Good News

On Wednesday we finally received the report from the Mast Builder and to our suprise it was extremely good news. They have informed us that the mast was strengthened in those areas when it was built and have advised that the cracks are more cosmetic than structual. Providing we are given the go ahead from the insurance company our plan is to leave next weekend. The Owners will join us on Thursday next week.

There is still a lot of work to do before we are ready to leave but we are enjoying a day off today as the next few weeks will be pretty hectic.

Last night we went shopping for fishing kit for the boat. We bought two rods & reels plus a selection of lures (pictured left). We also bought a vaccum packing machine. Lets hope we bought the right stuff and catch some nice fish!

Busy, Busy, Busy

The last two days have been pretty hectic and with the Owners arriving tomorrow afternoon we still have a lot to do. There has been a steady stream of Contractors onboard and most of them are behind schedule, but thats nothing new!

We finally had some news from the Mast Builder, Matrix, and to our suprise they do not seem to think the cracks are a major problem, but we are yet to see that in writing! We should hear more tomorrow and we will discuss the next step with the Riggers and the Owners. It is likely that we will still have the Mast taken out and fully serviced as it hasn't been serviced since it was built 6 years ago so it's long over due.

Finally, we managed to get a PAL TV and Colin installed it last night and so far so good! We just hope the Owners like it!

Colin took this picture last week when he went up the Mast, which is 35m above the deck.

Stressful Weekend

We spent most of the weekend working, trying to catch up with various jobs which got sidelined during the week when we found out about our Mast problems. The Owners are due back onboard this Wednesday and there is still a lot to do before their cabin is liveable. The alterations (below) to the cupboards and drawers should be finished by Tuesday and the new carpet should be arriving very soon.
When the Owners were here last week they bought a nice Sony 23" LCD Flat Screen TV for their cabin and we managed to find a multi region DVD player to go with it. We had hoped to finish the installation today and get them up and running. Unfortunately, what we thought would be a straight forward job turned into a very stressful one!

It was only when we were almost finished that we suddenly discovered the TV was only capable of playing NTSC and was not duel format as we thought. So, all of a sudden we were sat starring at a $1200 TV which was useless to us. As we had thrown away the box, changed the plug on the TV and didn't have the credit card it was bought with we felt very sceptical at the chances of getting a refund. Thankfully our prayers paid off and we had a happy ending to our day when the nice people at Circuit City happily gave us a refund. We'll now be sure to check, check, check and check again before wiring anything else up!

This coming week is going to be very busy with lots going on. Not only are we trying to keep on top of all the alterations, which are due to be finished by Thursday (needs a miracle!), we are waiting to find out the fate of our Mast.

New Equipment

It was another hot day here in Florida and the locals just keep telling us it's going to get hotter and hotter! Thankfully our Air Con works very well! Following the news of our Mast cracks we were cheered up a little when we collected our brand new Dive Kit. Although the Owners do not like Diving they were happy for us to purchase two full kits, which we're sure we'll make good use of!

After lots of phone calls and complications we finally received our MCA Class A Medical Kit and Defrib (right). The only problem now is finding somewhere to put it all!

The new Diesel Water Heater was also delivered late this afternoon which was bought to replace the old one which just resembles a big pile of rust!

Finally, some good news - Colin resusitated his laptop after a lot of work last night and it is back to full operational duties!

The Cracks

The Cracks in the Mast were today looked at by the top Rigger here in Fort Lauderdale. He has taken pictures and before making any decisions he wants the advice of Matrix, the Mast Manufacturer in New Zealand. This means no decision as to the next step is likely to be made until early next week. However, he advised us not to go anywhere until it has been dealt with.

It does look likely that the Mast will have to be taken out and worse case senario we are probably looking at a month of repairs. It certainly looks like we are going to be here in Florida a little longer than anticipated, but thats boats for you!

The picture above shows where the 1st D rod joins the mast on the starboard side. Some paint has been scraped away and the crack (dark line) can be seen in the aluminum.

The picture on the right shows the 1st D on the port side. You can see the crack showing through the paint.

There are also cracks where the 2nd D rod joins the mast on the starboard side.

When the Rigger was onboard he was telling us about a mast on a boat in the Caribbean which had just broken, whilst the boat was still tied to the dock! We have just had a phone call and it turns out that the mast he was talking about was on a boat run Johno, who Kate sailed with 5 years ago and who is also a very good friend of our owners. Its obviously not a good month for Masts.

Just to cap off the days events Colin's laptop has just been hit by a virus. What next?

Decision Delayed

The rain finally stopped late this afternoon and the sun appeared for a couple of hours. Due to the rain the decision on the rig has been postponed until tomorrow. However, during a sunny moment Colin went up to have a look. The cracks are unfortunately in the aluminum where the standing rigging joins the mast. At this stage it looks like the rig will have to be taken out and repaired before we can go anywhere. We should know for certain after the next inspection, tomorrow morning. Watch this space!

Rain and Rigs

The Florida sunshine has disappeared and for the last two days it has been raining heavily, almost non stop. We were kept awake most of last night due to huge thunderstorms and strong winds.

To add to the miserable weather we were given some bad news today following a rig inspection. The Riggers found three cracks in the mast near the 3rd spreader, on the starboard side. The Riggers are contacting the Mast Manufacturer in New Zealand for their advice and so we should know more tomorrow. We are just keeping our fingers crossed it is not going to be too serious.

The above picture, which was taken when we were here on Aphrodite2, shows the canal where Moonraker is currently moored. If you look at the top of Aphrodite2's mast and to the left, you will see the a cream coloured block of flats. We are moored on a dock next to the flats. It is very central, with easy access to supermarkets, chandlery's, banks etc.

Count Down Begins

Graham and Janet left Moonraker on Friday 12th May and will return on the 24th May, by which time we should have the boat ready for our trip North. There is an enormous amount of work to be done but hopefully we will find our way through the long job lists! It is very hot here in Fort Lauderdale but thankfully the Air Con works well! The picture on the right shows the Navigation Station where Kate is spending most of her time, planning and organising!

Second Sea Trial

On Wednesday 10th May we took Moonraker out for another sail, this time Graham and Janet joined us. We had about 10-12 knots of wind and Moonraker performed well both up wind and on a reach (where the wind is on the side of the boat). We didn't stay out too long as there is so much work to do before we leave Florida on the 25th May. The picture on the left shows Graham at the helm with Janet in the background.

Air & Sea Show

We enjoyed a well deserved day off on Sunday 7th May and were entertained by the Fort Lauderdale Air & Sea Show. Colin was over the moon to find out we would be here to see the show. We spent the afternoon on the beach, in the red hot sun, watching precision flying by a variety of aircraft. Some of the pictures Colin took were awesome. Here a couple for you to see.

Sea Trial

On Thursday 4th May we finally got chance to take Moonraker out for a sail. We left our berth on the SE 15th Street Canal in Fort Lauderdale and headed out under the 17th Street Causeway Bridge, close to where Aphrodite2 was moored a year ago! We spent around 3 hours, just outside the entrance to Port Everglades testing the engine and hoisting the sails. The Mainsail is incredibly powerful for the size of the boat. We were managing to do 3-4knots in around 6 knots of wind. To raise the mainsail takes a couple of minutes and it is a very user friendly system.

Our First Week

Our first week onboard was spent opening every cupboard, floorboard and hatch to get to know the boat personally and compile a full inventory. We worked very long hours but enjoyed getting to know our new home. Moonraker is a great boat and perfect for the adventures which lie ahead and the main thing is, she feels like home. The owners, Graham and Janet, arrived towards the end of our first week for a few days. They are really nice people, with a dream of sailing across the Pacific, and we just hope we can make their dream come true. This picture shows the main saloon as you enter the boat through the Pilot House.

New Job

On Sunday 23rd April we flew from London to Miami to join our new boat, sailing yacht Moonraker. She is a 78ft sloop, Van de Stadt design, built at Kelly Archer Shipyard in New Zealand in 2000 and was recently bought by Graham & Janet Morse. The plan is to leave Florida at the end of May and sail up to Chesapeake Bay and then onto New England before heading to the Caribbean in November. Then, in March 2007 we will make our way through the Panama canal and onto the Galapagos Islands, through the Pacific and the plan is to arrive in New Zealand in October 2007.

Relaxation Time

We were lucky to have a two week break after leaving Aphrodite2 before starting our new job. We spent time in York, Edinburgh and the Lake District, visiting family and friends. The picture above was taken in Queensferry, Edinburgh whilst out for a walk with Lynne & Dave.

Time to Travel

In March 2006, we were offered our dream job of running a 78ft sailing yacht together, with a worldwide itinerary. It all seemed to good to be true. However, first we had to say goodbye to our home of two years, Aphrodite2! On Monday 10th April 2006 we stepped off the big red boat, for the final time. It was very sad to leave but we took with us many memories and have made friends for life. It was however the right time to move on and explore the world some more.

Sailing Yacht Aphrodite2

After getting married we returned to Aphrodite2 and spent the winter in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, completing a major refit. However, spending the winter tied to the dock gave us really itchy feet and we decided it was time to start looking for a boat to run together that would allow us to explore the world once again. We sent our CV's out and started the ball rolling.

A New Beginning

On Friday 28th October 2005, we got married in Cape Town, South Africa surrounded by family and friends from around the world. It was an absolutely amazing day, followed by a relaxing honeymoon in Mauritius.