Got a WhatsApp text from JP last night, said they will be here at 8:30 am. I had trouble sleeping last night thinking about the mainsail and if we should try and take it down. I’m up at 5:30 am, it’s very calm so Christy and I take a crack at it by 6 am.

I try push/pull on the outhaul and inhaul but I wasn’t careful enough with the inhaul and it jams again. No way we can get the sail out, let alone down. It’s about 15% out, I can’t even bring it in. Tear up my finger with a rope blister before getting smart and putting on gloves. Nothing for it but to hope JP can change the furler with the sail on or else help us get it down.

We’ve got some time now so I row our old dinghy into the harbour, put Christy’s “A vendre” sign on and walk back to the boat. Fingers crossed.

Also at 9 am, the fridge guy shows up and happily for us exchanges the fridge controller for my EU$350.

JP shows up alone right on time and starts working on the furler. He manages to get the old one out, which is a big step. This allows him to wind in the mainsail by hand at least. The old one is in bad shape but serves as a decent template for installing the new one at least. His helper Valentine shows up and the two of them work on the problem. After fishing the bolt blocks out of the bottom of the mast, they glue them on and leave, saying they will be back when the glue dries. I remind him we’re only here today, he says No problem, we will finish today.

Christy walks to LeClerc while I fill up our water tanks and wait for JP and gang to return.

JP and gang come and go a couple of times, the new furler doesn’t quite fit so they will have to adjust. In fact, there is an adjustment on it but none of us noticed (there are no instructions) to shorten it by the 5 cm they need. They take it back to the shop to McGiver it. Towards the end of the day I ask Valentine if I should try and extend another day. He says, perhaps, he will come to the office with me to ask since “They always say no” otherwise. As he’s cleaning up his tools on the front, Marcel, the boss of the Captainerie goes by in his runabout and Valentine calls out to him. They know each other well and shout back and forth. “All set” says Valentine, “just go into the office in the morning”.

This relieves some stress.

Later Astrid and Ben swing by and I invite them in for coffee. As they come aboard Christy comes back and we sit in the cockpit chatting. Ben and I share some magnet/compass stores and I tell him about our 180 degree problem with our plotter. Has some good advice – read the manual – what a concept. They borrow our GoPro to film the coral reef attached to the bottom of their cat – it has been abandoned for 3 years so quite a lot of growth and animals living there.

The water was off in the washrooms today so later Christy and I walk over to see if it’s back on. I’m ready for a shower and shave. The water is on and as we walk back we see something going on behind the Captainerie – it’s a wine tasting that we’ve been invited to. Don’t drink the stuff so we don’t stop in. There are only 3 patrons there surprisingly.

Leftover chicken curry which is very good for dinner.