Off again

[marno]

In just over three weeks we will be off to sea again, this time headed for the South Pacific. I'll have to update the website soon and then I'm going to try to keep a log of the interesting things as we go along. At this point in time, we hope to stop in the Channel Islands, Morocco, Canaries, Barbados, through the Caribbean (not sure where there yet), through the Panama Canal about March or April, then slow down..... Any advice from those who have gone ahead of me is most welcome, we have been madly trying to read recent blogs etc. of people who have been through these places recently because things can change quickly.
Cya

[AlanK]

Good luck on your voyage. I took a look at your to do list and had a few thoughts.
On my F-33 I had a problem with the mainsheet. On mine there is a stainless shield where it exits the mast. However the height and angle from the block at the deck collar to an eye on the cabin top caused a lot of chafe on the teak eyebrowand line.
I used some high tech dynamee/spectra line and tied it from the bow cleat to the eye on the base of the stanchion (I had already reinforced the stanchion base) through a shackle on a block. I then tied a line through the shackle on the block to the mast collar. This gave me redunancy (which was a good thing when a crew member ontied the line on the cleak for some reason and left it untied) and the ability to adjust the distance of the sheet from the mast and the height of the turning block above deck.

Regarding the large electric bilge pump. I have a "regular" electric pump on a float switch. I added a larger rule in the bilge but didn't not plumb it to anything. I just attached a long hose so I could run it to a sink or the cockpit or out through a port or hatch if needed. This was only for emergencies. Not sure what your intent is with yours but this would eliminate a new throughhull or other complexity.

[Michel]

Marno,

Good to hear that everything is going like you wanted and the trip is starting! Exciting! I wish you two all the fun, luck and happiness. I will follow you via your weblog.

All the best,

Michel

[marno]

Gday Alan,
I don't quite understand your description completely, but I have an idea of what you mean. That gives me some ideas for pulling the blocks away from the mast to prevent chafe though. The bilge pump has now been installed and I managed to run the outlet out of the transom where the old heater exhaust used to be. You guilted me into updating the To Do page on the web site, I've been meaning to do it for a while.
Hey Michel,
Thanks for all your help. I wish I could make it to the Freedom get together in Holland this year, it was great last year (I absolutely loved the apple cake too, I meant to make another trip back to Holland for more).
If you give me a months head start, I'll still race you
Thanks
Marno

[Michel]

Marno,

Your F39 Express ketch is by no standard a slow boat. I'll never catch up if you leave a few days before me. And if you like the Dutch apple cake or pie so much, try to hook up with Aussies with Dutch origins when you're back down there in a couple of years. They all know how to bake a Dutch apple pie with the strips on top.

Good luck and have fun, and I envy you just a tiny bit.

[GeoffSchultz]

Be careful out there! You're leaving at the peak of hurricane season! I certainly wouldn't rush towards the Caribbean. The first time that I headed to the BVIs, I got there mid-November and had to dodge hurricane Mitch.

So, going along with my comment, be sure that you slow down and enjoy where you are. You're going to be blowing through some stunning areas. Why do you want to skip the majority of the Windwards and Leewards? In reality there's no reason not to spend a year going from Barbados to Panama. We absolutely loved Venezuela and Colombia. Many people consider the San Blas islands of Panama to be very similar to the S. Pacific. And there's plenty of places to poke around on the Pacific side before heading across.

My text logs on the eastern Caribbean and Venezuela to Panama are pretty thin, but I've got a ton of photos from the area. Please see www.GeoffSchultz.org.

Have fun!

-- Geoff

[AlanK]

In my previous post I meant to say main halyard not mainsheet.

[marno]

Gday Geoff,
I am going to try to avoid the hurricanes. When we leave here in the UK we will be heading for Morocco and will stay there till sometime in November, when we will cross to the Canaries and have a bit of a look. We were thinking of leaving there about the first week of December to arrive in Barbados just before Christmas. We aren't sure where we are going yet in the Caribbean, thats why I'm a bit vague about it. I get the impression that Venezuela could be a little bit dodgy to visit at the moment, but apparently Colombia is great. We wouldn't miss the San Blas, they sound fantastic. I wouldn't mind doing some of the Windward and Leewards either, although we are on a tight budget, so we may miss some of the more touristy areas like St Lucia and St Martin. We might jump to the South side of the Dominican Republic (avoiding PR as we don't have US visas and from what I have heard they are fairly expensive) and head to Colombia from there. All our plans at the moment though are set in Jello and all advice is very welcome.
Regards
Marno

[Michel]

Marno,

I can only advise you on the Canary Islands where I've been several times. Avoid Gran Canaria if you can. Ugly and touristic, but good shops, also for marine equipment. Try to visit La Graciosa, a white sandy spot near the north of all black (volcanic) Lanzarote. The village has no pavement, just white sand in the streets between the flat roofed houses. Few nice restaurants, very few tourists because there are no holiday parks. La Gomera and El Hierro are nice; don't know if El Hierro has a good port. If you need a big city visit beautiful Spanish Santa Cruz de Tenerifa with university and academic hospital and Spanish major league soccer club.