February 9th, 2019
After many weeks of upgrades, corrections, and testing, Home Free is on her way across the Mediterranean.
My Dad joined me last week for the trip, and I have made him sit patiently while we worked out the last of the bugs, performed sea-trials, waited for repairmen, added fuel, food and water and all sorts of other preparations. Today, after one last check of the stabilizers, we untied from the dock in Perama for the last time,
In about two hours we will enter the Corinth canal and be heading West.
The engine updates mean we are forced to run the engine at 1500 rpm for 100 hours. Before cleaning the bottom, that would have pushed the boat along at about 5.8 knots. With a clean bottom, perfectly still seas and zero wind we are travelling at 6.5 knots. Yay!! It will all be worth it in the end.
The delays mean that we will avoid the run up to Albania for fuel and try to make it to S. Spain before the 22nd. A lot will depend on weather and we will see how everything goes, as we go.
I will try to provide some updates along the way, but for those of you checking up on my Dad, we are now moving and this long journey will be an interesting test of the boat.
Good luck Don. I’m watching your progress on marine traffic. Calm seas I see. David