Major Setback

We still have no mast. There is a lot to do on the boat, despite Dan's hard work. We sat down on Thursday morning & assessed the situation. There was a lot that needed to be done, and realistically, we could not do it in the timescales which would allow us to return to the UK before two of us needed to get back to work. A hard decision was made - to delay the departure significantly.
The pressure of trying to sort everything out had got us all down, and we were all becoming frustrated. Once the decision was made to delay, the pressure was off, and we could all relax & just get on with fixing the boat without an awful deadline looming.
Suddenly, things have really started to happen. All the damaged floorboards have been replaced. The forepeak bed is complete. Today was a major event, as we finally pressure-tested the gas system last night, and this morning fired up the cooker. Spurred on by this, we also re-built the refrigerator, which went icy about 2-00pm Friday afternoon EST.
We also had to leave the pontoon we had "Borrowed" at Oyster Bay, so as a birthday treat for me, and as we have eaten in about every restaurant in Oyster Bay, we motored to Huntington Yacht Club, to spend Saturday there.


Part of me is disappointed that we aren't making the trip straight away, but being sensible, when we do make it, Lotus will have been sailed, problems sorted, and we will be less of a hazard to ourselves and the US Coastguard.

Minor Setback

The guys at Oyster Bay Marine have not managed to get the mast up. Inevitably this has caused a delay. I’m really disappointed here, as they have had plenty of time to sort it out (two weeks), but haven’t. Hopefully they can redeem themselves by doing a good job, but their inaction has caused a lot of stress to most people involved. As a result, we may not have as much time to work the boat up as I’d have liked.

Still, we trust them to do what they said they would, and hopefully we should be off after only a couple of days delay.

Tomorrow, the UK contingent fly to Newark

Hello World

Today the Iridium was switched on momentarily. For people who know the number, its (00)+ in Europe, and (011)+ in the USA. If you don't have the number, leave me a comment or email me. The Iridium will be on constantly from May 27th

Bloody Squirrels

We have had "Guests" in the mast. The running rigging has been thoroughly gnawed whilst it sat on land for three years. Every single rope, in exactly the same spot. Luckily, we didn't find this out somewhere east of Nova Scotia. So, new standing and running rigging.
Still, its all on track, and looking good.
We also get a liferaft today, that's a relief.
I'm washing my sister's gear for the off. Hopefully my stuff will arrive in the next few days

Dismasted!

(Photos courtesy of Yari Nunez)

Lotus is lying forlornly in Oyster Bay, without a mast. She looks a sorry sight, moored with no spars or rigging. She is surrounded by other boats in a similar condition. It seems it is re-rigging season.
We've opted for a complete set of new standing rigging, not cheap, but sensible considering where we're going, and we have no idea of the rig's history.
Apparently, Oyster Bay is a very nice place to be stranded.
Two more weeks and the rest of the crew will be frantically preparing for their flight. We have acquired a temporary passenger to Nova Scotia, Jane, but she's family. Lucky girl, she gets the fore-cabin for privacy, and the lovely motion. She should be fine though, she was in some pretty rough waters off Iceland and wasn't ill, even though it was a small motor boat.
The rigger is working on our double-spreader mast as I type, so it should be up by Monday.
Shelton & Dan sound pretty upbeat. Just spoke to William, so is he.

Finally Afloat

Old Photo, BTW

Well, the news is good. I got a call on Friday. She's finally in the water. They had a trial run on Wednesday, but there was a problem with a seacock. It was changed out, and as I spoke with them, they were coming into Huntington after a trial engine run. A really starring effort from Dan, mostly on his own. Luckily Shelton is there to work on the boat as well now. Considering she hasn't been afloat for three years, and has been re-engined and "modified", this is no small feat.
Now we need to make a cruising yacht into a bluewater. The watermaker is in, I think the watertank is still there, but needs to come out, or we foam it up. We have decent instruments, a sextant & tables
I've been scaring myself rigid reading "The Storm Tactics Handbook" and "AN140, the Atlantic Routes From North America".
I think a certain amount of concern in these matters is a good thing. If we foul up, it won't be from lack of research beforehand

The Grim Reality

William and I don't have Visas. Much as we tried to buck the system, we didn't do it. So, we put on a smiling face, and hit the US Embassy in London, armed with every piece of evidence were were going to return to the UK.
I went first

Mr C. What is your purpose in visiting the United States?

I'm sailing a friend's yacht back from the US
What's your sailing experience?
Now this gets me. I have no formal sailing qualifications whatsoever apart from some bizzare windsurfing certificate. I always said I wouldn't muck about and go straight for Yachtmaster. Not Yachtmaster Ocean, Self-doubt right now in the US Embassy? In buckets. Will the US let an idiot like me into their waters?
Errrm I've won Cowes Week, Round the Island race, as tactician/navigator , err I've....
What kind of boat is it?
A Swede 55, 52 foot long, rates 55m under the Scandinavian metre rule
What's the furthest you've sailed?
Probably Southampton to Kiel (I neglected to point out this was with work, on a 70m Corvette)
She looked at me and said
"You've clearly earned your sea legs, and you've earned your Visa
William had an even easier ride.
The day after we booked our flights
The trip was on.

The Realisation

What exactly have we done?
Dan's got a boat on the Eastern Seaboard, but we live 3000nm away

Hmm

There are three options:

Get her delivered by freight
Get someone who knows what they are doing to deliver her
Sail her home ourselves

We weighed up the options, and came to no conclusions. Each had its merits, the above were listed in cost, if not necessarily risk order.
Anyhow, Dan had to go to the US for work. Finally, the call came:
"Chris, can you skipper the boat back to the UK ?"
I took a while to answer
"Yes, but we need a crew"
Lots of people were really keen, until we called the dates.
Two more guys, William & Shelton were completely committed, a few others were hovering, so I put my foot down. If they dither, they're out.

It was only an option for William and myself to take time off work, in both cases, the whole year's allowance. If we do this thing, we do it quickly, no pleasantries lounging in the Azores. Our only choice is the Northern route:
Nova Scotia
Flemish Cap
Hit the Gulf Stream, but run away carefully in bad weather or heave to
Southern Tip of Ireland
Southampton

Its really not the nicest way to cross the Atlantic, but it is fast, plus Lotus is very good in the expected conditions.
I should be keel-hauled for that.
No conditions are expected, they are just dealt with when they happen