I spent a weekend with Wildling in La Grande Motte to check on a few projects that were being done before the sailing season begins again.
A beautiful winter’s day in La Grande Motte, France
Wildling is looking awesome! She has been moved to a marina berth further inside the marina, which is a bit more protected than where I left her last visit. She was spotlessly clean and all the stainless steel had been polished, which is a monthly service that Stephane at Outremer arranged for me.
Pretty much all the projects we needed done were completed, we’re just waiting on some parts to replace the holding tank gauge that is not reading correctly.
The main items to finish were replacing the goose-neck bolt that attaches the boom to the mast, and the installation of the HF radio.
Lorima, the rig manufacturer, fitted a longer bolt and replaced the old locknut with a larger nylock nut, which should not work loose. They added a locking grub screw, just to be extra sure.
Nav station with the new HF radio installed to the right
The ICOM HF radio allows us to communicate much longer distances than the standard VHF radio, which is important when we are far offshore.
HF radio antenna tuner installed in the starboard engine room, right below the transom mounted 8m whip antenna.
We also made some progress on our propeller project. EWOL will be bringing the new props over and working with Outremer to run before and after tests. I’ll post results as soon as I have them.
As always, interesting to read your BLOG, Doug. Especially your comments on the equipment gave us a lot of ideas for our own boat, a new 51 to be delivered in 2017.
I also asked Outeremer to include a pre-installation for a HF radio so we can install it later (plus Pactor modem) when we intend to leave the med hopelfully in 2018 towards the Carrebean sea. i don´t need it in the med so time left to look and hear around what solution is best to install.
The 8m long antenna does not look really cool. But there is hardly any other working solution on a Kat without isolated backstay I guess.
Hi Stefan,
I know what you mean about the whip antenna being ugly, they sure are. I found that you get used to it and forget it’s there pretty quickly though. Congratulations on your new Outremer 51, what a beautiful boat!
I shot some videos of our interior, nav station and instruments and engine rooms over the weekend. I’ll get them up on YouTube and post the links on the blog soon.
Cheers
Hi Doug,
Nice photo showing the 5X right next to a Lagoon, I believe, that likely weights in at 1.5 times the displacement.
Gary
Ha! Nice one Gary, but it’s actually more than 2.2 times the displacement. A Lagoon 560 weighs a whopping 30,300 kilos!
Hi Doug,
One more thing, you have seen this webcam right? http://grandemotte.roundshot.com/portdeplaisance/
Just checked it and there is a 5X named SWAN side tied by the camera. Wildling looks to be in the back of the harbor by the buildings.
Gary
Wow, Gary! I didn’t know there was a webcam. Can you imagine how much time I’m going to waste watching it now?!!!
Thanks!!!
LOL, I spend some time looking at the webcam. We will be there in April for the La Grande Motte show. BTW, the time lapse function is pretty awesome.
Gary
She looks great, Honey. Nice to see you taking care of my boat😘😜
Don’t you worry sweetheart, your boat is all ready for you!
Love that new bolt! 🙂