Author: captainyaxblue

Still in La Grande Motte (LGM)Still in La Grande Motte (LGM)



Itching to get going, but our repairs, which began last September, are not finished as off yet. Hard to believe. We know. Repairs in France feel more like a Foxtrot:

Foxtrott You think you moved, but when you look back – not really!

One segment of electrical work was done last week and genuine new problems pop up. An Electrician worked on the essential seaworthiness list and several items were ticked off. But, when we used an electrical winch on Saturday, you get it, it failed for electrical reasons. And yes, the electrical winches had never failed us before.

We are not saying it’s not nice here, see the photo at the end, but we rather would be going somewhere.

There is one exception to the Foxtrot rule.  That is a company called Thalassa Nautique whose owner Olivier Glenadet appears on time and works super diligently. More about his work in a separate post later.

We have to leave port on Feb 24 because the Capitanerie needs the space. Let’s hope the critical things are done by then.

Is it nice in La Grande Motte? Yes, if you are here voluntarily.

LGM view dock p

26 Hours Travel26 Hours Travel



Back from the USA and reunited with Lunara.

She urgently needs a wash. Some work has been done by the contractors in our absence. Good!

Exhausted and happy.

Out for dinner in Marin’ Sol (our favorite restaurant here) getting a Pizza L’Espagnole!

Merry ChristmasMerry Christmas



We wish all our friends and families a Merry Christmas!

We thank all of you who listened patiently to our boat stories. 2019 will definitively be a better year.

All of you, whose crewing and travel plans were trashed due to ‘electrical difficulties’ onboard Lunara, we thank you for your understanding.

We thank everyone who shared our enthusiasm for french champagne and back to back serial parties onboard 🙂

We had good times in 2018 – nevertheless.

Merry Christmas

Glædelig Jul

Frohe Weihnachten

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noël

Feliz Natal

Susanne and Martin + LUNARA

Paris, Christmas Market Jardin de TuliereParis, Christmas Market Jardin de Tuliere



Visited our favorite Christmas Market in Paris. We had help from our local tour guide Remy 🙂

At first we tried a Raclette Baguette – hmmmm! But then stayed focussed as you can see!

 

Heading to Paris, Pretty EarlyHeading to Paris, Pretty Early



enroute to Paris Miami-1

Got up at 5:50. Readied the boat and left her at 8:00  🙁

enroute to Paris Miami-3

Olivier is the owner of the well known stainless steel fabricator PRODINOX in La Grande Motte. He was so nice to drive us to the TGV station in Montpellier.

TGV 6.001

Traveling in France is completely different. We are going quietly 300km per hour, enjoy good WiFi (free) and have decent food onboard, all for a very reasonable price.

The days under a tent are gone!The days under a tent are gone!



Deck repairs are through the critical phase. We are rain and water proof again :-). The epoxy primer is on!

primer on (1 of 1)

Now comes the fairing compound to make it all level and smooth.

This morning we had a beautiful sunrise (again) and Lunara looked good without the green hospital gown from the prior days.

last tent day sunrise (2 of 2)

Grinding Gelcoat – UpdateGrinding Gelcoat – Update



Extremely dusty job despite a tent and all the protective foil. The fine dust goes everywhere and if you get the particles on your skin it itches. I am glad that I do not have to do this job.

The picture below is the contractor Olivier from Thalassa Nautique grinding down the deck. Today, Friday, it rains which means the humidity levels are too high and temperatures too low for the epoxy primer to cure. We hope for Monday to be drier and warmer (no rain and 16C days high)

Thalassa 11 29 grinding (1 of 1)

Olivier at work

Grinding day after

The sanded areas, with the pure fiber shining through, are protected against rain and humidity.

Later that day (yesterday) I took a relaxing dinghy tour through the port. Well honestly, I went on an escape from the dust and sorrow look of the boat.Mood improvement LGM

Grinding Down the DeckGrinding Down the Deck



Grinding down the deck #3 11 29

Packaging artist Christo was here

Osmosis Treatment on the top deck of Lunara. Today, we finally started the partial gelcoat removal on the coach roof. Boat is dusty everywhere. We hoped for a grinder with integrated dust removal. That is not happening – sadly. The weather window is marginal, meaning temperature and humidity levels are a notch above the minimum required for this work. Thank god we are in Southern France.

Can’t make a photo of the actual work since I lack the protective equipment for myself.

Grinding down the deck #5 11 29

Dust protection

Grinding down the deck #4 11 29

Taking measure with the new solar panels