If you’ve been following us, you know that it’s been a while since we updated this blog – apologies for that – a lot of rather overwhelming events have happened in the last couple of weeks and I have needed some time to get my head around it all.

The week before last we spent at Les Sables D’Olonne Yacht Marina, finally getting to see Grey Wanderer in her proper environment on the water – she looks fantastic, and is everything we anticipated.

Once we got over the thrill it was time to knuckle down and review everything to make sure it all functioned as designed.  There were a few snags, and some unfinished woodwork, but nothing major.  Stephen from North Sea Maritime provided a much needed objective point of view, and came up with a list of items for Alubat to address, including some that we had missed while examining the fixtures and fittings through our excited but rather rose tinted spectacles.

We had to apply for various special permissions to take her out for a trial sail, as she was at that point still partly owned by Alubat.  The harbour authorities insisted that we attach special boards to the side of the boat with Alubat’s registered company details – rather like dealer plates used when test driving a car in the UK.  We also had to take one of their staff with us.  As the only date we could arrange this for was a French pubic holiday, we might have had to abandon the plan if it hadn’t been for one of the Alubat craftsmen who very kindly volunteered to give up a few hours of his holiday to go with us – Thank you Francois!

There was not much wind for the trial sail, but enough to check everything worked.  Just as well we did, as 2 of the reefing pennants (the ropes that help make the main sail smaller in high winds) were too short.  This has been added to the snag list.

All the work is being addressed this week and next, along with fitting the navigation electronics, and everything should be completed by the time we go down to sail her home. (We hope!)

You’ll find out if it all went to plan in the next update……..   Meanwhile, here she is in her true element.