On time on buget.

Well that is a first for a while, off on the correct tide and money in the bank to last me the rest of my life, as long as I die tomorrow.  Who said that?  I love watching peoples faces, the look of unhappiness turns to a big grin.

The old boat is looking old but she is sound I think, if rather tatty round the edges.  The strengthening of the wheelhouse door went well, now it "sounds just like a Golf".  Fitting the new sliding track made the door very movable.  From experience this means that if you get it wrong when opening the door in a seaway the frame takes a battering when the door takes over and smashes into the surround.  I glued and bolted three blocks, not pretty but real solid like.
 

 
The engine mounts replacement was fairly straight forward using my hydraulic porta power to lift the engine just enough to slip the old rusting manky mounts out.  Bukh mounts have no stud, they use a bolt instead so it is much easier to change the mounts in situ without lifting the engine out altogether.


However the height adjustment is done with shims rather than nuts. It does mean the weight is kept really low to the mount so the shear is kept down, especially with the monster Bukh.  I have seen mounts torn to bits when the engine has been perched on the top of a long stud.

So the good ship Tutak left the berth at a little after midday on the first of June bound norf.  Passing the Colne we spied the Pioneer out of Brightlingsea.  She over took us off the Naze.

 
Just past Clacton pier excitement played out before us as the helicopter HS 125 played conkers with the boats below and the Freeway was snorting something in or out of her bow tube.







 

 

The wind was sufficient for us to sail into Harwich harbour whereupon the wind, now approaching 20 knots, came on the nose.  The engine took us the rest of the way to Copperas bay.  The hook was dropped and there we stayed while the gale blew itself out.  Tucked up in the lee I registered 29 knots, not a day to be out I do believe.

After a day at anchor we dragged up the filthy chain and made a right mess.  I bought a washdown pump off ebay but it's still in the locker.  I was going to use it via a deck plug rather that make it permanent.

Passing down the Stour we saw that Trinity House's Patricia was along side gathering buoys for her next jolly, with a lightship on the mooring opposite.


 


This is the famous double ramp that allows the Stena Britannica and Hollandica to unload two decks at the same time.  Yawn, OK well I think it's great!


The Navy yard was busy unloading a RoRo that I haven't seen before and the harbour ferry was back in service.  It was cancelled the day before due to the wind I suppose.






An oil or gas carrier passed us on it's way to Parkstone's oil berth.




Ships aplenty in the harbour with the extension to the Felixstowe end going well.  Will that make 10 spaces for simultaneous unloading of those massive container ships?  I think Trinity has seven and Felixstowe 3 maybe.  This one was swinging to reverse up the Orwell to a berth on Trinity wharf.





 

And that was Harwich for this time.  Love it, always something going on and remember that your underpants pass through here, along with most things we use these days.