New sails on the Katinka

In Panama, we had the worn-out genoa mended. The mainsail then suffered badly across the Pacific to the Gambiers. Firstly because there was no wind and it was almost impossible to prevent the sail from flapping, then because the wind picked up to 30 knots over the last few miles. Both situations left their mark. We repeatedly stuck plaster over it and so we sailed another 2000 miles to Tahiti. But at some point, even gluing comes to an end. In the end, it was no longer possible to touch the main without a crack forming. The last 800 nautical miles from the Marquesas to Tahiti, which I sailed single-handed, were borderline.

Moorea at sunset, Tahiti

As Gaby was in Germany and it was foreseeable that we would be in Tahiti for a long time anyway, the time was right to order new sails. On March 20, I placed the order for a genoa and a mainsail. The sail manufacturer in Greifswald works together with a manufacturer in Thailand. The delivery time was set at six weeks. It then took a little over twelve weeks, but you have to allow for small delays. At least the communication was always excellent and when I asked a question, it was answered by the next day. I used a local agent for customs clearance, which turned out to be very clever. Although this cost an extra €200, customs clearance was completed in two days. As a yacht in transit, no further customs duties were due. On 27.06. the time had come. The sails from Thailand have cleared customs in Papeete and are ready for collection from my agent.

Two sails and accessories, all in a cardboard box 

I stand in front of a heavy parcel and try to push the handcart underneath it. I drag almost 65 kilos across the tarmac, partly bent over. I reach the entrance to the marina on the sidewalk, sweating profusely. Likewise, I just have to get across the jetty to the boat, and then I'm done. Somehow I wonder how two sails, one 46sqm, the other 33sqm including battens, fit into a box measuring 60x80x60cm. After all, the longest batten on the Katinka is four meters. I am all the more surprised that everything is there. The sails are neatly packed in two sail bags and a twelve-meter-long batten is rolled up into a ring with cable ties. The old sails are quickly removed and the new genoa is just as quickly pulled in and rolled up. As the wind picks up, the installation of the mainsail is delayed by a few days.

New mainsail on the Katinka, Papeete Tahiti

The Mara'amu, a strong easterly wind that occurs from time to time in French Polynesia, slows us down a little. However, the calm weather we are used to here soon returns, especially in Papeete. Unfortunately, fitting the mainsail is not quite as easy as we thought. It starts with the fact that the mast attachments are not arranged as I had marked them on the plan. There are two different types of mast sliders. There are probably many more, but there are two on the Katinka. One mast slide has a screw and is bolted to the batten mount on the sail. The other mast slide has a bolt that holds a lug sewn to the sail. The mast slides themselves are mounted on a profile on the mast and move up and down by means of balls when the sail is moved with the halyard. There are a total of eleven mast slides on the Katinka, five for the battens and six for the eyelets. In the old version, two eyelets were inserted between the second lowest battens. The new version alternates between a slider with an eyelet and a slider for a batten. 

Mast slide. With screw at the top and eyelet at the bottom.

Changing the arrangement is not so easy, as the balls fall out when removing a mast slider from the profile. This is a very unpleasant situation because these balls have the property of jumping overboard. If this is prevented, they are very difficult to thread back in. It is therefore better to leave them in the profile. I find another piece of profile in my locker so that I have two pieces available with the profile piece from the mast and can park the mast slides on it. I put the sail attachments in the right order and can finally start fitting the new mainsail. We come to the first batten pocket, and a four-meter-long batten is now needed. I use a side cutter to nip off one cable tie after the other. The tension on the ring is enormous. Gaby helps me and when we get to the last cable tie, I'd rather she wasn't so close. So I send her off, but I don't realize that I'm in an awkward position myself. It goes bang, bang, hollaröduillö. The sail batten ring jumps up and whips onto my left foot. My left foot again and again, I think, before I lose my senses from the pain. I can just about hold on to the genoa sheet and look forward to Christmas. After some time, we continue with the sail assembly. Cutting the batten to size, threading it in, fitting the mast slide. Afterward, it turns out that two toes are broken and the big one is turning blue. Now I'll probably be walking around in a brace for six weeks until the bones have grown back together. Oh well, there are worse things. 

Two broken toes and a large blue one

Anyway, the Katinka now has new sails and is ready for more adventures. To ease my pain, we're going to have our sundowner on the Lady Blue today. Horst, who we met in the Caribbean, arrived in Tahiti a few days ago and has now got a place in Papeete Marina. I've already mentioned elsewhere that it's not that easy, so of course it has to be celebrated properly. It will do my foot good.

Until next time, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.