Wonderful day, bright sun and no wind. Broke the shorts out today. Another day rummaging around the boat. I have now found everything and been in every space possible. Also set up and tested the autopilot ran OK after I cleaned the contacts. I topped up the fresh water today and found where the overflow pipe is. This boat has an ingenious system of water tanks and pipework, all designed to allow any one tank to be used at a time.
To separate the three water tanks is practical, particularly on a long trip. However, the pipework and valves associated with the system are challenging. Anyway as I was filling the tanks I was puzzled why the tank fill pipe was full but the hose was still running. I reasoned that the water must be going somewhere – and probably not into the tank.
Inspection showed the overflow gushing merrily into the galley. Good to find these things out.I went across into the boat builders shop this morning to see how the spreader replacement is coming along. The new spreader is being fashioned out of a nice piece of spruce and was at the marking out stage.
The packages of AIS and Iridium Go still haven’t arrived, the couriers seems to be taking forever. Still no joy in finding replacement cylinders for my lifejackets. I had to throw out an old sail today, we have a number of old sails on board and the locker is jam packed full. Getting anything in or out is a mission and I had to free up some space.
Out went an old jib that will never be used gain and I still have a spare main, jib, staysail, storm jib and spinnaker. My Swedish neighbor departed north today after finishing his engine repairs. I am eager to get going as well.
The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson 
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