2023-2024 SEASON

GUATEMALA – PLACENCIA, BELIZE JANUARY 2024

PART ONE. LAUNCH & RELAUNCH!

Work continues apace, we make a decision, launch date 5th January. We move out of our room at one of Ram’s casas and onto Sisu. We’re not straight or finished by any means, boat maintenance in exotic locations is continuous, we will carry on whilst tied up at one of Ram’s pontoons where there’s electricity.

Before that we do the last yard jobs. I sandpaper Sisu’s copper coat hull, bringing out the lovely copper which will help prevent weed & barnacles growing on her nether regions. Terry fired up the engine, using a bucket of water as pretend sea for the water hose to circulate water round the engine.

The boat lift team come to collect & strap up Sisu in the boat lift. She suffers the indignity knowing soon she’ll be back where she belongs. It’s always emotional, and for us, a tad nerve wracking. Sisu’s in excellent hands with Byron and his team, there’s no reason for our feelings, apart from the attachment she has with us.

Terry starts the engine and we motor round the dock to our pontoon where Lucie & Michel, our friends await. We approach…steadily, but rather faster than usual. Concerned expressions take shape on all four faces. Terry can’t change gear or go into reverse and the engine has stopped! We approach the pontoon at a canter, I throw a mid line to Michel, a bow line to Lucie and they lassoo us to the dock! Once our nerves stop jangling, Terry immediately went below to find the problem. Amongst the 100s of jobs we’ve been doing, it’s not unusual for a simple step to be missed. In this case the culprit was the fuel hose not reconnected to the engine! A blessing it was straightforward and easily remedied. Huzzah! Over dinner and beers that evening we share the problem with Michel and Lucie, to much hilarity and sharing of similar stories!

We decide to treat ourselves to two new Sunbrella sunshades which can be simply erected over the coachroof & stowed away easily. We call at Jessica’s Canvas Place where our mainsail stackpack has been restitched whilst we’ve been away. The shades cost around £700 but worth it, providing sun, and rain cover. They’ll be good for years. We immediately reap the benefit when the shades are over our open mid & fore hatches. Also no more shrieking, swearing & instant water drenching of us and beds during a regular night time downpour. Why didn’t we do this years ago?!

We’re heading off to Belize soon. We’ve been quite spoilt with Guatemala’s cheap way of living, no more paying less than a pound for a beer once we reach Belize! We make regular forays to La Torre and provision up. Boxes of beer and erm…..other foodstuffs…..I find all manner of imaginative places to stow provisions safely whilst under sail.

Our galley oven becomes the perfect place for crisps, crackers and coffee pouches! I’m a dedicated list maker, provisions are stowed all around the boat, so a list is a….vital vittals list!
You’ll recall from our previous blog that Sisu likes to spring surprises. We don’t always appreciate it. Upon launching and prior to breaking into a gallop the other day, our propellor didn’t sound right. Like a conductor with his orchestra, we are attuned to every noise Sisu makes. The propellor is making an uncomfortable vibrating sound. Terry swapped our folding prop to a fixed prop as this will give more control once we reach the Intra Coastal Waterway in the USA. Last time we used a fixed prop was 12 years ago. Did it always do that? We can’t recall, hell, we forget what we did a week ago. We’re not happy to leave it, ignore it and a far bigger problem will bite us on the backside at some later and inconvenient point!

Terry snorkels to investigate, we optimistically hope that it’s just a plastic bag or similar wrapped round the prop. The Rio river is used for everything by everyone, it’s not recommended to swim in it, the 8ft croc is the least of your worries, the water itself can cause stomach upsets and if you’re unlucky, infections to open wounds. Up Terry comes from the murky depths, nope, nothing round the prop.

With heavy hearts we make the decision to haul out again. It’s discouraging, a not uncommon feeling throughout the cruising community, we are working on boats in harsh environments wherever they are, and the right decision. Ram Marina’s service was excellent and slotted us for a lift the following day.
During a haul out, one of the lifting team has to snorkel under every boat’s hull to ensure the straps are in line and clear of the prop. Once he’s checked the straps and satisfied, he wades out and carries on guiding Sisu as she rose from the waters. A highly responsible job, in unsavoury conditions, we never cease to admire the resilience and cheery disposition of Guatemalans.

Upon inspection, Terry finds the cutlass bearing has worn and causing the vibration. We have a curious satisfaction in finding a problem, it confirms our decision to haul out! Terry dinghies into town on a mission to find a cutlass bearing. He’s successful! I keep him hydrated with cool drinks and moral support as he removes the prop and using his self constructed pullers, he pulls out the cutlass bearing which supports the shaft attached to the transmission and prop.

The internal rubber sleeve within the brass casing is knackered and worn.

Terry sets to and over the space of a scorching few hours he replaces the cutlass bearing, repacks the stern gland packing and fits the folding prop.

During this work, I crouched under the hull in the shade scraping our sacrificial anode to revive the zinc which prevents electrochemical corrosion.

The following day we relaunch, this time Sisu purrs along beautifully. Happy days, and we tie up in a leisurely manner this time!

Whilst all this has been going on there’s been an increasingly stinky smell emanating from the heads loo. We can’t keep blaming one another for it. Terry’s going to have to deep dive……

We have a holding tank which, when required, holds, for the gentle stomached, I’ll use the word “content” from the heads loo. The tank has a two way valve which is leaking, hence the indelicate odour. Whilst Terry is prostrate and sweating in the locker containing the holding tank, he discovers that urine and water had been leaking into the bilges. Ah ha! I had been investigating a funny smell from the little paint locker, to find the copper coat resin has leaked inside our paint locker coating much of the locker contents in sticky goo. It’s hot, the interior of Sisu’s an oily, stinking mess yet again and we wonder why the hell we do this. It’s fair to say on this occasion, tempers got frayed and bad, bad words may’ve been exchanged.

Interestingly these challenges occurred on Friday the 12th, and we thought the 13th was unlucky! We apologise to each other, hug and escape to Ana’s with Lucie & Michel to exchange stories, revive spirits and enjoy a couple of beers. This is real life cruising folks!
Read on for our next blog of glamour, sun and fun!