A Special Note to L&B - What the ‘Helm’ - we are going to ‘Tiller’ you the story of the Friday the 13th - Rudder Repair.

 A continuation of Where oh Where is our Rudder! !

Once LJ delivered the rudder - The Admiral did some more minor repairs on it in preparation for re-installation.

LJ said he would be by on Sunday to re-install the rudder.  This was good news because LJ was set to go on three weeks holidays the following Wednesday!

8:00 am - Friday there is a knock on the boat - it’s LJ “want to get the rudder in - we will install it today  - I will talk to the Yard Manager about getting the hole dug” and he was off……

The rudder is about 7 feet long and there is only about 5 feet of clearance under the hull so a hole has to be dug to drop the rudder into in order to give the rudder enough clearance under the boat.

Just before lunch the Yard Manager shows up with the back hoe and starts digging the hole.   OOPS - Double Darn - the Yard Manager misjudges and wipes Bergy’s swim platform……. 

It’s Friday the 13th ………..

Now if truth be known we have had many discussions about said swim platform since the gash it put in the dinghy on our way to Antigua and we couldn’t decide whether to leave the platform on or take it off - decision made….. and damage was minimal.

Unfortunately the back hoe couldn’t get close enough so it also meant the Admiral had to finiah digging the hole.

 By late afternoon LJ was back - in between - other jobs and the rudder was installed.  Everything went according to plan - bushings fit - rudder fit - after a rather rocky start - all was well.

When we can we will continue to bring you up to date of our life ‘On The Hard’

The Admiral & Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy  Bit - Somewhere in the Caribbean

Greetings again from Sint Maarten

Although we are now afloat we do have a few tales to tell of our journey from Boatyard to Water.

Our first major task upon on arrival was to check in with LJ who we had hired last year to remove the rudder and have new bushings made.

We did check in with LJ and were told the rudder was in safe keeping at his house and he would deliver it within a couple of days - which meant within the week Caribbean time. 

 True to his word we did see the rudder within a week but only as it rode in and out of the boatyard in the back of LJ’s truck.  Finally at weeks end with a little coaxing from the Admiral the rudder was delivered to Bergy Bit - I am sure it was glad to be home.

Now the Admiral could begin the job of repairing it and getting it ready for installation!

Next post we will tell you all about the installation which is a story unto itself! !

The Admiral and Gilligan

Aboard SV Bergy Bit - Simpson Bay Lagoon - Sint Maarten