S/V Code Blue

Code Blue – Poor Knight Islands and Our Trip South from Opua December 17, 2016

12-17-16

We had a really good time with the All Points rally in Opua, in the Bay of
Islands, but it was time to move on down the coast and back to Whangarei.
It’s hard to believe that it’s our third time to New Zealand. We left Opua on Tues, Nov 29 and got to Whangarei on Sat, Dec 3. Had mostly good
weather, but not much wind. It’s still quite a change from the weather in
Fiji. We have the flannel sheets on our bunk with a blanket and a
comforter. The days get into the 70’s but down to the low 60’s at night
and that’s cold to us!

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s/v Code Blue — U Safe – Robot Life Guard November 19, 2016

Judy with Code Blue at the Opua quarantine dock notice the yellow q-flag

Judy with Code Blue at the Opua quarantine dock

U Safe – Robot Life Guard

One of the skippers found this on the web. Thought I’d send to you. We’re at our limit of weight and space and beyond but I like the idea. Several models.

http://www.norasperformance.com/

U Safe

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Made Opua on 11-16 7:30pm November 16, 2016

Now on the dock. Only 8 day passage our fastest yet. All Points Rally
just started. Gale is going on off shore. Made it in just in time.

Computer glitch for right mouse click on software. Chart plotter and
Airmail on SSB would not work. Main autopilot software not holding our
heading. Backup windvane tiller pilot worked great. Fast sailing mostly

Steve & Judy
S/V Code blue

News From Code Blue November 13, 2016

I got a short note this morning from Carl on S/V Sequoia they are sailing to NZ with Code Blue.  Code Blue can’t send email right now.

Code Blue is OK and doing fine and should be in Opua on Wed or Thurs.

Current location 28-04S  174-35E

Mike

s/v Code Blue – Status Report Crossing from Fiji to NZ November 10, 2016

[position] 20 23S, 175 17E
[heading] 190M
[speed] 5-6 kt
[weather] 10-20 kt, ESE, 50% cc, 1012, 1-2m
[status] winds variable speed, all well on board
Temperature 75 to 72 F.
Winds have been mostly 10 to 24 at most. Sometimes down less for a while.

Judy’s shift of 4 1/2 hours not the best, Heidi not holding, up and down winds, sail changes. Slower boat. Now 3am local, 14:00 UTC so my turn. So far enough time to do a report. We’ve been chatting with other boats at 6pm and 9am on 8.173 Mhz on SSB radio. We left a day earlier than other boats Rewa and Sequoia from Fiji to NZ, but they are faster and longer. Our mileage has been decent at 126 and 123 miles. 63 miles for last 12 hrs. 3778 trip odometer with 316 miles for the trip. Silhouette waiting for 20th or so.

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Left Vuda Point Marina Nov 8th at 1:55pm November 8, 2016

Leaving Vuda Point Marina

Originally we were set to fill up fuel at 9:30am today Nov 8th but some boat came in and emptied their tank of 700 liters and we had to wait for the fuel truck that was supposed to arrive at 10am but due to other stops we finally got fuel to their tank at 1pm. Then we had to wait until they were done before we could start. They wanted to make sure they got what they paid for on their dip stick. We took on 42 plus gallons at about $2.65 USD a gallon.

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Code Blue – Getting the Right Size Stuffing Box Material 1/4 Inch November 6, 2016

Installed – No Leaks

Things are going pretty good, boat wise, finally. Our stuffing box, this is a hose and bronze Pipe thing that stops water from coming in the boat via the propeller shaft. There is stuffing box material, Brits & Fiji folks call packing gland material. I bought some in the USA and brought with me but I find out it is 5/16″ instead of 1/4″ which is what the boat needs. Finally I figured out why my stuffing box was overheating, I managed to jam 5/16″ material into 1/4″ stuffing box space. Not good.

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s/v Cove Blue – Musket Cove November 2, 2016

MC Sunset – Musket Cove Sunset

To Code Blue followers, 11-2-16

We finally left Vuda Point Marina, Fiji; 10-29-15 now in Musket Cove with mostly sailing, 18 miles to get here. Great sunset, mango ice cream cone and a beer on the 29th.
Got our:

1) Autopilot for main steering quadrant is working but first it said “ERROR 34”, only two 400 degree laps to calibrate the compass and a few more steps in increasing wind and swell conditions. This increased our mileage to Musket Cove, but turned out great.

2) Stuffing box — I tried to get a normal third layer in but didn’t make it, so it was getting too hot, too fast due to over tightening the stuffing material. Finally better but still a ways to go.

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Code Blue – Sugar Cane Train October 13, 2016

Pool – Cool water with swim bar

To Code Blue folks 10-7-16

We wanted to check out another restaurant nearby Vuda Point and walked along the railroad tracks for a bit toward the Anchorage Restaurant about 1 mile away south and then a sugar cane locomotive came along, and I put out my thumb to hitch a ride and he stopped a ways toward the restaurant so I ran to the cab and jumped in. He started up and then stopped when he saw Judy walking fast so he stopped again. I blew the whistle, later a car was parked across part of the tracks, so the Assistant Engineer tugged on the whistle and kept it on until a lady came running to her car and moved it. About a 7 minute ride by train. They had two sugar cars with sugar cane on the back of the engine that was running backwards.

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s/v Code Blue – New Stuffing Box Hose & Anti-foul Paint October 6, 2016

Cyclone Hole1 – About 7 weeks

s/v Code Blue folks, 10-6-16

We are in Fiji at Vuda Point Marina on the west side of the big island. We were hauled out as only $50 USD to be put in a cyclone hole. Special price due to help getting boats to Fiji by the marina because of cyclone Winston, Cat. 5. A long trench pit with vehicle tires used as supports 3 sets on each side. We left Fiji Aug. 13th to go to Seattle for medical check ups and boat parts etc. I thought I could paint the bottom while in the hole when we came back with hired help of $8 per hour. That didn’t work too well so we had to move the boat to jack stands and for the first time I hired antifoul paint help.

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