No matter how well it goes, after any major repair, you’ve got to go out and give things a test run. See what stays fixed, what new things break, and how many other things decide it’s all of a sudden time to pack it in and take a vacation. I don’t like to be ruled by superstition, but if you leave the shakedown out, you’ve pretty much guaranteed that Murphy, patron god of mechanics and errant adventurers, will take a decided interest in the way things play out for your little endeavor. Word of advice…it never ends well when the gods start looking upon your mortal doings as the afternoon’s celestial entertainment. Do the shakedown.
We slid on out into the channel kind of latish in the afternoon with the skies alternating between a lowering glower and sudden bright sun. It looked unreal, like a set straight out of Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Adding to the creepy-cool factor, we were largely alone, but for the ever present military patrols past the Coronados and a solitary other sailboat.
Just out of San Diego Harbor
It wasn't even raining or anything
Might be my favorite picture of the day
The other sailboat
The Navy was zipping around like madmen
Still crazy
We didn’t have much in the way of wind, and what wind there was came in fits and starts, leaving the surface of the water to heave and sigh undisturbed like a molten silver oil slick. It was eerie and beautiful.
Going glassy
Sudden dark
Silver seas
Water's going dark now
Smoothest thing you ever saw
She checked out ok. Not perfect, but more than ok to make it to Ensenada.
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Glad to see you are on your way. “Joli Elle” is moving right along. I too am working on the hydraulics. Self steering is on, Auto-pilot working, plumbing 90% and electrical 60%. Looking at a lay-off in a month…EeeeHaaa!!!
Glad you’re making progress, Marty. Hope to see you soon!