Splash!!

I’m just starting to come back to earth. After the launch, as well as everything leading up to and after it, my system felt shot!

Everything’s changed. Overnight I’ve gone from green trees and birdsong to the sights and sounds of clanging masts and industry, the toils of the last 10 months quickly disappearing as Tarka joined the pack of hundreds of other plastic boats. I don’t think she’s a pack girl.

She went in alright with no leaks, though we discovered the rigging was the wrong lengths so the mast had to come down again.

Since then, I’ve been working my way through the last remaining jobs before taking her out for sea trials!

• Organise gear into cupboards, lockers etc
• Sort standing rigging
• Bleed and do engine initial startup
• Replace split fuel hose and re bleed.
• Cut running rigging to lengths
• Splice eyes into halyards.
• Run running rigging through mast
• Convert single line reefed boom to slab and run reefing lines.
• Fit cupboard latches
• Finish securing trim
• Oil all woodwork
• Solder pl259 to masthead vhf connection.
• Finalise provisions for the passage
• Gather medical supplies, spares etc.

Once the mast goes up again and the rigging is happy, there’ll be a period of sea trials before going for it. Day sails, night sails, overnight sails to start to feel familiar and comfortable onboard, run through sail changes, check systems are working, make adjustments to the rig etc.

Im hoping I might be out of here by the end of the month!?

Thank you to everyone who has supported the project and helped me get to this point. In particular those who gave their time, energy and enthusiasm during the last push before the launch and as well as those who came to see her go in!