Two Steps Forward and One Back

I should have called my boat "Two Steps Forward and One Back". I finished off the mast arrangement by deciding to fit a new antenna after all, so I have the original (perfect) 2.4 metre antenna and mount for sale if anyone is interested. If the wind hadn't been an absolute hooley today I'd have flown the house flag (pirate "Fish or Cut Bait") from the back!

 However, the one step back is that the mast leaks, somewhere. It could be the mast light or one of four glands, so when it is less windy I'll have to go up there with the hose and test it. Worst case I have to fit a monster gland inside the bottom of the mast, but I'll only do that as a last resort.

In the meantime I routed the wires down the coach roof, keeping power separate from signal. The radar signal wire is so long it took five trips up and down the roof to loose the extra. Easier than fitting a new Ethernet connector though.

 Scott from One Degree West managed to get the old plastic wheel off (hooray), I tried the new one for size and it looks good. A destroyer type, like my Trophy. I realise I have tried to recreate a number of features from Salar. Scott has blocked out the mechanism behind the bulkhead to move the wheel forward slightly, to make more room for the KAB seat. I'll have to make a round thingy to hide the ugliness that was behind the old helm cover before the wheel can be fitted. I have a nice bit of teak, or I could just slice off the top of the old Teleflex cover. No contest, what else are winter evenings for?

 The rest of the day was wiring, wiring, wiring. There is order in that rat's nest! The worst of it is in fact redundant Yanmar harness, not mine. The NMEA2000 network is now in. The plotter locked on with the new NMEA2000 GPS antenna really quickly, much better than the old one. I fired up the radar too, that looks really cool. I'll have to spend a few hours just getting used to it, even more settings to learn! When all the wiring is complete I will do a major tidy with curly wrap and ties, there is no point doing that while I am adding more.

 The errant wiper motor turned out to have a loose piece of wire filament in the works which must have been shorting. Once that was removed it behaved perfectly in my office so it is refitted, but not yet wired up. So much to do. I did wonder this morning why I didn't go for a boat that was ready to go, maybe I'll answer that when I have a bit more done. I hope the plaice are late this year.