SV Loukia

After what seems like an age of work and boat jobs (of course) we finally snuck out to Fitzroy Island for a few days.  Friday looked like it was going to be calm so we left on Thursday so we had a breeze.  We motored out of the inlet and put the sails up in a lovely 10(ish) knots.   Once out of the channel we heard a message ping on our phones and it was my neice and her husband posting a photo of themselves in their boat motoring out of the inlet as well.  We called them up and they came over to say hello. We took photos of each othe, had a chat and then each continued on our way.  Doung and Amy were going fishing for the day. Fi using the binoculars to try and find a mooring bouy.  Wasnt to be so found a nice place to anchor Arrived at Fitzroy after a long upwind sail (we may have used the motor a little bit).  Drop the anchor and cracked a beer.  Fi was very happy to be back at Fitzroy again. That is one smug looking sailor We love our charcoal BBQ Life is good

  'Woohoo', the rigging is replaced by the Guru's Mal and Pete from Port Douglas.  Then Fi and I wander up to the club bar for a well earned beer.  Not more than an hour passed and as we returned to the boat and I see this boomkin stay dangling in the water.  Wait, that's not right?? Yikes!!!  One of our chainplates has broken, which is very bad.  But also very good in the it happened whilst alongside at the marina and not under way which could have resulted in losing the mast. So after calming down from escaping a near disaster we work out whether to buy new chainplates from Bud (former Westail GM and now supplier of parts) and get them shipped to Cairns from the USA.  Or get them made locally.  After chatting to a few people we ordered them from Bud and they were here the following week. "Westsail 32" you say, "the chainplates are external so easy to get to".  Sure the plates are easy, you can see them but what about the bolts and nuts on the insid