Travels with S/Y Thetis


Thetis only

2014: Preparation

There were several changes/improvements on the boat this year. These were:

The New Gel Batteries The New Gel Batteries
The New Gel Batteries
  1. New Items:
    1. Replaced the old wet lead-acid batteries with new Exide 500 aHr gel. This necessitated rebuilding their compartment in front of the rudder post.
    2. Replaced the barely 4 year old Simrad RD68 DSC VHF with a Raymarine Ray240.
    3. A new cover for the top of the FD4 Suzuki outboard.
    4. The two rear plexiglass windows that had developed cracks were replaced.
    5. Replaced the the tachometer (RPM meter) that had stopped working last year.
    6. New halyard for the mainsail.
    7. New sheet lines for the headsail.
    8. Replaced the main drain sea-cock.
    9. Replaced the seal of the dripless drive.
    10. Replaced the jerrycan straps, just the fabric belt.
  2. Repairs:
    1. The rudder was rebuild because it had developed a tremor. The wood had deteriorated.
    2. The sails, after being washed by Agmar Marine (renamed to Moor & Dock) were send to their maker, ALPHA sails in Athens for cleaning and maintenance.
    3. The two ports looking from the rear cabins to the cockpit were repaired and their bevel was replaced.
    4. Replaced all air venting hoses from the engine compartment.
    5. Repaired the wind-generator that was making a lot of noise. Its bearings had to be replaced.
    6. Replaced the lowest step of the bow ladder, that had been damaged.
    7. Re-enforced the welds of the swimming ladder.
    8. Re-attached the loose bilge pump float switch.
    9. Serviced the windlass.
    10. Serviced all 5 winches.
    11. Replaced, where needed, the spray hood snaps.
  3. Yearly Maintenance:
    1. Engine.
    2. Genset.
    3. Dinghy.
    4. Inspected the rigging.
    5. Checked the autopilots.
    6. In addition, there was the yearly maintenance of the hull and keel eliminating all scratches, polishing of the hull and stainless rails, and applying of anti-fouling painting.

Friday May 16, 2014

I arrived in Leros from Athens where I had arrived about 10:30 PM last night because of a delay in my connection in Heathrow. The rental car that I had ordered was waiting for me at the Leros airport.

Thetis looked good. The new gel batteries that I had bought from Mr. Christodoulou in Piraeus were received by Agmar Marine and installed in a new compartment in front of the rudder post because they did not fit in the old compartment. The new VHF was installed and I verified that it worked. Although I was not able to check its DSC functions.

Panayiotis, the electrician, came and we went over all the work that he had done. He believes that he had isolated and fixed the intermittent problem with the SeaTalk bus. Then he re-programmed the solar panel regulator for the new gel batteries. He had already done so for the AC regulator. I then re-programmed the alternator’s regulator. Now all regulators were compatible with the new batteries.

I drove the rented car to Lakki where I bought a new SIM card for my new retina display iPad. On the way back I filled the spare jerry cans with 74 L Diesel fuel. Back in the yard I exchanged the depleted Camping Gaz canister for a full one.

As I was getting ready to load these on the boat my sailing friend Manos Kouvaritakis appeared. Manos had to sell his lovely S/Y Dafni 2 years ago. Now he is finally getting a replacement so that he can go back to cruising and pursue his retirement dream. He and his wife Jenny were vacationing in Leros and came to the yard to check if I was there. We agreed to meet tomorrow.

By that time I was very tired and hungry and not having any provisions, not even for a late lunch, I went to eat to the nearby Archontiko.

All afternoon I did a lot of tasks on the boat but other then my cabin, that I prepared for sleeping in, the rest of the boat now looked in complete dis-array.

For dinner I drove to the Steki tou Dimitri in Alindas where I had a good meal. Back on the yard by 10, I fell asleep.