This week we've been getting our act together in preparation for our Category 6 safety inspection. Cat 6 is hardly onerous - the boat was equipped to Cat 3 when we were in NSW - but some work is required. We haven't raced for several years so there were a set of items needing attention...
- Replaced gas system to meet WA regulations
- Replaced Dyneema rope lifelines with 4mm s/s wire
- Replaced out of date drugs in the First Aid kit
- Replaced out of date flares
- Replaced out of date fire extinguishers
- Inspected and serviced all life jackets, including 48 hour inflation test
- Replaced batteries in all personal torches
- Tested EPIRB
- Wrote boat name on various new loose equipment
- Checked heavy equipment tie-downs
- Fitted lanyards to buckets
- Searched unsuccessfully for our Distress V Sheet - will have to buy a new one
Other work this week included making and fitting a new outboard motor bracket. The old one was plywood and needed revarnishing every year. That didn't happen so it was rotting. The new one is made from a couple of plastic kitchen chopping boards...
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| New outboard motor bracket at left |
The bracket also mounts the gas regulator and cut-off solenoid.
Finally, Precision Shipwrights in Phuket has added Zen Again to its web site Show Cases. See it here. Nice photos. Precision certainly did a great job, and provided good support following our problem with the mast brackets.
I believe the white plastic chopping boards are polypropylene which degrades quickly in us. Might find the polyethylene board (coloured) lasts longer.
ReplyDeleteAlso, does cat 6 prohibit dyneema lifelines? I've had them a couple of years now and I'd never go back to ss.
"Degrades quickly in us" should have been: ... In UV!
DeleteHi Rob,
ReplyDeleteThe board will be in the shade most of the time once I fix the outboard (that's another story) and put it aboard. Nothing last forever!
You'll have to go back to wire if you want to race - even twilights! Only alternative is all aboard wearing lifejackets.
Cheers,
Mike.