2010: Annapolis & The Solomons

Work Completed Underway: Part 2

Anchor Riding Sail.  We made it to the annual Annapolis boat show – the biggest in the world we’re told.  We visited for one whole day and still missed some parts of it. One of our purchases was an anchor riding sail that impressed us as a logical solution to WJ3’s tendency to dance around a bit while on anchor in a fresh breeze.  You hoist this three dimensional triangular sail with a topping lift and attach it to the end of your boom and with  guys out to the sides – it steadies the boat holding it into the breeze and so, much less sailing around on anchor or a mooring. 

Hi Vis with the new Anchor Riding Sail (JGP Photo)

Fuel Again.  Having said we had no further fuel problems really meant that I knew how to deal with it when it raised its ugly head again off Oxford.  We were full of the joys of the world having had a good season up north, made it safely back to the Chesapeake, and experienced the delights of the Annapolis Boat Show, so the last thing we expected was to have fuel problems again.  In the little village of Oxford, we dragged on anchor during the night (in fairly stiff winds and poor holding) and decided to leave in the dark.  In the worst possible place at the worst possible time the engine stopped.  It could only have been fuel.  I hadn’t refuelled for some time and dregs were an issue now.  We turned back (under sail) and anchored in the river until daylight and a fuel dock opened.  Exciting stuff!

Whisker Pole.  That same day, once we beat our way out of the choppy Choptank, we set a fair pace down to the Solomons with the wind behind us so I poled out sail.  Much to my annoyance the cheap, nasty (metal look-alike) fittings on the whisker pole almost disintegrated.  I eventually replaced them with much more substantial Ronstan fittings purchased in Australia.

WJ3 at anchor in Back Creek, Solomons Island

Welding in the Solomons.  On top of the steering pedestal in the cockpit there is a semi-circular stainless steel grab rail; it’s always been there (most sailboats with wheel steering have them) and you tend to take it for granted – until it breaks and you can’t use it, which is what happened to us.  The weld at the base of one of the legs had failed so it was not safe to use.  Of course, we arrived back in the Solomons on a weekend so I wasn’t expecting to have a lot of success in getting it fixed.

However, I visited the local West Marine and made some enquiries.  There was a guy standing at the counter who just happened to know of a welder nearby, had used him on his own boat a lot, and, best of all, my new-found best friend offered to drive me there, as the welder lived a few miles away.  To cut a long story short, the next day I had a vastly stronger grab rail reattached to the steering pedestal – it cost $200 but the fittings that had been welded into both bases will outlast all my other stainless.  The welder happened to work from home in a big barn-like shed that was so well equipped that my eyes watered with envy.  He also happened to be a great bloke, believed that quality was much more important than cheap quantity, and very obliging by doing it quickly. 

My new best friend turned out to be the same guy, with his wife, that the First Mate and I had shared a friendly conversation with at the local Holiday Inn bar where we stopped for refreshments while on our way north a few months earlier.  Our conversation had to start when we noticed that his wife had ordered a bucket of cocktails of various flavours and alcohol – it was huge.  Anyway, she enjoyed it, we enjoyed the ensuing discussion about it and, lo and behold, the husband just happened to be at the West Marine counter when I showed up with my busted grab rail.  Another tale of a small world and meeting some of the nicest people while cruising.