Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Projects


Now that the boat is Honolulu, it is time for repairs and projects. I was a little burned out after the California Winter last year where I spent lot of time preparing her for the crossing. At that time, the conditions were quite spartiate. Leaving on a parking lot, No water, No shade, 12V, and working around the clock.
This time, I am better prepared. Internet (well, 4G, but still), showers, 110V, a beta-Shade that ended up working very well, and even a small cooking gaz.


The Beta/Cheap-Shade-Tree

Temporary Galley. Well, it works.
Once setup, time for work... I dressed a short list of a double dozen of items. Some simple and short, the 'feel good ones', some more hairy.
My first 'Feel good' - Wrap the rigging with Rigger's tape - Checked.

Damn, this thing is expensive.
I guess, everything is expensive at WestMarine...
A not that feel good one, the galley.... Well, The good surprise is ... it fits !!! It took 3 weeks to come to Hawaii, and looks actually pretty nice. No, the tricky part is to build a Propane Locked and all tubing to the actual safety norms. This is the major undertaking and the main reason of the trip....

Force 10 !!!

The second main reason was the Windvane refit. After limping for the last 6 days on the crossing, it was time to make sure everything was in good order for our next adventures... Solo adventures...
As a first step, I verified and realigned the feet. I was actually afraid I would have to re-drill the transom to get a proper fit. Lucky on this one, it fits quite alright now.


The windvane, naked.
The pout it back together will be an interesting puzzle.

Living on the boat always remind how I like the simplicity of it. 
Working on the boat always remind me you have to live on it to actually make it happen.
You have at least to cut your rent by 4 to have more money to spend on parts.
You have to have that much time available as everything takes ages to fix on the boat,
and takes minutes to degrade or go aol,
There was a good news today. 
It seems that the waiting list at Ala Wai is **only** nine months.
This open some interesting options to eventually keep the boat on Oahu and get it ready for the bug adventure ;). But this is for later on.
For now on, let's get all this stuff done and fixed, and bring her back to her mooring on Maui.


Saturday, January 9, 2016

Ego and I


Sometimes I am amazed of what we accomplished those last couple of years. Some will call it plain luck, others, hard work. Well, I don't believe in luck and I don't play the odds. I bet to win.

Sailing back toward Lahaina on a North wind.
Almost typical. We get used to everything, too fast.
Events around us brought me some old memories, related to my struggle with Ego. Early career success bring you confidence, and its dark side, self-esteem exaggeration. A good sign you are lost to it, is when, tired to fight with your boss, you are thinking to built your own company. It might work if this is a one person thing. Bad employee will produce bad manager...
And if your ego is endangering your career, it is certainly affecting your day to day life.
Took me years to stop blaming the others, my boss, my company, my life.
Letting go, taking some (measured) risks, and accept to learn, learn and learn more. 
Be humble and hungry, as we say at Riot. So true, so hard.

I don't think I am a sailor. Every time I manage to go out, have fun and not lose anything or anyone at sea, I see that as a miracle. This is far from a lack of confidence - we just crossed the Pacific, we should be able to do a couple of tacks at 3 miles of the coast - it is just a new experience, a perpetual discovery. And that's why it works.

Worth reading.


I don't have big ideas about sailing, if we do it right, or could do it better. We just make it work a mile after the other.
The good news is that we will be able to practice that next week while bringing the boat to Oahu.
The bad news is that there is not an once of wind right now, and we might have to pull the boat swimming. 
I guess this is not that time we will fight the Molokai channel (Kaiwi channel) on his own ground.

It is a lake.


At least if we have enough diesel to reach Honolulu.