We have been busy, and really not much good internet to be had when time to do soemthing about it was available, so not much blogging going on. We ditched our guests in Basseterre, St Kitts, and bolted from the marina that very afternoon. Too calm, especially at night, so lots of mosquitoes and no seeums. We cleared out at the commercial port and after doing as small errand for Arnold, we pushed off to spend the night in a littel bay in the north of Nevis, before setting off for Jolly Harbour Antigua in the morning. Although there has not been much wind, it has made for easier passages, particularly Nevis-Antigua, whihc can be pretty much dead upwind most of the time. We managed a close haul beat half the way, then motoring in the second half. Half way across, we landed a small wahoo, perhaps 10 lbs. and dined on barbequed wahoo that evening. Yum Yum. Plenty for cold wahoo for lunch and a gorgeous fumet for the fish stew.
In Jolly Harbour, I learned the the propellers had been shipped, albeit to Antigua Slipway in English Harbour, so K and I rented a car and toured Antigua on a mission to get the props through customs and onto Django without further loss of a moment. We arranged for haul out and bottom cleaning and painting and a full wax and shine for Django. The well at Jolly Harbour Shipyard is 20 ft across. Django draws 19'6", leaving a full 3" on either side. We lined her into the well without issue and managed to pick her out with the travel lift.
While Sailor and Bob Marley, the two best bottom contractors in the yard, worked on Django's neather regions, I worked on the new props. I was unsure of a number of key parameters when I ordered them. Things like hand, pitch and diameter had to be best guessed at. After reading as much as possible on the internet, I settled on left hand 15 by 10 two blade folding props and hoped for the best. They came out of the box gleaming like gold. After I managed to install them, other yard rats came along to ooh and aah at the beauty of the things, and to estimate how many of my arms and legs I had sacrificed to obtain them. By this time I was more or less sure I had the hand thing right, but there would be no confirmation of the diameter and pitch without a sea trial.
K and I stayed in an expensive rented condo in Jolly Harbour. Not a wonderful experience. We were quite happy to get back aboard Django three days later and swim in the evening as the sun went down.
As soon as Django hit the water, I tested the foward and reverse on the props, alls well. Better yet, the engines rev up in reverse, something I have not been able to do since we bought the boat. I am very pleased.
K and I have planned a trip to Guadeloupe and Dominica, not too quick so we can see the sights. I learned from Arnold that Sea Cat in Roseau has badly broken his leg. Not good. He does the wonderful tours and hikes. We want to stop in English Harbour before leaving to have a couple of Tots and get some decent fruit. Jolly Harbour has a well stocked grocery but no decent fresh fruit. We made the upwind motor to Engliish Harbour in 3.5 hours. The engines sang, able to be properly reved up with the smaller props, and she better time into the sea and wind than what we could do with the old Kiwi three blade feathers. This is really good. Pitch and diamter seem to be spot on.
So this morning we upped anchor, swung into the fuel dock at a jaunty pace, (no worries about stalling in reverse with these new props), watered up and took on a dozen beer and some ice, ready for the 8 hour beat to Deshaies. The wind has some south in it still, but is not too strong, so we were able to sail close hauled most of the way at a steady 5.5 - 6 knots. No fish but a good sail.
So there you are.
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