Portimao yard

Portimao-Portimao-Portimao

Bad news from Portimao. We have had a water problem for some time.

The bilge pump has been pumping 2-4 times a day. I thought it was a fresh water problem,

sow we have been going through the water heather, pipes and water tanks.

The problem has increased a lot since the Biscay bay, where we had some rough waves.

And then again increased until Portimao Algarve.

Sunday afternoon, before going out in open water for 4-5 days, on the way to Lanzarote,

I decided to find out were the water came from. I had tasted the water several times, to see if it was salt or not, and it didn’t tats so salty, but a little bit. I thought the salt was just from the boat by being at sea with salty water and wind around us.

After splitting the two back cabins apart totally, we found out it was coming from the housing

supporting the propeller shaft.  Not much water, but a little all the time.

I wanted an expert to take a look at it next day Monday, to see what to be done.

And we were at a good place with several yards able to repair the boat.

Going ashore

It was a delaminating in the glasfiber support to the propeller shaft, and the expert from Blue Water yard said it would be a 14 days ashore repair. FUCK.

I was sure that the damage was part of the collision I had September last year,

when a 27 tons sailboat crashed into me in the back, while parked at the bridge at Ishoj Denmark. 

Well, the expert did not think it had anything to do with the crash, but that it came from

bad construction from  the boat yard Jeanneau. They had done many of this repairs of this kind of construction.

If the damage was related to the crash, I would not have to pay it myself, but the insurance company to the man who crashed into me. But the expert would not write a report saying that he thought it was from the crash. So it ends with that I have to pay it myself.

Well today Friday, 5 days later, the boat is fixed, and we will go in water at 16 o’clock this afternoon, and start sailing to Lanzarote.

While at shore, we have done several other repairs also. Like a new zipper in the Lazyjack bag for the mail sail, the rudder has been out to get new fittings because it was vibrating.

Two new seagards at starboard side, and washing the boat.

The back cabins have been a working place, with a plastic tent to avoid too much glasfiber dust to be flying around. We have done all the ‘donkey’ work our self to keep the cost down. That means making the tent, cleaning ( a lot of cleaning) and putting everything together again.

The dust tent inside the back cabin

Well, Zephyr is much stronger than what it was from the factory, and that feels good.

Take a look at the pictures, and you get an idea of what mess we have been through.

The shaft support grinded down for repair

The rudder getting new fitting

The back cabins on deck

Chaos on deck

Terje came from Fredrikstad Saturday night, to sail with us to Lanzarote, and this far he has only been at a dirty and dusty concrete yard with a boat in a total chaos. I am sure he is looking forward to get out sailing. Same thing with David, which hitchhiked with us from Lisbon.

He has now also been working 5 days, like all of us.

2250 Euro later, we are on the way. This did not fit into my budget.

We are ALL looking forward to come out sailing.

Next time you hear from Zephyr will be from Lanzarote.