We are in the winter doldrums, not sailing but definitely thinking, working (and of course spending as only a drunken sailor can do) on getting the boat ready for 2014 sailing. Tons of stuff underway. To mention only a few: 5 new sails ordered, an 8 man liferaft, two new water tanks, new satphone system, new computer and Expedition software, all manner of safety gear and about 125 "to do" items, from little to large - all in progress.
Never let it be said that getting a boat ready for offshore is a small undertaking. Ours was made just a wee bit bigger by the need (unexpected pleasure) to embark on a gigantic hull repair shortly after purchasing the boat and bringing her here to the West Coast. The balsa core in the hull below waterline proved to be wetted, with decay setting in, and of course that wouldn't do. So we ended up turning the boat upside down and basically gave her a whole new hull from the waterline down. Farr International was a great help with specifying the repair designs, Chris Small surveyed the work and Seaview Marine did the work in exemplary fashion.
Anduril now has a foam cored, extra strong, reinforced hull that is stronger, better and faster than before. Sort of like the six million dollar man, but way less cheesy, and anyway we like boats better than fake Hollywood robot men. So became Anduril: first broken, now reforged - she is the Flame of the West, glowing red by the light of the sun and silver by the light of the moon, just like JRRT said. Actually it would require some sort of goofy-ass LED system to accomplish such a thing, but with her new paint job she's definitely a sweet looking lass. She's an Orc head-cutter. Competition watch out!
We'll eventually get around to a post or two summarizing our 2013 sailing season. We had fun, we learned a lot, screwed up plenty and hoisted a few liquids in addition to the sails (too many or too few?). In the small racing pond up here in Vancouver we did OK, considering boat and crew were brand new. Sailing in 2014 is going to be all about Vic-Maui, so the local racing scene is going to take a back seat this year. But we'll be out for all the distance races, starting with Southern Straits and of course Swiftsure (may this year not be a drifter) before hitting the start line in Victoria the first week of July.
More bullshit to come. This place. This time. This boat.
