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Gozwoz - Day 8 from Bermuda



After a gentle night's sail on a north-easterly course, the wind dropped and the engine started. Grinding noises were heard when it was put in gear and the engine stalled. Another problem to add to the repairs left over from Sunday night's Examination.

As usual the resourceful Bosun led the way in setting about the repairs. The starboard lazy line had parted at the highest joint and had to be threaded through a sheave on the second spreader, requiring the Bosun to be lifted to that point using, of course, the bosun's chair. The Bosun was duly hoisted to that level while GOZWOZ sailed on in a very gentle wind, the boat rolling much less while sailing than she does with the sails down.
That task having been accomplished, the first reef was taken out in the course of doing which it was discovered that the topping lift, the line supporting the end of the boom from the mast head, which had been immovably jammed on its sheave on Monday, had freed itself. We were on a roll.

At this point the eagle-eyed Roger noticed a rope extending underwater from the sgtern which had obviously fouled the propeller. The Bosun was soon back in action having exchanged the bosun's chair for his Speedos and brandishing the sailors ultimate survival knife and was ably assisted by the Coxswain who also undertook a number of dives. The weather could not have been better for this exercise with calm seas and light winds. The propeller is about six feet inboard of the bathing platform and the divers had to pull them down to it using the rope and hacking at the turns of the rope jammed between the propeller and the hull. The rope, apparently part of some fishing gear, eventually came away.

The final task was to restore the bimini which did not seem to have suffered unduly from its brief period of levitation.

The result is that, to the surprise and delight of the crew, all the repairs immediately required have been dealt with. With the permission of Our Great Leader this evening has been declared to be non-alcohol-free in recognition of what has been achieved today and the approaching halfway point which we will reach tonight. We are motoring towards our destination and have taken advantage of the hot water produced by the engine to have showers and wash clothes. The watermaker was put into action today so that the showers could be enjoyed to the full.

After its success the minnow was rested today as we need to eat our remaining fresh meat.
Nature notes: Instead of seeing the protruding rope the Bosun spotted a turtle enjoying the sun.

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