Shamal's Logo

Shamal's Logo

Notification

November 2020: Shamal and her Crew have arrived safely back into Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand completing their circumnavigation a year ago. Due to Covid-19 and New Zealand's Boarders being closed, they will continue to spend their 2020/21 Summer exploring some of New Zealand's waters. Thanks to all of you for following our Adventures. There will be more.

03 August 2016

The Intracoastal Waterways - I.C.W. Part Three


Hello Once Again

 
St Augustine Marine Centre
I suppose many of you will have given up on ever hearing from us again thinking we may have merged into the American society taking down roots here – NO WAY  - this adventure has a way to go yet.

 
Five months on, with SHAMAL on the hard in the St Augustine Marine Centre in northern Florida, seemed like a life time, even though we were not living on board all that time.  Once out of the water we started on that GREAT list of boat jobs.  It was February and still very cold.  It took us the first ten days to get our power sorted out.  As you know the USA system runs on 110 volts while our system is 220 volts.  With our first step-up step-down transformer blowing every five minutes, we had some cold nights.  Alec managed to sort that by buying a larger transformer which also meant he could run all his power tools from it as well.  The first main job was to have the seals in the sail drive replaced.  That involved moving the engines forward to fit them in, but that job was completed before Alec had to leave for Vietnam to do a yacht delivery with an American couple.