Amazing but true, we are finally out of the marina! It has been another trying period. Getting anything done takes an inordinate amount of time and requires much follow up so you don’t drop off the tradies’ work list. But at last we can see the ocean instead of a breakwater wall. Mind you, we are not yet able to sail away.
After weeks of frustration which tested our patience, we finally are making our own power again. We ended up having to ditch all the flexible solar panels as more were failing, and replace them with a bank of fixed panels. It meant removing all the existing ones, cleaning up the cabin and cockpit roof, bogging holes and undercoating before the rain from the remnants of cyclone Trevor came, then waiting for a sunny day for the new panels to be fitted.
Finally, Friday was dry and the electricians from Electec turned up with our new solid panels! Three hours later, all was connected!
We are still waiting for the A frame to be fitted. It has been made, but the anodising is yet to be done. We’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to be in a rush to get anything done around here! Although it would have been tempting to just install the frame as is, the anodising protects the aluminium from corrosion, so no taking off without it getting done. Without the A frame we can’t sail and are motoring anywhere we go!
Apart from this, we had a dozen hatches that needed the perspex rebedded. We managed to complete the job just before the tropical downpours started – a good test of our handy work. No more leaks!
One thing we have also managed to get while in Manly is a change over of our daggy rotten fender covers for bright funky new ones, made by Clare Earley of Sea Bear Creations. Check out the before/after pictures!
From daggy to funky! 
Even the osprey is impressed!
Life in a marina is deadly boring even when we get a few yachting buddies visiting, and worst of all it is frightfully expensive, so we are glad to be out of there. Maybe we will be ready to sail away by the end of next week… Wish us luck!
Sv-Anui 
Yikes. So much work to be done. It’s great to see that the end is more or less in sight and hopefully you will be sailing soon, Chris.
Hi Mike – yikes is a good polite word to describe how we feel! But yes hopefully the end is near. Waking up at an anchorage this morning instead of a marina was an improvement. It is so much nicer and free! Thanks for saying hello.
And, of course, it is nice for you and Wade to be back again in the same hemisphere. 🙂
Definitely!
Just a bit longer Chris… Time flies when you’re having fun, but not when you are waiting! Take care my friend! The shot with the osprey is funny! 🙂
Hi HJ – thought of you when I saw the osprey perched on the neighbour’s boat spreaders! Could not resist the shot.
Thoughts are with you. The fender covers are really funky – love them. Cant wait for you to sail away – in the nicest possible terms. We look forward to catching up – if both sets of plans go well, perhaps it will be towards the end of the year. xx Trish
A catch up somewhere south would be excellent! We can’t wait to sail away, wherever we go – at least last night was at anchor with a stunning sunset. Better times are close.
Thanks for doing these posts Chris, it’s always good to hear how things are going :-). It’s good to see Anui getting better and better as it comes up to how you like it. All the best from colder parts down south.
So pleased you visited and commented Murray. It is lovely to hear from you. It has been hard work but we are getting there. Hopefully next week we’ll get our A frame back and be able to escape at last.
Argh, the joys of owning older boats. Hopefully you will be on your way to LHI sooner than later.😎
Hiya Rusty – let’s hope so. At this stage we just want to be able to sail – anywhere will do!
Hooray, looks like the great escape is imminent.
Love the new fender covers, the old ones look a bit like old man undies – definitely not up to the standard of the shiny Anui.
Old man’s undies… so right Ann, and the one in the picture was one of the better ones! I like ‘the great escape’! Might have to use this as a post title when we finally sail away!
Good luck for your future sailing
Thank you Barbara!
You must feel good now that freedom is once again a reality! Yes, I like the fender covers too !
Marine traffic tells me you entered the port area known as ‘Cleveland’ yesterday. Is that nearby to the marina you’ve been in ?
I look forward to news of your voyage to Lord Howe. Fair sailing.
Hi Doug – we got out of Manly, anchored at Peel Island for the night then had to move to anchor at Cleveland this morning for a long bout of southerly. The bay at Cleveland is a couple of hours motoring from Manly. We are waiting there for the A frame to turn up. Without it there is no sailing anywhere! Freedom will really come when we can raise the sails again. Not sure we will make it to Lord Howe as we are running out of time. We need to be in Bundy in early May to pick up a friend and have medical stuff to do in Mooloolaba before that. Fingers crossed… if not it will be a trip for the end of the year.
Wishing you lots of luck.
Thanks Leanne – not quite out of the woods yet, but getting there!
Oh the joy that the saga of readying Anui for a future of fun is nearly over. It will be great for you to set sail again. I soooo like the covers, very flash. The ospRey is lovely. Have a nice time at anchor.
Hi Sue – yes it is much nicer being anchored and cheaper!
Good job escaping those costly marinas. Maybe a carton of amber liquid would speed up the anodizer? I am over at mays hole, kooringal and glad to report that my one and only hatch was dry with last night’s rain.
Hiya Graham, yes we are out but still waiting… we have been advised after much hassling on our part that the seagull striker will be anodised and ready to instal by Monday!
All 13 out of 14 hatches dry here too… while it is raining, we will leave the last one to dribble in the shower recess!