Yesterday, being Monday, I had a bit of back and forth with the insurance company. The repair to Truce is only a small job, I was quite happy to do a temporary repair myself and get if fixed properly when we return to Auckland. The Insurance company didn’t like that idea and insisted on a boatbuilder to do any temporary repairs. An interesting statement when they haven’t even seen the damage. They also said they would only pay for one repair so the cost of any subsequent repair I would have to bear.
That left me in the position of getting a boatbuilder to do a complete repair in Lyttleton. The guys from Stark Bros. put in a quote for the work, it has been accepted by insurance and work commenced on repairs this morning. It will take a few days as the epoxy glues and paints need time to harden.
I Checked in with the marina office and now have the WiFi password, excellent but a bit slow.
When I first came to Lyttleton many years ago it was a dump, just a commercial port and a few shops and bars. Now it’s a nice little town with good cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. It has a nice relaxed feel about it. All the people I have interacted with have been very friendly and helpful. I am starting to like this place.
Not sure what is happening with the weather, particularly the temperature. Yesterday it was overcast, gloomy and a chilly 16 degrees. Today started calm and has been beautiful with a humid 30 degrees.
This morning I got the hose pipe out and gave Truce a complete wash down. It’s amazing how much dirt and grime settles on a boat, not to mention moths, which I am still finding and removing.
I finally got around to putting a name on the dinghy. So far, this new dinghy is working well. I can just manage to pick it up from deck and manhandle it over the side and into the water, not an elegant performance, but the dinghy gets from deck to water without all the heavy lifting and winching the old pig required. I bring the dinghy back on board on the spinnaker halyard, either by hand if no outboard or with a winch if the outboard is fitted. As its easier than before I am using the dinghy
Now repairs are underway and as I will be here for a few days, can start to explore a bit. This afternoon I went to the information office and met a lady with a strong Scottish accent. She was most helpful and pointed out numerous attractions and walks. She was a good talker – I was quite relieved to escape when someone else walked through the door.
The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson 
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