Single Handed overnight

I want to the club and helped Redline put up the Genoa and we went out for a 3-hour sail afterwards. 

Later I took Bellum out at 19h20, sailing slowly to the Sandbars and stayed overnight for two days. Zero carbon anchoring 

 On Thursday there were no winds and 28 degrees. Water was 13.2C. 

I did some FFR work at anchor. Friday morning the house batteries were dead. I was testing the new Link 10 to see how low I could take the batteries. I now know. 

The new battery monitor is an amazing instrument that I never appreciated. 

On Friday morning I sailed out to Lord Redding and back to the club in under 7 knots of winds from the West.

Sailing with Darla and installed battery monitor

Darla came shortly after two with a couple of frozen Grouper fillets. We had some Bud Spritzers and set sail at 4 anchored at Dowkers, BBQ the fish and beans with a roasted garlic that her father used to make. We motored back to make it for 8:30 departure for her to get home before curfew. I slept aboard and Sunday I reorganized the boat and decided to install the Link 10 battery monitor and repostion the Hobbs to the main cabin. It invoved removing two batteries and installing the shunt in the engine compartment and drilling holes starboard of the companionway. It threathened to rain but I did not want to stop. Finally finished about 8:30, too late to come home so slept the fourth night aboard. I had the clubs new pizza for lunch and supper. Quite a good meal. Mondday morning , I washed the deck again, and at 2PM, I cycled to Singh Farm, Access Electronics and Abra and home. So I spent Thursday to Monday aboard. Not bad for May

First sail

After launching Flow Control I washed Belllum and went out for the first sail of the season at 4PM. I sailed from the club channel, passed Espresso, tacked through the Gut and the winds were too quarky that I started the motor. I sail down the lake and anchored at Dowkers. Nobody there. Made a couple chicken thighs and spend the night Next morning was lazy, cleaned up the inside of the boat, read some magazines and the Crusing workbook for the Adult Sailing. I had noticed the sail was ripped on the UV covering near the spreader and the Radar Reflector had lost it's top cap. About 4PM I pulled anchor - catching some fishing linkes and an old braded line. Threw them in the garbage and set sail. I decided to go into PCYC to fix the radar reflector using their sheer leg and then sailed to Grand Anse. Had a nice steak and spend the night there. I shared some photos with Darla and she wanted to come sailng, about 2PM. Pulled anchro and sailed back to the club by 11:30 and lounged around talking to Patrick and Sylvie as there were setting up their sails and new dock lines. Waited for Darla.

Launched

Nice early launch - May 6

Installed new rudder

at the dock

Launch  Video 2021

North Sails instructor and author Bill Gladstone states that the best racing crews to put together from scratch are inexperienced but enthusiastic.

New Rudder for Bellum

Earlier in the spring, I found a long crack on the leading of Bellum's rudder.

In the fall Josh removed the rudder.  He reports the old core was a combination of balsa core and polyester-based filler. The balsa was soaking wet and the majority of the polyester filler was fractured. 

The only areas of the rudder staying together were the leading edge (thanks to the new fibreglass in the spring) and the trailing edge.

He says that another deep freeze would have caused at least one of those to crack
open again.

The shaft is well built and in good condition.  They routered out a channel in the new foam core and glued the two halves of the core together using fibreglass reinforced polyester resin. Once the resin had set they shaped the rudder and reinforced the trailing edge and upper knuckle of the leading edge. 

Fibreglass was then applied to the entire rudder and it was put inside a vacuum bag until it had cured. It was then faired and five coats of Interprotect 2000 were applied.

A new bushing has been ordered and we will have it well in time for the spring installation.

Photo of New Rudder for Bellum

Good nite BELLUM

 166 days till launch