Little Steps

HF Radio Locker vent

A few days down on BV this week and I've managed to tick off some of the little jobs on the list.  The vent for the HF radio locker is now in place and looks the part, as shown in the photo in the left.  I have also delivered the mock-up of the holding tank to the manufacturers.  Having talked everything through they will produce a technical drawing and assuming that matches all of the dimensions expected then we can give the green light for the tank to be made.

A very similar job to the HF radio locker vent was moving the bilge pump switch and fitting the electronic gauge for the aft holding tank.  Not very technically difficult but it takes time and you want to make sure that it is all absolutely accurate with the holes in the right place so that it looks smart.

The finished job has all of the panels lined up as I wanted them to be which I was pleased with.  The gauge does not work yet but it is in place ready for wiring in when the the tank is finally fitted.

I also spent quite a bit of time shoe-horning our folding bikes into the locker under our bunk in the forepeak.  Reading about other peoples adventures, most seemed to strongly advocate taking along some folding bikes.  Avoiding the bikes with the really small wheels

seemed sound advice so we went for medium sized wheels and lots of gears to help with any hills we need to cycle up.  However, even folded up the medium sized wheel bikes have proved to be surprisingly large when you get them inside a cabin.  Fitting two into the locker took quite a lot of wiggling.  It was quite a relief to find that our measurements were not far off and the bikes do actually fit.  It doesn't look like it in the photo but there is also enough space for the storm jib to sit on top of the bikes as we had hoped.

The rest of the time was spent starting to clean up clean up BV on deck after the winter.  All of the teak on the toe-rail and in the cockpit was looking dirty but lots of careful cleaning (rubbing across the grain to minimise damage) has made a big difference.  The deck needs a really good clean next.  I still hanker after that gleaming new boat look but that will take many hours of scrubbing, cleaning and polishing.  The end result is a nice idea but for the time being I suspect the other tasks will take precedence.  Maybe a job to be completed on those long passages to far off sunny climes?