January 14, 2008 - Whangarei

Monday was an exceptionally successful day for us. First thing in the morning I found an upholstery shop to repair our dodger (the piece of canvas that protects the companionway and us when we are on deck on watch). A few months ago, the snaps for the straps that hold the roll up center window started ripping out. Today Abacus Upholstery repaired the dodger and added reinforcing patches to it. While I dropped off the dodger and our giant roll of Stamoid, which was left over from the canvas work we had done in Grenada, at Abacus, Sten priced out the breakers he needs for the transformer installation at the electronics shop next door. Then we headed over to Calibre Sails with our jib to see if it could be reconditioned, rather than ordering a new one. Peter did the examination right there and then, and gave us the great news that we don't need a new jib, just new UV protection on the edge that is exposed when it is furled. The Sunbrella that is currently on there is shredded. We asked if Stamoid would be too heavy. "Not too heavy, but maybe too expensive," he responded. With a shrug of his shoulders Sten explained "we already own it." "In that case, bring it by and we'll see if you have enough."

After leaving Calibre, we headed over to a refrigeration shop, continuing our hunt for isocyanurate insulation (if anyone knows a source for it in NZ, please let us know - nobody here knows what we are talking about) or something with a similar R value. Then we swung by another upholsterer, Neil McLeod, whom we heard might be a source for reticulated foam. The foam in our cockpit seat cushions has broken down (the backs are still fine), so we are replacing it with a higher density version of the same stuff, which is sold locally as Ez dri. After lunch back at the boat yard, Sten worked on removing the main so that Calibre could pick it up in the afternoon, while I double checked the measurements for our reticulated foam order and scraped some more Cetol off the cap rail. While I was in town picking up the dodger, dropping the remaining Stamoid at Calibre, and updating this website (the wireless in the boatyard has been down since we've been back), Sten worked on the interface wiring between the autopilot and the GPS and rebuilt the windlass. By the time I got back to the boat yard Sten was coming back from the showers. It was well past O-beer-thirty, but we took the time to put the dodger back on before heading to the office/clubhouse to make dinner.