Signed up for the ARC 2012 - and a minor (?) problem

Well, we've finally bitten the bullet and announced that we're off on a big sailing adventure this Autumn. We're leaving work at the end of June and aim to sail off at the end of August. We've signed up to join the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers which leave the Canaries for St Lucia on the 24th November. All very exciting and slightly scary!

So the to-do list has reached epic and compelling proportions. Di is about to go off on a 9 day medical course and we're both doing an Ocean Safety course in April. Graham will go on a SSB radio course in July and we're looking at options for satellite phones, email access and so on.



Meanwhile, the boat work continues with routine maintenance to follow the repaint. Unfortunately, a check of the steering system has unearthed a problem with seized bolts and a binding bearing so the next trip down to Totnes will involve much swearing as I access the bottom of the wheel pedestal from the cockpit locker. The ideal boat engineer is 4' tall with 6' long arms; this is not me so I sense a struggle ahead!