Post now in German and English

Hallo, ab sofort werde ich die Post in Deutsch und in English bringen. Für die Navigation einfach auf die Flaggen klicken. Ich werde versuchen alle vorherigen Posts noch nachträglich in Deutsch zu ergänzen.
Und noch eine kleine Vorschau:

• Farbentest International Toplack, Perfection, Interdeck
• Mark II Windfahnensteuerung

Hi, I will no post in two languages in German and English. For navigation just push the flags A small preview: 

• paint test on International Toplack, Perfection, Interdeck 
• Mark II selfsteering wind vane 

Impression from a summer night

Ich mag es die Sterna am Meer zu sehen. Man kann sie klar und deutlich beobachten.

I like the stars at sea. You can see them clearly and absolutly bright.

Mark I: self steering wind vane

Hier sind die ersten Bilder meiner selbstgebauten Windfahnensetuerung. Während meines Urlaubs konnte ich sie am Heck von Geronimno montieren. Auf Grund der Tatsache das es im Ulruab meisten mit 20kn geweht hat bin ich noch nicht dazu gekommen sie ausgiebig zu testen.
Hier einige Bilder.

Here are the first pictures of the wind vane I built. During my holiday I was able to install it on Geronimo. Due the fact that we always had 20kn of wind, I wasn´t able to test it probably. But more to that later.
First some pictures.
As a base frame I used an old bath platform frame. On this I installed the wind vane mast and the whole mechanic. So I got a very robust base.

 

Der Windfahnenhalter ist komplett aus Aluminiumprofilen gefertigt.

The wind vane holder is completly out of aluminium.

Ich habe im Hafen ein wenig mit der Windfahne rumexperimentiert um Schwachstellen vorab zu finden.
Folgende Punkte werde ich noch ändern:

• Eine neue Windfahne, die jetzige Sperrholzplatte ist mit 5mm Stärke zu instabil und wellig. Ich überlege über einen Rahmen mit Stoffbezug oder eine Pertinaxplatte
• Ich werde das Ruder ändern.Ich möchte es klappbar gestalten um schnell die Steuerung aus dem Wasser zu klappen
• Die Schubstange ist zu schwach ausgelegt. Bei stärkere Auslenkung biegt sich die Stange durch. Ich werde hier etwas massiveres nehmen. 

I played a lot with the wind vane in the harbour, for balancing it, see if the mechanic is working probably.

What I will change for the Mark II are following points:

• new wind vane, the suggested 5mm wood plate is not even enough. I´m thinking about an aluminium frame with a cloth wind fane or a solid Pertinax wind vane.
• I will change the rudder design, because I want to be able to lift the rudder out of the water when I do not need the wind vane. I think I will make it foldable.
• the push shaft is to flexible. If there is a great force on it, it bends itself. I will built it in a more robust way. 

Finally Holiday

First 3 days of the Holiday are over. The Yellow Bitch is running again, nicely. Today was the first day without rain and above 20'C. Installed the Wind vane, can't wait to testen it. Photos will follow.
Last evening our old chap Frank came by and said Hello.

Frank at his post

It´s always good to have good mechanic

Sometimes you met people, who are fantastic....

As the engine,"The Yellow Bitch", broked down, I phoned a Farymann mechanic. I explained the results of what the harbour mechanic found. He said to me that it could be the crank shaft and he has no mechanics in the workshop to solve the problem before my planed holiday.
But he said to me to come to his workshop, so that he can have a look at the engine.

On Thuesday I went to his workshop and the first word he said to me was " Mr. Fey I already orderd the eventually needed spare parts for your engine. If we do not find any unexpected things I will have your engine running by end of the week, so you are able to start your holiday as planed"
I took the morning off from work and we open the engine. We find a small crisp in the oil pump, which is really tiny and it was the problem for the missing oil pressure.
The bulb was shaken down, so my guessing was right for the low compression.

In the end he finished the engine on Thursday. He gave me is private number, for contacting right away, if there are any future problems. 
The engine is now back in the hull of Geronimo and runs perfectly.

The engine and my sailing holidays...

So here we are again, me an my engine.

I prepared Geronimo for the trip to the Ilse of Wight. I have finished the chartwork, harbour books, etc.
Nearly finished the wind vane steering and then .....

The holiday of my wife and me sabotaged by this bloody engine. Again, the engines of Geronimo and long time trips have quite a history, normally the ended up with "no trip at all". From the old "Green Beast" (a 25 year old Volv Penta) to the now called "The Yellow Bitch" (Farymann), quite some stories.

Here the latest in a long list:

It started  at the end of last year that the engine didn´t start well. This year it was quite a story to get him running. But if he starts he runs.
So my first guess the compression is bad, so change the bulb and the fittings of it, 1 day work for a good mechanic.
But a mechanic from our harbour looked it over and find a few things,

• water in the fuel tank
• no oil pressure
• bad compression (15 bars)

So second guess the main beering of the crank shaft is broken.........
So last weekend I take the engine out, to bring it to Farymann for a detailed look.

The Yellow Bitch

In the meantime, checking for a new engine from Farymann (less work to build it in), Volvo Penta, Yanmar, Sole etc new and old.
Shafts andd propellers, work at the engine frame for a new engine, sleepless nights.......
 
End of the holiday ...., maybe depends on the costs and the time I can get an engine for Geronimo.

The mood, bad till very bad to arctic cold....

A perfect first sailing this year

After all the work, I needed that

• 20°C sun, with nearly no clouds on the sky
• a fresh breeze around 12kn of wind
• a new mainsail

•  a visit from a whale

• and so a happy wife

And of course a good boat speed ;-)