Entry Date: 15.10.2020, at 13:39:47 hrs (local)
Whangarei - Whangarei
SuAn falls dry
| PRID: | 12024 |
|---|---|
| LegID: | 325 |
| LegNo: | 73 |
| Latitude: | S034°48.56' |
| Longitude: | E173°07.53' |
| Day#: | 970 |
| Log (Day): | 1 nm |
| Log (Leg): | 588 nm |
| Log (Total): | 51783 nm |
Before we take SuAn to such a shallow spot in order to set her on her keels, Lutz is testing the underground the day before at low tide. Such a maneuver needs to be planned carefully: Are the tidal differences big enough? Is the weather right, wind direction, wind speed and current directions? Are the waves not to big? Is the underground stable and flat?
Today the conditions are good and in the morning at high tide we maneuver SuAn to the selected spot, have about 1,80 m of water and wait at anchor, that the tide goes out. Two hours later SuAn touches ground and with each little wave shocks and vibrations go through the whole rig and hull. This is always a nail biting experience.
Another two hours later Lutz is changing the sensor for the forward looking sonar in the bottom of the hull. No water can splash in through the hole in the hull, since now SuAn stands high and dry.
Since we still have more than one hour time before the water comes back we take a hike over the mudflats. Back on board, soon the water comes back, later the nail biting shocks and vibrations together with much more wind than foretasted. And just when SuAn swims again we go anchor off and back to the mooring.
The sensor is changed, mission accomplished, but the problem of the forward looking sonar not solved. It was not the sensor, but it now is probably the display of the forward looking sonar, which needs to be replaced. This means sending it back to Europe in order to get it repaired under warranty and back.
