Sporadic updates from Captain La Rellim and his oceanic adventures with Falkor.
October 13th, 2022
Sunny and windy.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Inside jobs continue. The storm was billed to start at 5am. My alarm went off at 6:45 with no rain having fallen. Postponed until 10:00. At 10, postponed until 15:00. And so it went all day. The deck will wait until next week with the forecast still calling for rain.
October 11th, 2022
warm and rainy.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The rain came down like crazy last night, but for the first time since I bought Falkor, none got in… knock on wood, I now have a dry boat.
Huge win.
Now, I can start installing the new electronics without worrying about them getting soaked.
Keeping her dry inside was one of the things I was most preoccupied with when I was away from Falkor. It will be a constant battle, as with all old boats. It’s just so great to be at this point. No more buckets under hatches or tarps over everything else.
Thank you, Mauricio and Diego.
October 10th, 2022
Sunny and calm with a chance of rain for the next week.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The final touches on the mizzen boom are done and it is in its place.
Changed out the guide lines for the spreader flags and the aft flagpole. The one on the aft is about three feet above the top of the mast. Damn near impossible to get back in if the guide line is lost. Very happy the tape held while getting that one swapped out.
Also pulled the water pump, belt and alternator off the motor. The water pump got serviced and the alternator will need to be replaced. I still have some clean up and maybe a little paint to add to the Perkins before it’s all prepped for the sea.
Should be oiling the deck tomorrow.
October 7th, 2022
Calm and sunny, but changing to very windy.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
It was a hectic day. Four people on deck running around tensioning cables and pounding on bolts. The masts are back up. Still a few odds and ends to take care of before the task is truly off the list. Regardless, it is great to see Falkor as a sailboat again.
The main mast electrical has been run back into the boat with the connections pending.
The yard’s work is almost complete. Now comes my list.
October 6th, 2022
Windy and sunny.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Falkor drew a few drops of blood four times from two people and claimed my new shoes. Probably her way of reminding me that this kind of refit is only necessary when she is stuck on land for seven and a half of the last eight years.
A Dutch sailor from a neighboring boat recognized Falkor as a Trintella IV, today. “She is a strong boat, built for circumnavigation by Anne Weaver and designed by E.G. Van de Stadt.” I know her pedigree, but it’s awesome when other sailors pick her out of the crowd. She really does deserve to get back in the water.
Masts are 99% prepped. Raising them first thing tomorrow.
October 5th, 2022
The calima with raising wind.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Winds from the Sahara carrying sand make the sky look like Tatooine. During the night, the wind came up and changed for the south putting an end to the phenomenon and cleared the sky by morning.
Swaged the back stays and isolators for the HF radio. It’s not easy finding US thread patterns here but the rigger came through and found an old piece of rigging in his shop that matched so we could sewage the last fittings. The masts should be going up in the next few days with the deck getting oiled right after.
October 4th, 2022
Sunny and windy.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands
The mizzenmast is almost ready. Remounting the generator and new radar were both experiences. The rigger said “Everything is complicated.” Sometimes, I feel that way about every task I try to complete on Falkor, but the work being done should make the upkeep much easier. Doing it right to erase the 5 years of sitting in Portugal, before the 2.5 years in the Canaries. Paso a paso. Little by little, she is coming back to form.
This week the yard also did a bit of epoxy on the skeg and took on the dirtiest job; sanding the copper coat. Looks like Falkor got a new skirt.
October 3rd, 2022
Light breeze, calm seas.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands
Main mast is almost complete. One million rivets, all new wiring, one stripped screw, new spreader light, new wind anemometer, new vhf antenna, new bolt sleeves and a whole bunch of tefgel.
September 28th, 2022
Windy and Rainy.
Playa Las Americas, Tenerife, Canary Islands
A strange landfall. Got to know some customs officials and learn the difference between computers (no import taxes), computer parts (import taxes) and other ambiguous definitions. Highlights include a waterless hotel, a leaky boat the day after the deck was resealed, a dremel that can’t charge in the EU and a 1.0 liter gold rental car.
Still great to be back.