A heads-up for a nice website with wind and weather information. It’s called Windfinder. Apart from up to date information about wind speed and direction, it also provides wave heights and periods, temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and barometric pressure. Forecast data for a week are available, in 3 hour increments.

Another nice feature is the availability of wind statistics for most locations. The distribution of wind speed and direction can be seen for every month of the year.

For selected locations, mainly USA and NW Europe, also information on tides is provided.

After a few weeks delay, the engine finally arrived in Welkom last week. It’s a Yanmar 4JH4AE with a ZF30M mechanical multiple plate type transmission. The 4 cylinder engine develops 54 hp (40 kW) at 3000 rpm. The gear ratio of the transmission is 2.15:1.

At the front end the big bracket and double pulley is visible. Here the Balmar 24VDC, 140A, marine alternator will be fitted. This alternator will charge the 460 Ah 24VDC house bank. The other alternator at the drive end of the engine, is the 12VDC 80A alternator for the starter battery.

Every time I arrive in Japan, I have the feeling that I just landed on another planet. Friendly and polite people, fantastic food (my absolute favourite), and excellent infrastructure. This time I was in the area around Kobe, famous for Kobe beef, and the beautiful cherry blossoms this time of the year.

The transom of ‘Waratah’ is in place now. Looks great! On the deck, instead of the standard toe rail, Wynand created nice looking and sturdy bulwarks. Later cutouts will be made, to insert stainless steel guides for mooring lines and ropes, bow rollers for the anchors, and drains.

The cutout for the main sliding hatch is done, and gives view into the interior, where the companionway leads down. Next step is making all the cutouts for hatches and windows.