PROGRESS REPORT NO. 2
Were leaving next
Saturday!
June 18,2001
Such simple words convey little of the work-intensity
of the last six weeks.
Jarlath has been under particular pressure, not intentionally so by
me or anyone else, but because hes so pivotal in getting the boat
ready. But ready it is, not as much as wed like, but adequately
so in all the ways that matter.
Joiner Francois has done excellent internal work, with little left
to be finished, Vinny Salmon has piped the five fuel tanks to the engine.
Mike Burke from Limerick is rigging, fitting, carpentering, you name
it.
Northabout was hauled out from the shed in Knock on Thursday
May 17th, and then the rain lashed down all the following week, soaking
much of the inside through hatches and windows yet to be sealed. The
Wednesday was particularly wet and brought expectations to their nadir
so much still to do, and the rain bucketing cats and dogs.
Some internal stock taking was done, our Dublin friend Liam Canavan
put in a full week on the engine and matters looked better.Mayo men
rallied, Eddie Horan, and Brian Egan on Plumbing and Mechanical, Eugene
OMalley on the wiring and Paraic Harrington on the joinery.Micheal
Kelly laid on his low loader, a 50 tonne crane lifted the boat, now
weighing 14 tonne with her ballast, and the journey to the sea began
on Friday June 1st.Taking the long road round to avoid low bridges and
corners too- tight, our convoy travelled the narrow road to Charlestown,
the hull skimming the ash and the rowan first on one side then the other
and sometimes both.Twas all downhill on the good road from Charlestown.
Except passing through the town of Westport. There the Garda did a Percy
French for us stopping traffic with one wave of their hands.
The launch went smoothly, just a small leak showing round the depth-sounder,
quickly remedied and then her 18 metre mast was stepped and rigged.
There was minor mishap with temporary rigging, which could have been
major, but wasnt and satisfied men, we went to Matt Molloys
Pub, and stayed too long, a few of us.
Rigging and setting up the roller-reefing on the two headsails took
the next two days. Happily we had opted to put steps on the mast or
it would have taken longer. There are 15 rigging wires on the mast,
mostly of different lengths, with different fittings on the end of each.
The running rigging was easier.
On Monday we engined away, doing 5½ knots on tick-over, out
towards Clew Bay,Croagh Patrick, holy mountain to our south, Mulranny
and Achill to our north and Clare Island ahead out in the bay.Opening
the throttle she went like a scalded cat, to her mooring in Rosmoney.
Next day she was moved to her fitting-out berth at James Cahills
Pier.And there during the last two weeks her equipment has been
put into commission.The sails were bent-on and looked good, just a little
looseness in the luff of the Yankee, our mis-calculation not that of
our sailmaker Phillip Watsons.
Phillip had been a pleasure to work with, very much a member of our
boat-building team, keen and able to see that the sails were worthy
of the job and the boat. With alacrity he put his sail-loft in Malahide,
Dublin, to work at reducing the luff by cutting and re-building the
tack. Brendan Minish joined with our man Gearoid in fitting the SSB
radio and today were running the weather-fax and email system.Im
a doubter when it comes to believing that we can run email off the radio.
Ive spent too many frustrating hours trying to get straight voice/talk
contact. I hope Im wrong and that Brendan is right, that our Pactor
2 system will work. If it does, well send Progress Reports
every ½ week or so, less if we have nothing to say, more if we
have. To be heading off, as Bill Tilman put it for No Wages, little
pleasure, date of-return uncertain. Wont it be great!
Paddy Barry
Press Release
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