Water Tanks

New water tanks - 80 litres each

Well, with 7 days to go, Brian and Graeme are fitting new water tanks. 

We thought we had a leak, so we ordered new water tanks. 

Then we discovered the leak was from the hot water system so we replaced the hot water system. 

Now the water tanks have arrived so we're fitting them today :-) 

Anyone want some old water tanks that still work!

Departure Date & Trysail

Adding signage to the hull

 DEPARTURE DATE: Saturday 4 May 2013 12pm

•  09:00 - 09:30 Speeches on VIP lawn at Fremantle Sailing Club
•  10:00 – 14:00 ‘Meet Indonesia Bazaar’ and other stuff
•  10:00 Yachts leave Fremantle Sailing Club
•  10:30 – 11:00 Parade of Sails thru Fremantle Harbour
•  12:00 Race yachts start gun - that's us - yey!
•  12:05 Rally yacht start gun

TRYSAIL

We must have a trysail for Category 1 Safety to participate in the race. It is used in place of a mainsail when winds are very high or if the mainsail is broken. Hopefully we won't need to use it - definitely not in the holiday brochure!

Brian - comfy up the mast

Trysail

Transport and Toys

OUR CHARIOT AWAITS
After extensive river trials, (read our review), we chose the 3.5m Sirocco Air Hull with a 15hp outboard. This is our tender, imperative to our journey - new, clean, pristine.

Its maiden voyage was from Green Island to Fishhook Bay at Rotto - all good. The seat and storage pockets are nearly ready. Check out Brian's excellent signage :-)




SUP PADDLE IS FIXED

Thanks Mitch for fixing the paddle :-)

We have two inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards for fitness, fun and transport.  Yep - inflatable.  They deflate and fold into a large backpack so easy to store.  Graeme is the most dextrous however broke the paddle (and nearly his back) on the first 'real' wave.  Lyn tends to run forwards off the end of the board - bit like a plane taking off except she just plops in the water - awesome stuff - got pretty good after that.  Brian is poetry in motion - big sweeping movements and not at all shaky (being kind here) - turning circle's getting better.  Heather like to remain 'bum-earthed' - could try harder.  Jeez - we're a co-ordinated lot.

Only 16 Days to go

FINAL JOBS, PURCHASES & PAPERWORK
Lyn, our trusty paperwork guru and organising fairy is in the process of finalising last minute forms.  Paper navigation charts have arrived from the USA.  Brian has fitted the liferaft and is building racks for water and fuel to be stored on deck.  Last minute purchases and jobs include:

• replacing the water tanks - we can store 280 litres of water
• torches & mosquito nets for hatches
• thermal underwear & decent wet weather gear
• headsox & daggy surf hats (so we can all look like Lyn!)
• netting for cupboards so we don't get decapitated in rough weather
• most of the WA supply of tonic syrup - don't ask :-)
• fishing tackle and triple hooks for the lures - important for the serious angler
• fixed the mainsail and preparing the trysail

IMPORTANT NAVIGATION TEST AT ROTTO
We've been getting all our navigation/instruments working and Graeme is currently obsessed with researching the Leeuwin Current - excuse the pun!  Brian, Lyn, Graeme and Heather decided to test navigation equipment at 'The Festival of Sail' on the weekend at Rotto.

We now have two ipads velcroed to the boat feeding us loads of stuff.  One ipad has all our charts and navigation info and the other has performance data from iRegatta.  We are constantly being fed our speed compared to polar speed, optimum steering angles and VMG.  Every now and then we remember to also steer the boat.

The team meeting at the pub on Saturday night revealed that all is working well however if we continue to party like we're 20 years old, we won't last the journey! 

COOKING HAS BEGUN
We're starting to cook our pre-prepared frozen meals.   Our gourmet menu includes the likes of beef lasagne, thai green chicken curry, spaghetti bolognaise, home-cooked sausage rolls, chicken cacciatore, beef casserole.  Sounds good hey!  Towards the end of the trip it will be crackers, tuna, wraps, fry-pan pizza, tuna rice casserole and freeze-dried food - yum.

One of our concoctions for when we run out of frozen meals and fresh ingredients (assuming we have eaten all our freshly caught fish) is "Steel De Risotto" :

STEELE DE RISOTTO

1½C Arborio rice 3C water 3 chicken stock cubes 1T onion flakes 1 t garlic granules Olive oil ½C dried green peas ½C pitted olives, sliced ½C sundried tomatoes, sliced 1 chorizo, sliced Salt and Pepper Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Fry onion flakes, garlic granules in olive oil for 30 seconds. Add rice and stir to coat in oil for 2 minutes. Add water, stock cubes and peas – bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Add other ingredients and stir through until heated. Serve with parmesan. Cooking time: 15 minutes

What a good idea!

On a sunny day in 2010, we were having a few quiet drinks at South of Perth Yacht Club with our friends, Brian and Lyn, and decided it would be a good idea to do the 'Fremantle to Bali' Race.  As the evening progressed (and the red wine), the trip grew from a 10 day race into a 5 year journey.  The next morning we thought 'good idea' but its years away.  Well - its now 23 days before we set sail and it will be a reality!  The race starts on Saturday 4 May at 12pm.

 

RACE OR RALLY?

Steel de Breeze is looking fabulous and nearly ready to go.  So, its been nearly 2 years of boat preparation by Brian, Lyn and Graeme.  They've drilled, built, polished, spliced, navigated, sanded, configured, fixed, fitted, stowed, provisioned and prepared for the 'Rally' - oops 'Race'. That's another thing, we thought we were doing the relaxing Rally however somehow we're racing.  I think its something to do with the blokey personalities on board ... mmm.

THE CREW

That brings us to the full crew for the Bali Race: we have Brian, Lyn, Robbie, John, Jan, Kevin, Graeme and Heather.  We are each allowed 5kg of luggage plus wet weather gear.  Luckily our skipper, Brian, had increased the 'dry undies' quota to 10 pairs each - thanks Brian!

Brian, Lyn, Robbie, John, Jan, Kev, Graeme, Heather

ESSENTIAL MEETINGS

We've had essential meetings in bars, boats, homes, restaurants, yacht clubs, cafes and an important reconnoiter to Sanur and Benoa Harbour in Bali.  Many beers, G&T's and wines have assisted us in our planning.   We've organised the menu, written the shopping list, practiced the mushy meals (eeeww) and will definitely remember to fill the water tanks. 

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS
All well-oiled racing teams use their professional expertise and wealth of knowledge.  Our experienced team has:

• completed First Aid, Radio Proficiency, Sea Survival Courses
• sailed our qualifying 200NM race
• spewed up over the side (and down below)
• completed speed trials in dinghies
• blown up the inverter
• cooked (and eaten) spaghetti with spam
• injected oranges with adenaline - should be the same process for morphine?

ARE WE THERE YET?
We hope the 1,440NM trip will take 8-10 days :-)  after that we'll be eating freeze dried packet food.