For months now we have the problem, that we more or less every day of sailing much water in the bilge (lowest point in the ship) have. At high waves and strong winds are up to 60 Liter pro Tag. What we have not tried everything, to determine the cause. Little by little, but I have identified and corrected all possible options for me and causes. Every time again, I was certain, that the bilge would remain dry now, after the work was completed. But the nightmare just wanted to no end and slowly I got my own private trauma closer, when I pumped ten liters of sea water as on our last trip every two hours.

During a routine inspection of the autopilot I really had difficulties, me on the high seas, hanging upside down in the space under the beds, hold with one hand. In the other hand I held the "Maglite" (Flashlight for MännerJ) and inspected the rooms deep under the lockers. Here, my eyes fell on the lower rudder bearing. Whenever the autopilot fought the waves and the rudder turned by brute force, to get back on track to the boat, I saw water flowing from the massive screw squirt. What a shock! "This will be a greater number" was my first thought. After 10 I had but again somewhat sorted and sent me a video clip using the iphone Schöchl shipyard minutes, with a request for advice and support.

The lady in the office must have thought, that we were about to drown. Probably my dramatic portrayals were to blame, because I really good at J. Anyway, I had a few minutes later the shipyard owner Manfred Schöchl personally on the phone. It was not the last conversation that day. Both the shipyard boss and a number of its experienced staff provided us with their words and deeds since and were all very cooperative and helpful. At the end of the day the action plan was then created and spare parts for the repair by express delivery on the way to Tenerife.

One fact was irrevocably fixed but. The rudder stock, including the integral inner bearing sleeve in the fuselage must be removed or. be renewed. This requires that the boat out of the water and the rudder must go also. Each sailor, I told the repair, looked with pity and wished me good luck.

Since old brings back memories! The father of my girlfriend at the time I had promised the age of 21, to change over the weekend, the clutch of his van. Greatest despair came on, when he failed even after four hours, install the gear again. But in the end succeeded but then. On the next morning I called my girlfriend, that your father had broken down on the way to Hamburg for the wholesale market the car under the butt, since the clutch was again defective. Gott sei Dank, he could his goods (Flowers and Plants) nor sell, before the truck stopped. As an excuse for him, I painted the old part with white paint and put a cactus in the middle. It was hard, to contact him with your eyes and take the whole to himself shame.

Next Monday we have a date, cranes to our boat. The last 3 Days I had nothing else to do, as in the evening to study various technical forums on the subject and then to go on the day with a rental car in various tool shops in search of special tools. From each of the required parts I have made with my ipad a screenshot, pictures say more than 1000 Words. Especially, if like me you do not speak Spanish, made it easier to communicate enormously. A particular challenge was the special hook key to screw up to 120mm diameter and very special adhesive SIKA 292i with the matching primer.

To make matters worse, that one should not trust many more "experts" on the way. In a Yacht Shop, run by a Dutch, I was offered an adhesive primer, the derogation was specified by the manufacturer's recommendation and the shipyard. A call to Sika explained everything very quickly. The primer offered was specified for Plexiglas and the adhesive did not show the necessary strength to. This "expert" but had assured me, that he 20 Years of experience, and would have wanted to start a discussion, why the other adhesives would be needed at all. Soon after he disappeared behind the counter and was seen no more. Probably he had heard, that I said Katja, he should just play his dues lassenJ. Some say it myself Canary Islands, that is closer to Africa than Europe. So study, drive a lot, many questions and always be nice and fluffy. After three days of driving and 350 Kilometer route criss-crossing the island, we had it all together, what we expected of tools, Materials, Equipment and replacement parts are required.

We have decided, during the time, if the SUMMER stands on the land, continue to live in the boat. Is certainly a strange feeling, at night when it is no longer Rocks. On this occasion we will deregister the underwater hull also the same with new antifouling. The feathering propeller I will get them ourselves and change the sacrificial anodes also equal. But one thing is already certain: The next week will be a real challenge!