Christmas 2015

Christmas tree in Orion's wheelhouse

Putanui West

Orion lying Putanui West buoy

Two glorious days and nights of calm, hot days. Just Sue, me, and the dog. Waved hello to some people on the second day, but really just had the place to ourselves. Went out on deck in the middle of the second night... the sea was like glass, a plane of obsidian black you couldn't see nor barely sense and in the firmament above Orion and the Southern Cross charting our position in time and space. Recommended R-n-R.  Amusingly, it looks like a party of three sitting on the aft deck, but it is just Sue sitting between the two aft bitts.

Pelorus River

Off Havelock Slipway

Sue drove around to the slipway in the car with Poppy, and took this picture while we were waiting for the yard to adjust the cradle. It was a big tide and it stood for an hour at least.

Oh, joy!

We got the news we'd be going back in the water Saturday. She went afloat no problem, and Joseph Griffiths had the wheel again for his knowledge of the narrow channel: "Don't look at your depth sounder, you're better not to know."

Joseph on the wheel

Oh, joy! We have been afloat for 48 hours now, and the pump has yet to go off. I looked - no water, wow! All this was, it was a butt joint and Alan (shipwright) couldn't say whether it was a nail hole or the caulking in the butt itself that was letting water in. Anyway he replaced two nails with silicon bronze screws, and caulked the joint, and it's tight. As is the weepy transducer, all dry now. Also fixed the wee bump on the stem (long delay shifting gears when you have a Gardner idling at only 420 rpm married to a Twin Disc reduction gearbox, more bumps likely in the future) and sharpened up the boot topping (thank you Wayne). Also followed the 'O' Bros advice to reduce the zinc and bonded the remaining anode to the aft bearing housing, thanks to Joseph for your work on this. In a very good space right now.

Brief haulout

Hauled at Havelock Slipway

We have hauled out to do a few minor jobs: inspect the hull after the delivery trip; fix a few minor leaks; reduce the zincs. Joseph Griffiths went on the wheel, negotiated the narrow channel, and put her on the cradle. Took a couple of goes to get the cradle right, but then she sat very nicely. 

Creature comforts

Bunks made up in the fore end

Pictures of Tangaroa and Amazon

Cabin lamp and picture of WT28

Sue has been busy painting in the fore end, and making up the bunks, which just makes the whole thing look really inviting. The cabin lamp is not wired yet, but we'll find a nice warm LED if we can, and there are two more brass lamps to go in the corners and light the table. We're keeping the CCFLs Brian originally fitted because they're nicely installed and if not particularly moody, they're useful when you want to see what you're doing. The engine room has gained some LEDs too which has reduced the load should we be stopped and fixing something in there while away from shore power.

Engine room LEDs

Sue on board Orion

At last we've been finding the time to do some jobs, and it feels really good: fixing the leak in the big fridge heat exchanger; painting in the fore end; changing the bulbs in the engine room for LEDs; drawing off a fuel sample from both tanks; remaking the electrical connections to the bilge pumps; finding the leak; hanging up the cabin lamp; re-purposing the galley locker to store enough food for the longer missions we plan; understanding the water tanks; replacing the Jabsco fresh water filter; working out how to stow and launch the dinghy; and getting Poppy used to her life jacket ready for when she needs trips to the shore for you know what.

Poppy hopeful

Poppy analog mission

We're planning to haul out at Havelock Slipway for a few days at the end of the month, do a number of small jobs we missed up in Greenhithe.

Paradise Bay

Ade and Janice

Janice and Helen

Joe catches his first fish ever

Passing a mussel barge in the channel

Entering Havelock

Departed Havelock dead LW (neaps) to see just where the mud is. Local skipper Pat Copp with us, advising. 7 POB {Sue, Steve, Pat, Helen, Janice, Adrienne, and some random German guy} 1 DOB {Poppy}. Anchored in Paradise Bay. Back on the berth about 6pm. Stayed aboard.

Inaugural cruise

Poppy on watch

Bex, Ryan, Pat, Steve

Sue and Ryan

Our inaugural trip out of Havelock Marina. We stayed on board on the Friday night and it was windy with things rattling and ropes creaking. Day started 20 knots from North West easing and 4/8 cover clearing. Departed at 10:00 6POB {Sue, Stephen, Bex, Ryan, Pat, Colin} 1DOB {Poppy}. Poppy's first trick as ship's dog. Local skipper Pat Copp engaged as pilot to show us the channel. 11:30 On a CC Buoy south side of Putanui Point. 12:00 Off Raetihi, Kenepuru Sound. 13:30 On the fuel jetty Havelock, took 600 litres. 14:40 Back on berth H8 port side to. Popped some fizz to celebrate our first trip out. Had some sunshine and sat around on deck before packing up. Day ended with 25 knots from SW, 8/8 low cloud, spots of rain.

Ballast

Scrap zincs

Orion carries a small but noticeable starboard list because of the weight of the shower and heads structure on the starboard side aft of the wheelhouse. Brian had dealt to this with water ballast in two bags under the main cabin bench seats. On the trip down from Napier these started leaking and a damp carpet in the cabin and frequent but short duration activation of the aft pump were the signs.  We emptied and removed them. Now we've been shopping for some discarded zincs which we found at Metal Recyclers in Blenheim— $150 for 200 kgs.