Montevideo, Uruguay
This is a list of the work that was done in Argentina and Uruguay over the last four months. It is probably only of interest to boatowners: * replace main rudder (all steel) * replace auxiliary rudder (all steel, all moving parts stainless steel, new bearings with ondeck grease nipples) * replace keel pulleys (stainless steel, thicker sheaves) * move anchor winch aft, replace hawsepipe (bigger, so chain falls freely to locker), move lower forestay forward to make room * replace overhead/ceiling in pilothouse (mostly done, carpenters abandoned the job and i am finishing it) and starboard amidships area * replace daytank with larger stainless steel one (with drain sump, dedicated gauge line) * replace zinc in engine heat exchanger (looked for but never found one in hydraulic oil cooler) * replace engine fuel filter/water separator with Racor 500 (does same thing as previous unit, but clear bowl makes it much easier to see water in fuel) * add removable platform to cockpit to make it into an outdoor bed/lounging area * replace wind generator with Air Breeze unit (much higher output, and has a stop switch instead of forcing you to climb the pole when it gets too windy) on 4m pole * replace solar panel arch with welded one (not finished yet) * replace several sheet blocks with larger, less-friction ones * move a pair of small winches aft to use with running checkstays (not finished yet) * repair two broken mast steps * replace several sheets and reefing lines * replace bearings in forestaysail (trinquette) rollerfurler, replace bearings in spare rollerfurler (anticipating it will be needed to replace yankee/genoa rollerfurler sometime) * move liferaft from cabintop to deck beside keel for better visibility * have liferaft tested and serviced * replace GPS (broken) with Furuno unit * replace batteries * add shackle point for anchor chain snubber just below bobstay (at waterline) * raise lifelines, replace top wire with welded tubing * disassemble bed in bedroom and remove two water tanks underneath it to repaint where welder burnt paint off welding zincs on outside of hull * remove and reinstall lower port keel adjuster (O-ring had failed and unit had seized) * new yankee, forestaysail (trinquette) and storm jib were made, old yankee and forestaysail (trinquette) had luffs shortened * genoa, main staysail (voile d’etai) and fisherman sails were all cut down a bit to fit the spaces they set in better