15 May 2001

Malta and Monastir

Well folks this is it, we are sailing, it is night, Marit is sleeping and I am sitting behind the computer………the autopilot is doing the work. So much for cold, wet, windy hours, soaked to the bone, behind the wheel, not even having time to make a coffee. I am nicely typing away, a coffee next to me, and once in a while I stick my head out to make a 360 degrees surveillance……and than quickly back into warmth, comfort, easy-cigarette lightning interior. The world and sailing on Sylphe will never be the same.

So, what happened since last time, we went to Malta, although my back was still not 100 percent, but time was pushing. The yard was waiting, Marit's father was waiting in Malta and we had work to be done. I will not tell all horror-stories about our trip to Malta, but is was wet, cold and very windy. We lost the mainsail, halfway through the trip and had to motor the last part. The mainsail was ripped apart, above the third reef, so no possibility to use her even reefed. The wind went from North to East, to South and finally in the end to the West. Can you imagine what the waves were like and where they came from…everywhere, with a very confused sea, waves banging into each other, leaving spray and foam all over the boat (and us)

But we made it in 31 hours and arrived on a cold and windy, rainy Malta for what we shall call the Malta experience.

Malta is a nice place, really, they all speak English, so one can read a newspaper, have a discussion, go to the Cinema (which we did 7 times, so we saw the Mexican already), and have reasonable good food (a mix of Italian and English), oh and yes, you can have one of those typical English beers, filled to the rim of the glass and NO foam. Anyway, we had BACON and eggs the first three days, after 4 months in a Muslim country, quite a difference and a delight. In the presence of Marit's father the boat was lifted out and she looked perfectly underwater. No cracks in the hull, no open seams, no grass, mussels or other stuff, so the antifouling had worked very good (the brand is Nautix for those who want to know).

The deal with the yard was that they would repair the bow, put new antifouling, change the steering system to hydraulic, and take the rudder off to find the water-entry point for the ongoing leakage. My compliments to Manoel Island Yacht Yard and their staff. Very knowledgeable, good men and a great job done. After some initial discussions we had some thoughts about taking the rudder off. The boat was (already standing on the hard) lifted even further up, so that the rudder could be taken out underneath her. What looked like a difficult and dangerous operation turned out to be rather simple. But what was not simple was finding the leak, as there appeared no clear and obvious place where the water entered. We ended up opening all seams around there, recaulking them, put cuppersheeting behind the rudder-area and hope that this was it.

In the meantime the bow was repaired beautifully, repainted, the Dolphin engraved and one can not see anymore that we had a problem there.

For the changing to a hydraulic steering I went out to buy a set, including the now famous autopilot. After some works the whole thing was installed and we were ready to go back into the water. This was on a tuesday. So all gear onboard and ready for the lift to go back into the water. Once, lowered into the water we stayed in the slings to see if the boat was still lekaing. It took half an hour before it began, but there it was again, the same amount in the same place. This was a major disappointment. So we were lifted out again. I was not a happy boy, time was pushing, the new sails are waiting in Monastir and the first charter should start in Monastir in 5 days. And we are still on the hard in Malta (sorry had to go to check on deck, but autopilot is still doing okay)

So, we took the rudder off again, the paint, the cupper sheeting (we had the experience now) and checked again every inch. And than we found a spot wher a bolt is going straight through the deadwood. The inside part of this bolt was rotten and once I removed the nut, I could drive the screwdriver into the wood for 30 cm without any resistance. Boy, was I glad we found this spot, this must be the entry point of the water. So we replaced the bolt, reinforced the wood around it, put sealant, paint, cuppersheeting and antifouling and the rudder back. And off we were again for the water………….. Only to find out that we are still leaking. You can imagine that my sense of humour and standard-general thoughts about life itself had taken a new dimension. I was not a happy camper. But this was two days ago, we have no more time and have to head back to Tunisia, for sails and charter. We will be back in Malta at the end of the season for yet another look.

So, today we left Malta, to go to Monastir ansd hopefully be back in Malta again by the end of the week. I start feeling like a busdriver. But what a difference that autopilot makes. (it is still wet and cold outside, I just checked, but here I am sitting sitting in a sweater behind the computer and in the meantime making miles in the right direction….. it is like getting a free Coke at McDonalds, what a party.

So, WHO gives us the new name for our new crewmember: the Autopilot???? Suggestions are welcome and the competition is open.

Talk to you soon,

Roland and Marit