Running the wiring

I’ve been sheltering in the port of Almerimar on La Costa Del Sol for the past month.

Regular, and poorly forecast storms with with Force 8 winds are making cruising somewhat impractical so I’ve assigned myself to boat maintenance duty.

I’ve made a temporary mount for my Rutland 504 wind turbine out of a fishing rod holder, run new wiring, and installed a Rutland HRDX Charge Controller to manage the system.

Running the wires took a couple of days (I’m on cruisers time so all jobs take 3 times as long to complete), and while all the cabin lining was removed I though I’d might as well get my Mer Veille (Radar Detector) up and running. It wasn’t doing me much good stowed away in the hold.

So here is what it looks like now.

Rutland 504 wind turbine

I’ve put the instruction manual for the HRDX here and the Mer Veille here so I don’t loose them (again…)

Eileen of Avoca is really starting to look like a long distance cruiser now!

On a sunny day (a rarity), I also made a highly optimistic attempt at varnishing, but a sudden change in the weather ruined my masterpiece so I’ve given up and will wait another month or two before tackling the brightwork.

Another couple of days were passed head down in the bilge figuring out why my hot water system leaked… (Calcium deposits in the pressure release valve)… Fixed with some “anti-calc” bought at the supermarket.

HRDX Controller and Mer Veille

While playing the yachtsman version of “twister” in the bilge, I gave the few rusty bits on the propeller shaft coupling a good scrub and repaint so everything is now looking remarkably tidy down there. A case of transferred entropy, because I was looking remarkably messy.

So… is there anything else to do while wintering in Almerimar (apart from visiting the chandlers for that missing piece required to complete a boat project?

Well, if you like walks on the beach you can amble along what’s left of the grey sand to the west of the marina admiring the unfinished apartment monoliths. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants competing for what seems to be an increasingly endangered species… the client. I regularly frequented an English bar called the “Stumble Inn” or a Spanish one called “Emporio” for a social chat, coffee and free Internet Wi-Fi.

Beach at Almerimar

I’m struggling to add to the list… but perhaps I’m just too unimaginative.