avionbianca   Blog for s/v Avion

Shoving off the dock to get to the start line at 10Am Tuesday morning was a magical moment. We transitioned from doing almost anything that needed to be done, to living with what you have.
My crew is a bunch of “can do” guys, and we had been working overtime for the past two weeks. Last minute projects included major upgrades to Avion’s 30 year old, raw water cooled engine (starter, water pump, external oil lines, 4 new mounts), installing a solar panel (85 watts), and installing an SSB radio. Crew had a session with my sail maker on sail repair, and putting a sail repair kit together. I also ordered a backup spinnaker pole and spare halyard from my rigger, and had to run over to his shop 1 hour before we left.
Regular ongoing last minute projects included a list of minor fix-its that had slipped to the last minute, including mounting a ladder, re-sewing the pipe berths to make them less deep, and installing a new “gusher” foot pump for the galley fresh water. We also had an appointment at the Berkeley Marine Center to clean and wet sand the bottom of the boat. On top of this was the fully planned provisioning the boat with food and water, medical kits and tools for 12 to 14 days. We each had our personal items to pack, and personal business to resolve for the next 3 to 6 weeks.
So, the day before we left, the boat was still a work in progress. I felt like we needed one more day. Crew were showing signs of stress; keys had been locked in a car, and people were not sleeping, to get things done. I was concerned, but everyone came through and delivered. We were fully prepared. The moment we shoved off from the dock, the boat was organized, equipment stowed. Everything was done that ccluld be done. Avion was ready and eager to sail.
Having light wind for the first two days was probably a good thing. It gave us time to get into a rhythm with the boat, settle into shifts, get sleep and eat. Day two started with a rare sighting of 7 other boats in the race, in a big circle around Avion. We all had the same conditions and ended-up in the same place, 50 miles offshore.
The wind finally picked-up Wednesday around 10PM as we had been hoping. Avion is now smoothly moving through the water on a starboard tack. Crew are chattering up on deck, happy in the wind. We are ready for the next challenge.