At last... the sails are up :)

With opportunities to sail being limited so far this year,bank holiday Monday had been ear marked, nay nailed down in stone as a day to get out on the boat,  There were a few jobs that needed doing before I  could raise the sails... not least bending them on.
The first job, started on Sunday, was to service my lifejacket. I inflated it to ensure it still holds air but my main concern was to find that the gas bottle had unscrewed itself and was just sitting lose inside the jacket.  Anyway by Monday morning it was still inflated, the gas bottle weighed and correct; screwed back in; webbing checked and all repacked ready for another season.

I had ordered a couple of bits,  the paddle wheel on the Nasa Duet had split due to the metal trigger rusting and swelling, a simple job but I did expect it to last a little longer.  I'd also bought a couple of rigging screws as on of mine had got bent while raising the mast.   Unfortunately, although these are the size spec'd for a Hurley 20 they weren't suitable due to the replacement shroud plates, these are quite substantial on Ciao Bella and too wide for the fork on these 5/16 bottle screws.   I did however find a bracket to allow me to fit one so that I could continue with today's adventure.
I was on Ciao Bella by about 9:30 but it took all morning to get sorted and get the sails on.  I stopped for lunch around 12:30 and just sat enjoying the view,  Ali in her Mirror splashed by to say hello.

Cap'n Ali

As I was planning my afternoon adventure, Bede paddled over to say hello.  Bede has just bought an Alacrity and wanted to compare it with the Hurley 20.  I persuaded Bede to join me for a leisurely sail around the harbour.

Bede at the Helm

The weather was perfect for Caio Bella and really flattered her performance.  A constant breeze from the SW had her sailing at 5knots through the water most of the afternoon,  verified by my now working Nasa duet :)
We took her around South Deep and back to the main harbour area, as we approached the RoRo terminal I could see Daisy Grace beating towards us, lovely to see her out on the water, she get used a huge amount of time but this is the first time we've crossed paths.

 From here it was time to practice our tacking skills back to the mooring.  I'd had a great afternoon, I think Bede enjoyed it.  Not without it's hitches,  Hadn't realised anchor chain hanging over the bow and Spinnaker halyard wrapped in the furler but that kind of what a shake down sail is for.

Back on her mooring looking dressed with boom, sails and new boom cover.