Crew Blog

Steel Wire Rope

11 April 2008

westernaustralia2011.com with full mast and mainsail leaves Ala Wai Harbor, Honolulu

Our two-tonne main is full, the two-tonne mast is tall, our bow is sitting low, and our spirits are high, for today we left Hawaii, laden with spare rigging, fittings, tools and fuel; the race to start a race is now on…

The stopover started slowly, time to kill, places to visit, waves to ride, hills to climb, dives to log, but then it all changed. The mast arrived, the main arrived, the riggers arrived, the rigging arrived and then it all got a little crazy! A holiday in the sun became a boot camp overnight; three days in the sail loft, four with the mast, five down below… but now it stands proud, the boat is whole again and once again we feel content.

We couldn’t thank the shore team enough; they worked every daylight hour to get her ready and we are truly grateful.

This Steel Wire Rope sure is strange though; at almost an inch thick it would lift fifty tonnes, and yet it stretches! Every day we have to tweak the wires, tune the piano and make her hum again. The process is simple; we crank the spanners, tack the boat then repeat the other side and soon it will bend backwards again, just like the old one did. We want to bend it slowly this time! There’s still much to be done, small jobs, but now we set the pace, and its back to the mercy of the wind and sea.

Martin Silk

1. Paul, Melbourne 12 April 2008

Keep up the tuning chaps. You’ll be well prepared for SC to Panama. Happy Birthday JohnBoy - hope you like your pressie. I got my passport 6 hours after you left. C’est la vie. Am in Melbourne now trying to come to terms with post-Clipper normality.

2. Chrissy, Australia 13 April 2008

BBB, Glad that you guys now have some where to put up that big beautiful sail. I am still willing you all forward here from Bathurst, and checking progress all the time. I hope that Billy is keeping you all well feed, jack is making you laugh, jacks is still using that beautiful smile, johnboy (happy bday old man) is keeping jack in line, bruce is whipping away, jude has given up the two handed hot pasta carry off, miagi is behaving, my bunk mate lyn is reminding you all to be good, and captain gollum is using his magic to keep you moving towards Santa Cruz as quick as he can. Good news here is I have my own stethscope finally and I am torturing all and sundry, they wont give me any damn canulas though, and seemed to stare in my direction when they said no practising at home (who told ?!)

3. Margaret and John Heald, Great Eccleston 13 April 2008

hi big blue miss loking for results as i am sure you do. keep going tuning and training so you are well equiped for next leg god speed j & m

4. Jadranka Lota, Maidenhead,Uk 14 April 2008

Great to see you back on the water and tuning the little BBB. Love to all and see you soon.

Big hugs
J

5. PETER LAWRENCE, Melbourne, Australia 14 April 2008

Hi all on the blue boat. Loved your steel rope blog Marty - maybe a marine journalist gig to follow the race? Happy 30th Johnboy, a blowy and wet memory but at least you’re out on the water again. Hope the tuning etc is falling into place. Pam and I will catch up with Paul shortly (Paul, I’m on 0417 375 584) and hear more of the Midway expedition. Hope the weather improves soon and you and Durban have a better mini match race.

6. Kerry, Brisbane 14 April 2008

Is this the place to catch up then? Hi Paul, Chrissy, Peter, - & Margaret & John - (haven’t met you, but seems Jack is known even in Brisbane , name was mentioned at RQYS last week!) ... Oh and hi and good wishes to you all who are actually sailing the BB Boat too. I hope “B"2 now is for Blue again instead of “Broken”, and “B"1 for Big not B** (Was “oneassist” entertained by the news of the unblocking of the heads too. It stopped me feeling ‘boatsick’ for almost a whole day.) Oh dear, I’ve been found...and they have that nasty white jacket with the straps....got to run....

7. Jon and Nic White, Kathmandu 14 April 2008

Happy (slightly belated) Birthday John from Kathmandu where Nic has just celebrated her 30th. Just read your last few entries on your blog, sounds totally unbelievable - talk about an adventure - we look forward to hearing more!

8. andi, stirling 14 April 2008

Hi BBB - still checking you are all safe and well - glad you are making good progress..tuning a boat, cor this is just fascinating!!! You’ll be in fab shape for the Panama race - wishing you all fun with Durban along the way to SC andi xxxxxx

9. Jonathan, London 15 April 2008

Happy 30th Birthday from all in CEP to JohnBoy. I suppose at least you were still in Honolulu for it (I think), instead of in the middle of the ocean (though I’m sure you would have rather been racing.

There are posters up all over the place advertising for crews for the next race. Sadly the boat they use in the picture is Qingdao, rather than yours. There’s even a poster up at my local train station (Baldock, in Hertfordshire)! it says “Are you ready for the challenge of a lifetime?” I reckon you guys know the answer to that now.

10. Liz Watson, Chichester UK 15 April 2008

Happy Birthday John Boy - hope you had a good one. Glad to see you guys are back on track although a bit bumpy by the sounds of it. Take care everyone. Love Lizzie

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