Golden craft

After fitting the sails, we still have some work to do this week so that we can then sail to Moorea in a relaxed manner. We need a new cockpit table and the ropes on the genoa also need to be replaced. What's more, the toilet pump has given up the ghost. An extremely unpleasant job that I would like to postpone, but I encounter massive resistance from my fellow sailor. The initially cautious question: "When are you going to check the pump?" is accompanied by a request to finally go out and buy a new pump. So I set off and go to Ocean 2000 Chandler, because I now know that it is very well stocked and has the best chance of getting a pump there. On the way there, I realize that it won't be cheap. I actually find what I'm looking for and yes, unfortunately my fears about the price are confirmed. In Germany, the pump costs a hefty 460 euros. Here in Tahiti it is priced at 98,000 xpf. That is the equivalent of 833 euros. When the boss timidly asks if I would like to take the pump, I reflexively answer "no", but immediately add that my captain has told me not to return home without the pump. He looks at me sympathetically and reduces the price to 78,000 xpf. That's still 663 euros for a pump, but I hadn't expected such a generous discount, which of course made me very happy, if only it had already been installed. Who likes to have faeces running over their hands? In the end, it's not so bad after all and the old pump is kept for the time being for repair and replacement. The new pump is quickly installed and my co-sailor is once again pleased with me. "You're really useful as a craftsman." However, we have to dispose of the old pump because a hole has eaten into the motor housing and water has leaked in. A total loss, so to speak.

New sails on the Katinka, Tahiti

I also make the cockpit table myself. I have a few sheets of plywood cut to size and round off the corners. To make the table look more valuable, I double the table top. The top is then mounted on an adjustable base, which is screwed to the floor in the cockpit. Finally, the top is painted three times with clear varnish. We are already looking forward to our first breakfast at the new table. All that's missing now is the sentence: "You're really useful as a craftsman." But maybe that will come at breakfast.

New cockpit table on the Katinka, Tahiti

The last time we swapped the Genoa ropes was in Martinique. That was in May 2022. All in all, they lasted two years. I don't know if that's a reasonable lifespan for polyester lines. It probably also depends on how they are used during this time and they've been through a lot. However, I splice an eye into both lines and connect the ropes to the genoa with a Dyneema soft shackle. I now also make the soft shackles myself, as the ready-made ones are quite expensive. It's not that difficult to make a shackle yourself and, as I said, it saves a lot of money. The only thing I have to keep reading up on is the diamond knot. The soft shackles replace the metal ones I spliced in last time. This turned out not to be very clever. On the one hand, it's annoying when the metal shackle is always knocking on the outside of the cabin wall in a calm, especially as it causes ugly dents, and on the other hand, a metal shackle can also be quite dangerous if the sail flaps in strong winds and possibly hits you on the head. I then cut the shackles off again relatively quickly and fastened the bulkheads with a classic bowline. However, as the tensile strength of the rope is significantly reduced by the knot, I am now trying the Dyneema soft shackles.

New genoa pods on the Katinka, Tahiti

So far, so good, we are now prepared for the next trip to Moorea. Shortly before we leave, we will give the deck another thorough clean, as the traffic in Papeete causes a lot of dust to accumulate. I hope that the weather doesn't throw a spanner in the works, but otherwise nothing stands in the way of our visit to Moorea on our own keel. By then, at the latest, it will be clear whether I'm not just a craftsman but also a good skipper. With this in mind, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.