Here's Geoff getting the bottom ready for launch . . .
Here's Geoff getting the bottom ready for launch . . .
Now begins the launch sequence . . . crain me up
And onto the "trailer" for transport to the launch ramp . . .
"Well, I finally launched UHURU with the words, “I return UHURU to her element, Gold bless her and all who sail in her.” Then I smashed a bottle of “Champers’” on her bow, climbed aboard and in she went . . ."
"We warped UHURU over to the fuel wharf and tried to fill her up with diesel."
"We filled her up OK, but it was with sea water. I had left the engine raw water intake seacock open and the pipe not connected to the engine.
Yikes! (not quite the word used) – We’re sinking – Get those cowardly women and children out of the way – Save the crew! The good new is, the bilge pump works perfectly
"Hey, there's water down here . . ."
"The next shock came when we tried to fill the fuel tank. The breather system didn’t breath and we couldn’t get the screw-in inspection hatch to un-screw. We couldn’t fill the tank, so no engine. Since we couldn’t mess about on the fuel wharf, we used the dingy to move UHURU to a marina pen."
Here comes the rescue dinghy . . .