06 Jun. 12


The day before yesterday we drilled some holes into the saloon roof. Next we mixed some epoxy and took an old kitchen sponge, cutting it into small pieces, we dipped the small pieces into the epoxy and once they were wet through we pushed them into the holes. Yesterday we drilled smaller holes into the cured epoxy and sponge holes and tapped the holes to fit a 4mm machine screw. Afterwards we used the holes to fit our two new solar panels. I did some tests yesterday before we connected the new panels and found that our regulator only supplies about one and a half amps to the batteries. This morning I tested it again with the new panels connected and had exactly the same result. It appears that our regulator doesn’t work properly and we will have to replace it. I already replaced one of our old solar panels with a new one after I tested the old panel and found that it gave me eighteen volts, but absolutely no amps.

In Durban Lola and I discussed the wind charger and I told her that it was a waste of time piece of equipment that doesn’t give enough power to justify its weight. I even told her that I consider tossing it overboard. However two days ago the wind howled at about twenty knots for the day and the wind charger gave me a consistent charge of between two and three amps so perhaps I won’t toss it overboard after all.

Some time ago we bought a box of smarties made by Nestle. We opened them and they were mouldy. I have never before seen mouldy smarties in my life and didn’t think that they could mould. This morning I decided to call the Nestle call centre and ask them why they sold me mouldy smarties. I took the number from the box and dialled it. A voice on the other side answered “ambassador hotel reservations.” I asked the voice if I could complain about my smarties to her but she said no. I don’t think that Nestle will get any complaints about the smarties since the Ambassador hotel refuses to cooperate and forward the complaints to them.



08 Jun. 12

Our power woes are still not over even after installing two extra solar panels and replacing a faulty one. I still have to run one battery charger to keep the batteries charged. We are getting closer though since I now only have to run one battery charger and not the two that I previously had to run. Lack of space to put more panels and of course the biggest obstacle, money, made Lola and I research some other options. Our original regulator that isn’t working has to be replaced so we decided to replace it with something called a MPPT charge controller. This thing is supposed to make the panels more efficient by about 30 percent. Since I have discovered that all manufactures lie about their products, we will do our calculations on half of what they proclaim. The fridge for example, according to the manufactures, draws four and a half amp when the compressor is running. Lies lies and more lies. We tested the fridge and it draws eight amps when the compressor first starts up and slowly draws less and less until it ends at five point seven amps when the compressor finally stops. Same thing with the solar panels. They claim that the eighty watt panel will provide three point seven amps, lies lies and again lies. Not once have we managed to get even two amps, even when directing the panel directly at the sun. So now we base all our power calculations on half of claim by manufacture, or in the case of something that draws power, twice the claimed amount.



09 Jun. 12

We were invited out to supper last night by default since someone else cancelled due to a stomach bug or something. It turned out to be a really good evening and eventually ended by us being dropped off at the yacht club after we were squashed into the back of a bakkie like sardines in a can. These impromptu evenings always turn out the best. I find that most of the time a planned event turns out to be a bit disappointing. Perhaps your expectations become to high or something. But unplanned events, especially on evenings when you don’t really feel like going out, for some or other unknown reason have turned out to be some of the best evenings I have ever had.

11 Jun. 12

Another eleven days till my son arrives for his visit, very exciting stuff. Today I hope to close the hole I made in our port water tank. A few days ago I cut the hole to check the tank and now I will have to close it again. I hate jobs that remind me of changing a new car tyre that has been damaged prematurely, or replacing a stolen car radio with the exact same radio. So I decided to close the hole in such a way that I can at least see how much water we have in the tank. Previously we had no way of knowing how much water we have and since I had to check the tanks anyway I decided to make some improvements. I have been procrastinating this job since we were still on the hard, but figured that we have nothing else to do with our time now anyway, so might as well get this job behind me and ticked off the list.

Water tank cut open

We are still waiting for our autopilot belts to arrive but hope they will get here soon. Last night the wind howled at forty knots, but this morning it is flat calm with no wind.

We received a sms from some of our friends that left at the beginning of the season asking if we are still going to meet them in Trinidad at the end of the year. We replied that we will but Lola and I both agreed that we feel disappointed in ourselves that we didn’t continue on south to the Cape and instead came back north to wait for winter to pass.

On our trip down to Durban we discovered that our cockpit drains turn into water spouts. Every now and then the water shoots up the drain and wets the cockpit floor. The water comes up with such a force that I am sure it would give someone standing over the drain an unexpected enema. On our trip back from Durban we stuffed the drains with rags to try stop these unexpected enemas from surprising us. This only worked for a short time and we had to keep stuffing the rags back into the holes and drying the cockpit to save ourselves from sliding around and getting the occasional enema.