Working to prepare is an endless job...This time, ALCYONE has almost no more major refit, but w mut prepare it for a huge crossing to Canada; in Whangarei, we can escape NORSAND (definitly the best place to refit if you need a lot of extra works) to prepare with time on a clean concrete bottom and a nice view in SOUTH PACIFIC GATEWAY MARINA.

South Pacific Gateway Marina is a very nice spot with a inlet view : After 5pm no way to hear other noise than birds (or artificial panic birds noise !)

THE WEIGHT ON BOARD:

This is the opportunity to clean, make order n check what we need, may need or never need...

a long time I wanted to do it n I do it this year-: weighting ALL what is on board:

This few cents balance could weight almost everything on board

The exercise is also very good to

balance well the weight and concentrate it as we can in the center of the cat...

Result: We empty before the weight party  100,3kg, including 33 kg of extra ropes, extra Goiot hatch n matress...

all gone on "trade me", the very successfull local website n give away.

So many, so much weight (even dry): It's time to check, weight, sale n keep only the right ones...32kg of ropes ll leave !

28th march, ready to splash  with 2 people on board , ALCYONE  has a total of 3330 kg this include mooring gears, dinghy, solar panels... but all things (lines) necessary to move the cat with jib n mainsail n 3 extra halyards, a lot of food (375kg):

- port hull: 777kg

- starboard hull: 785kg

- Inside middle (saloon) including 2x220 watertanks : 814

- Outside middle (cockpit) including anchor/chain, dinghy and : 774

- 2 crew: 180

- TOTAL 3330kg (minus excess water only for south latitudes 330 = 3000kg)

-

For crossing in the south latitudes,  we ll remove 320 l of water:

-> Neutralizing one of  two watertanks (220l)

-> Using only the second up to 110 l (half) with top up of watermaker

-> keeping untouched the 10 jerrycans of 10l safety means 2650kg, I ll details later what is what in this weight except food and liquid...

This will reduce the maxi weight to 3010kg , a very reasonable weight regarding the capacity of  cat.

All of that include personal choices of skipper who almost never visit marinas; here the details:

- 91kg extra sails: CodeO + Spi + sparejib+ stormjib

- 215kg serious mooring/docking gear: ROCNA anchor 33kg + 60m chain + lines + 8 fenders

- 95kg extra2nd mooring: DELTA anchor 15kg+2x10m 10mm chain+  90m lines...

- 123kg Safety gears : 45kg structural, 45kg raft in double canister + regular jakets + flares..

- 186kg Dinghy: mini weight under davits: without hp75kg, maxi 153kg with 9,8hp outboard

- 23kg drydock equipment

- 19kg extra running lines for extra sails (Code O, spi)

- 52kg spare lines

- 32kg various removable navigation gears: computers...

- 80kg maintenance tools: electrical grinder, drill, toolboxes...

- 122kg maintenance products n raw material: in boxes epoxy + sealant + assorters...

- 122kg spare parts

- 55kg books/guides/charts

- 57kg kitchen gears

- 112kg  confort :underbeds+seats+cockpit cushions...

- 60kg  bedding n bathroom products

- 21kg fishing gears/  rods/lures/lines...

- 51kg underwater gears n swords: spears + snorkling + machettes...

- 41kg other toys : Paddle board, photo...

- 571kg diver fuel n related

> 438l gas oil (extra 218 liters in jerrycans)

> 41l gasoline

> 21l oil n related

> 72kg 3 gaz bottles

> 10kg Co2 bottle

- 540l water maxi =====> to reduced for crossing to maxi 210l

> 2x220l tanks

> 10x10l drinking water safety jerrycans

- 375kg food

> 25kg fresh food

> 165kg can food (assumed for 3 years)

> 133kg dry food

> 22kg various ingredients n other

> 29kg no water beverage

- 11kg Pharmacy n Hygiene

- 180kg crew (2)

- 115 personal belonging

LAST FINITIONS

Legendary Guy from "3 OCEANS" helped us for the engine n heater work.

We install a new fridge to replace the former rosted unit, and

1 New skeg (lost in Havana) n 2 New alu plates both sides...

Wood improvments to change daily life: to board on dinghy...

..

.and wooden step for safer access to the roof

Logic timing to change Yanmar engine supports

Expertise ...n long arms of Guy helping for heater installation

As simple n short as possible

..

.Canistered raft  double protected (+ old case) with up n down access

All spares n tools secured in separate plastic boxes

ALCYONE's nuggets: Cans of "confits de canard" from NC

- Why this impressive mostly french "motivational" and dereasonable food reserve of 350 kg?

If you find very good fresh products in green New Zealand, the can food is mostly imported from Australia:  The crazy percentage of sugar in the australian food especialy canfood pushed me to buy - at a price- in New Caledonia . The disaster of australian food is obvious when you see the young generation with a quantity of fat kids and teenagers and this give the sad feeling that the healthy blond autralian surfer image  is more a myth than a reality now ...

ALCYONE almost ready to go...a lovely Whangarei town basin break: Scottish time today...

National culture is often stronger when abroad... no exception in NZ Northland !