Back to Sicily 2021
Cantiere Navale in Marina di Ragusa Week 1.
Very hazy, sultry warm conditions. Sunday arrival 39 deg C.
We immediately noticed that many of the roads between Catania and Marina di Ragusa have been re-sealed and many more windmills have been erected on the hills.
We arrived Sunday night and a huge amount of traffic leaving Marina di Ragusa heading north after a beautiful weekend. The town was full but almost everyone is Italian very few from other countries.
Lovely fresh fruit- nectarines, apricots, peaches, watermelons, rockmelons,. Gorgeous sweet tomatoes, cheese, prosciutto, and daily fresh bread.
Afternoon siestas and streets full of people in the evenings just wandering around.
Most people we talk to have been fully vaccinated. Italy with a population of 60m has vaccinated 49+m and achieving 540,000 per day. Sicily has 5m people and 3.9m vaccine doses have been administered.
The boatyard is looking much tidier https://www.cmrcantierenavale.com/. Unfortunately, as expected, most of the yacht work is only partially complete. Which is not unusual but disappointing. Over the last eighteen months the problem with Covid has meant that not only were there complete lockdowns but also many staff have been missing at various times. The other not unexpected issue was that the boat was filthy- mostly – the usual Saharan red dust.
The tender has had the tubes replaced and the engine fixed but the transom is not. Also, the squabs need replacing and tube covers extended. It looks unloved.
The alterations for the bunk rooms project had been done well but not finished and the squab for the new bunk had not arrived. As discovered later all the screws are zinc and not stainless and Hew had to spend a whole day of week three changing them.
The skin fittings were still being replaced this week. The new 3D printer at the boatyard has proved very handy. When some covers did not fit a modified replacement was printed.
Due to Brexit, parts from the big UK chandlery stores now not only gather VAT but also the duty and get bogged down in paperwork so all pieces are being sourced via the yard suppliers. Another improvement is the yard now has a dedicated purchaser, Antonio who also runs the 3D printer.
The Victron power monitoring gear and inverters currently undergoing a rethink as too complex for the electronics guys here. The good news is that at least we are getting some information from the new units – the bad news is the starboard battery bank is dead and needs replacing!! Maybe also the alternator.
The rigging needs replacing for insurance before we can cross the Atlantic. Unfortunately, it will take 2-3 weeks for parts, that long without a mast, and cannot be done at MdR until October. Therefore we are rethinking the rigging replacement in terms of where and when.
We had made a deposit for the deck repaint but it has not been started. The deck was repainted by the previous owner but it was a really bad job and the paint is all coming off. We have decided to leave this job until we get back to New Zealand.
On the Water at the Dockyard Week 2
Week 2 The yacht finally went into the water on Thursday and additional work that was not on the original list was also added i.e. more items were not working properly or had failed!!
We moved onboard Saturday. After two weeks ashore it was great to be back again and much much cooler.
Saturday night was a big night for Italy when they beat England for the Euro2020 Cup (delayed from last year) – the whole town was in celebration mode. All the kids were out – cars, motorbikes, electric scooters, and cycles. Electric scooters are a much bigger item here than in New Zealand – more so than electric bikes. The cruiser’s favourite Stella Bar hosted everyone again. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1097285-d6649059-Reviews-Bar_Stella_Marina-Marina_di_Ragusa_Ragusa_Province_of_Ragusa_Sicily.html
Saturday was still a workday for us but the locals get out in all forms of sea craft – traditional or not. Good to be near the water again and see all the activity. The Marina is looking very tidy and nearly completelybooked out for the winter. https://www.portoturisticomarinadiragusa.it/
Earlier in the week, we noticed that all the cockpit roof lights were falling out and needed replacement. Job finished this Sunday.
The stove too had two burners not working and a bad arrangement of burners anyway, with the largest to the rear inner corner. Removal a Sunday evening job.
At the same time, we were listening to all the Italian RIBs coming back to the Marina with their stereos on full bass!! Some of them are so good they can even outdo Gypsy the big launch on the other side. Made us realize that we had not got the stereo going yet. There are quite a few Takacats https://www.takacat.com/ here probably because the boatyard has an agency, but we hadnt seen any before except in New Zealand.
Summary at the end of week two:
Good: lights in cockpit updated, stove updated, living on the yacht, new squabs for dingy, sails and lazy bag on board.
Awaiting: Batteries, belts, pumps, engine impellers, tender finishing
Apologies for the late post but the next to follow shortly.
