Windhorse Sailing

It’s week two and things are moving along. Francis is still in the Yachtmaster program seven days a week, but this week has stayed on Shangri-La at night. All day I round up workers for jobs we need help with such as welding and hauling the boat out for bottom painting. I also round up tools and supplies for the repairs we do ourselves such as plumbing, organizing and rigging. For these tasks Francis has been invaluable. He is able to teach me things every boat owner should know to care for and maintain his boat. All our major jobs are done and we will focus this next week on spare kits for the rigging, electronics, plumbing, paint, and the engine. Hopefully one or both of us will have time for some sight seeing. Regardless, things are getting done and a departure date of February 15th looks likely.

Francis taking a break from all the tasks he’s started.

Delegating the work has been a daunting experience. At 36 feet Shangri-La will be comfortable enough for three of us to live, but when everything is ripped apart, floor boards out and companionway stairs removed it is a tight space to have more than one job in motion at any one time. So far coordinating jobs has worked out well. I would prefer to do it all myself, but the learning curve is too steep at this point given the time we have allowed for departure. In time we will be at sea and doing all the work ourselves anyway. So, I am careful of what I wish for. Between the three of us, Steve, Francis and I, we will be able to handle anything eventually.

The only job that has presented any problem has been carpentry. We need a teak floor made for the cockpit. As it is now, we stand on what looks to be a plastic mat that you would see in a public bathroom. There is no place for such a thing on my yacht. More importantly it is very uncomfortable to stand on for any length of time. I called a carpenter, this Indian guy, who was recommended who said he was too busy, like I inconvenienced him. Then he showed up anyway. I told him we only need a rectangular plank made up that will let water drain through. He looked at me like I asked for a 50 foot shrine to Chrisha by tomorrow. He said he would return on Saturday. Well, he didn’t show and I don’t know if we are getting our floor. Stay tuned for that.

I look forward to Stevo getting here. Three is a good number. I think the odd number settles alot of decisions. There can’t be a tie vote and there is always someone to diffuse the argument between the other two. Let’s hope so. Francis and I get along well, which is why I knew we could do this trip, but we are different. He starts five jobs at once. I like to “organize and prioritize.” I start a job and finish it before I tackle the next. Francis has so many things going on at once. Crap everywhere, a little of that, a little of this, and back to that. It makes me crazy, but it works for him. He does get stuff done.

Last night I went to meet a friend Ed Griffin and his wife Katie at Ed’s sister’s home in Constancia, a beautiful suburb of Cape Town. When I left Francis was in the middle of cutting a rusted shackle off the anchor, installing a fan, taking apart the sander to see what was wrong with it, figuring out the wind vane hooking up to the tiller, and replacing the jib furling line. He didn’t want to come to dinner.

Me on the Shangri-la before heading to dinner

I met Ed in Darwin after a passage there from the Solomans. Ed had made the same trip a day ahead of us as captain of an amazing Swan 60. He is a native of SA and told me then he would be home for 1 month break in January. I’m glad I emailed him, because I had a great time. His sister and brother in law were great hosts and I don’t know if it was the booze talking, but I invited them out for a sail on my yacht. I guess I forgot the boom is off right now. I promise to fit that in to the plans. I look forward to having Ed on the boat if only for a day to share his experience on our equipment and planning. I’ll gladly humble myself to anyone who can help our cause and Francis can ask four hundred questions a minute, in every direction.

To that end I frequent the bar at the Royal Cape Yacht club. My man Derrick who worked on the engine hangs there with all his boys after work. He knows everybody, just like he said. I bring my days questions to them. If they don’t have the answer they know who does. I asked about charts and Derrick pulled over Tom Morgan who wrote the South African Ocean Almanac. Let’s put it this way - I have a well used account at that bar now.
However, as any sailor knows, you get in a room with other sailors and there are as many answers to your questions as there are sailors in the room. Some can agree, but the bottom line is everyone knows better and know one ever made a mistake. That happened to someone else. Regardless, you have fun and glean some info from all opinions no matter how badly they stink.

That after all is the purpose of this journey. We try to enjoy every step and every challenge and in the end we can’t help but learn something.

Schwartz - I rock all day, I rock all night. I’m the pitbull, Yah,Yah,yah, Alright!
Mom - Don’t Worry
Elvia - Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
Justin - keep calling, BNP will never know.
Shamess - put down that beer.
Teddy - ask the international operater how to dial.