Friday was spent removing the mainsail and mainsail cover and resolving the leaks that had developed in the portside hatches. The mainsail cover has gone to god and a new one ordered from Barrracouta Sails in Sydney who make the Seawind sails and about two of these covers a week. The mainsail batten car bindings are being done by local sailmaker Alex Hayter at Alegayter Sails. John Moffat has given us a spare autopilot gearbox and has a new autopilot motor on order. He gave us a new VHF mike too. The RSAYS bosun Julian has been helpful too and good company at the bar in the evenings.
We met Steve and Sue at Jimmys Bar at the club on Friday night. Steve comes from a family of trading ketch captains and was familiar with the vessel on which I held the job as deck hand, ( my second job ever ) the Flinders Trader, working between Launceston and Flinders Island. Previously when operating from Port Adelaide she was called the Milford Crouch, and she has had quite a chequered career.

Saturday was spent bedding down the hatches, a process Jim has perfected over the years. Sunday we serviced the operational and spare autopilot gearboxes before Jim went to meet his wife at the airport. Shark came by and picked me up and we had dinner at his mothers place and I got to sleep in a warm double bed. Monday was tidy up day as Baly was starting to resemble a gypsy camp.