Splash day

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This past weekend, we finally had a chance to launch Aleria. The weather was calm and sunny on Saturday but we lost several hours when the keel kept getting caught on the straps and we couldn't leave the launch well. Finally, Alex and I lifted the straps and untied the ropes the yard had used to tie the two straps together. It was hard work but we were finally free. 

Our first task was to liberate halyards that were stuck at the sheaves at the tops of each mast. We each had to climb a mast. He got the main this time and used the Topclimber. I got the mizzen and was winched up in the bosun's chair. Missions successful. 

We shlepped lots of boxes of stuff from the car to the boat and laid out lots of ropes in preparation for raising the sails. The wind, contrary to forecast, was stronger than expected and out of the east. We were facing west at the dock. We tried to turn the boat around so we could hoist the sails into the wind, but the engine kept shutting down. The fuel filters were getting clogged. Alex couldn't find replacement Racor filters onboard, so we gave up and came home. 

We are so glad that happened in Kilrush at the marina with us still tied to the dock and not underway off the west coast of Ireland. Lucky it did not happen on the way from the haul-in berth to the marina either. 

Now we have to kill the diesel bug and polish the fuel before we can leave. And we still have the sails to put on and the provisioning to do. Who knows when that will happen. There are a couple of lows over the Azores circling each other in the Atlantic so we are likely to have a week of rotten weather. No problem as I have loads of work to catch up on indoors. 

We were shattered from overdoing everything. We shared the drive home and ordered Racor filters on arrival. Luckily there was frozen lasagna for dinner. 

Today, it was supposed to be blowing a gale and raining. Aside from a few sprinkles in the morning, it is sunny and still. Bonkers. Gardening like mad all day. The weather is getting more unpredictable and changeable me thinks. 























Danu lifted in and getting a tow as their engine is out of commission.











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