I concluded a week or two ago that it was time to wheel in my secret refit weapon. Sure enough, Mr G****** the Colombian handyman and I have spent a couple of days on Arabella tackling those jobs that were on the yard's list, but don't really need the yard to do them.
Above: It had to be done...the obligatory clock and barometer!In all honesty, I'd have been happy to have the yard do these jobs - the difficulty is that they can, from time to time, be mind-bogglingly slow and their chippie's hourly rate feels as though it is as much as, if not more than, the Harley Street paediatrician my wife insists on taking our kids to see. Mr G*****, in contrast, is quick and costs about a third of that rate. What's more, his work is very, very good, provided you can mutually overcome his lack of command of the English language.
Having never been to the English seaside before, Mr G***** brought along his long-suffering wife, who does most of his translation for him and provides him with coffee and sandwiches at indeterminate intervals. This whole working-on-a-boat thing was clearly a very exciting departure from the norm - they spent the entire lunch-break wandering up and down the marina pontoons, ooh-ing and ah-ing at all the boats.
Above: In between dismantling, sanding and varnishing the galley woodwork, we fixed as many safety and other fittings as we could. We tried to be as professional as we knew how to be - this ABC extinguisher in the forepeak, for example, is through-bolted to a wooden backing pad to spread the load evenly and save damaging the GRP. Below: The other, smaller extinguisher fitted beneath the companionway step.
Working together, we went through a load of little jobs. Fire extinguishers went on, as did the fire blanket. The galley woodwork was miraculously varnished. The compass and binoculars holders were mounted and varnished. The obligatory clock and barometer appeared on the saloon bulkhead. Curtain tracks were installed. The Tiller-Tamer appeared on the tiller. The Origo spirit stove, freshly cleaned and tested, re-appeared on its gimbals. The galley sink was scrubbed and a new plug and chain installed.
Above: Tiller Tamer installed to the tiller.I worked on the exterior also, cutting away at the oxidised white-ish gel coat. I launched the tender and worked around Arabella's topsides, washing and shining, before taking the scrubbing brush and reaching under the boat, cleaning the slime off from below the waterline and the raked twin keels.
Above: Fire blanket installed to galley area.As we worked away, the yard's man came along and started his own jobs, bolting the reefing points to the underside of the boom, strengthening the cockpit cleats by through-bolting them into wooden backing plates, cutting down and installing the uppermost batten to the mainsail. He replaced the gasket to the new forehatch, added the catches. The anchor locker received a new catch, too.
Above: Useful little details added in time for the upcoming race.What was really striking was just how much progress we made in such a short time. I left feeling at the end of the second day feeling much happier. Arabella's electronics were still not quite behaving themselves, but little by little she was coming together. She'd be ready to race at least.
