Day 12- Panic Mechanic

The day started with a firm resolve to mend the autohelm. Ash and Joey stripped off to their shorts and committed themselves to hang with their bums in the air for the next 2 hours in the aft berth where the autohelm is fitted.

The rest of the crew handed them a steady flow of pliers, spanners, socket wrenches and anything that would possibly substitute as a steel bracket.

With the rush of success, Joey and Ash cleaned off with a dip in the ocean and we were sailing again.

In the late afternoon strange noises starting coming from  the steering mechanism again, so we again hoved -to , which was frustrating in the fair winds, and gave the autohelm another review. The fiberglass that held the bracket had absorbed too much water and was ‘rotting’.The nuts and washers had pulled through, and were unable to hold secure.

At the same time the vang took an opportune moment to snap at the steel cable. Uwe and Freddie had that problem covered, while Jane had the sewing twine out fixing a broken strap . It was yacht maintenance 101 on JML Rotary Scout.

We were on our way again a sunset as the wind picked up and we made good speed averaging 7 knots through the night. 560nm as the crow flies to Tristan.