Canny and I worked on some more lighting installation, installing new touch sensitive 12v led's over the galley and fridge which are really bright and low power consumption. Meanwhile we figured out how to best fit the storage nets I had had made for the front berth using a combination of sanctified common sense, kayaking nous and kiwi ingenuity...
Today was yet another gorgeous sunny day, but no sailing as I was trying to get the last of my jobs list completed: interrupted only by the obligatory morning coffee at the Marina Cafe!
I pulled the roll of tredmaster non-skid decking I had ordered back in May but hadn't had time to fit. Careful measuring and improvisation using a panel from the quarter-berth as a straight edge still resulted in some interesting moments. The vague recollections regarding installation methodology surfaced at strategic times... but perhaps the most interesting came when my first very well mixed batch of thickened epoxy got very hot and extremely sticky very quickly! I wondered whether I had inadvertently mixed what we used to call in the old boat-building days a "hot brew!" Evasive action saw me whacking the first sheet in place and frantically digging the smoking brew out of the plastic cup before instantaneous combustion was achieved. Suffice it to say the next brew was a little more sedate in "going off." In hindsight, it was probably a combination of warm day and hot surface that accelerated the reaction. I'm pleased with the end result, even if it meant a little fiddling to compensate for the too rapid adhesion of the first section and it becoming permanently fixed a few mm south of where I intended. The odd shape and dimensions of the cockpit floor meant I had to use four sections to cover the area, but its not too bad! Even had a piece left over to fit in front of the main hatch.
Decided tonight was Club night so wandered down to the Bistro to watch the Wed night races and ended up chatting and sharing a drink with Mike and Grimmy, two of the locals. Grimmy is now an H&S inspector, but worked in the construction industry and helped build the Opua Marina, while Mike started as a school teacher and turned his hand to building. They reassured me, as we were discussing the recent America's Cup and the narrow win of the Australia Trimaran over the local favourite Vodaphone NZ in the recent Auckland to Russell Coastal Classic, that I didn't have too much of an Aussie accent, eh mate!
Evidently the above yacht made it across the Tasman in three days which was probably just as well as accommodation I'm told was a little limited... the crew I'm reliably informed, are now sleeping somewhere ashore...
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