May 31, 2003
Away and Back Again

Last year our plans included an extended visit to the States. It had been 4 years since we had visited our family there. We knew we would have to find a good place to leave the boat, a place that would give us peace of mind while being gone for--well, 5 months as it turned out. There were several alternatives--like 2 marinas in Thailand that would be secure. But Thailand has some bureaucratic hassles we weren't prepared to put up with. There are 2 marinas in Langkawi (Malaysia), one with hard standing. Since we had hauled out less than a year before to fix the "keel crunch" we knew we wouldn't need that option. And marinas would be pretty expensive for that long a period.

Instead we went to the Hole in the Wall. It has always been one of our favorite anchorages in Langkawi. Scenically beautiful, lots of wildlife and birds, nice dinghy exploring with caves and rocky tunnels, and weather wise, just about bullet proof. We had several friends who had left their boats on anchor there in the past. This year, Rahmad, who operates one of the fish farms at the Hole, was laying down some moorings for the yachts. When we arrived all of them were taken, but he was just about to make 3 more. Al offered a hand, and did the splicing for the mooring pennants for Rahmad. So we knew exactly what was down there in the mud. We were comfortably moored fore and aft right in front of Rahmad's fish farm. This worked out perfectly for us (and at about one quarter the price of a marina).

Now to prepare SUNFLOWER for our long term absence as well. Lots of things are obvious. Took anything off the deck that might cause a problem. We removed the headsail from the furling gear, the sheets, even the line on the drum. We took down our exterior spinnaker and staysail halyards, leaving messenger lines in their place, well tied off so as not to bang about and chafe. Removed the cover, lazy jacks and the mainsail, (but not the battens) and placed it all on the cabin sole--just made it awkward to step around it all the time. Our main awning was due for retirement--we just added extra ties to the attachment points and hoped for the best. Having suffered the presence of a cheeky little rat while anchored in the Hole one time, Al made wire mesh inserts for the dorade boxes, a wire mesh screen for the hatch we wanted to leave open under the front awning, and mesh pieces to fit over the louvers in the hatch doors as well.

It's tropical area--hot, humid, and we still had a few months of the rainy season remaining. Mold is a problem. I did a lot of washing: clothes and the linens of course, but also the cushion covers in the main salon, and the cockpit cushions too. I scrubbed the head and galley areas very well. We left the fridge and freezer doors open for circulation. We put open bottles of bleach (bottle standing in a bucket in case of tip over) in the galley, under the table in the main salon, in the head, and up forward in the workshop, hoping the fumes would discourage the mold.

Just before we left we closed the sea cocks for the head and the sink drain. Al turned off all the switches on the panel and the main battery switch as well. Our automatic bilge pump operates independently of all that.

So what did we find on our return? SUNFLOWER was still sitting pretty. The deck and the awnings were GROSS with black mold and air pollution fall out! We couldn't figure out why the cockpit didn't seem to have suffered the same fate. Until Rahmad told us that our friend Jan, whose yacht YAWARRA was moored just astern of us, spent one whole morning with soap and water, sponging all the grime and ugly mildew from the cockpit, the dodger and the cabin top. Gold star "Beyond the Call of Duty" award of the year for JAN!

On the whole, the interior fared very well. A dusting of mildew across a drawer front by the bed. The galley was just fine, except it took quite some effort to get the galley sink pump primed and working; it's a hand pump and the leathers dry out over time. The head looked just like we had left it. Up forward there was some mold and lots of dust (?), but no more than if we had been on board all those months. So I think the bleach option did some good.

The one big problem we faced were dead batteries. Why, is still a speculation. We had left the boat 3 winters in a row in Europe, yet always returned to functioning batteries. We took the smallest battery ashore to Rahmad's and put it on the charger for 2 days. It started the engine right up! (Which had been another worry--more about the engine in another report.) Then of course with the engine running we could charge the regular bank of batteries. Once everything was reinstalled, cleaned up, and working, we dropped the mooring and headed out into the anchorages again. Now our only problem was where to put all the "stuff" we brought back with us!