was zipping up and down like a pro.
The starboard spreader light is blown, I have spares in Barcelona! and the steaming light was also blown, but there was no power getting there either, so I need special bulbs before I can get any further. That can wait.
I did fit the new wireless solar powered wind speed and direction indicator. It sends the data home using wifi, which cuts down on a cable.
That doesn’t mean you still don’t have cables at the bottom, and I had to take down the instrument panel thats above the companionway, and fit the new display and route the cable back to the chart table were the wireless receiver will sit. This was a nightmare and took all afternoon, I had to take down the head-linings in the main cabin, something I haven’t done before. I now know what not to do, so after repairing the lighting cables I snapped, and crawling around the floor looking for screws and their cups, I got the cable routed through to the quarter berth where I will need to extend it for the final leg back to the chart table. Nothing’s easy on boat electrics.
So having put the boat back together, I headed down to the Mall to see if there was any chance of getting some bulbs from the hardware store, which there wasn’t. There’s a lovely looking Malaysian food court on the way I must try out sometime.
I didn’t get anywhere with the dinghy today, so will try that tomorrow, and tidy the boat and head out on Friday for a little run.
Paul C.