Top priority today is to try and sort out the autohelms. We could sail without one but when I am sitting on the foredeck dragging down a sail I like to know that the boat is going to stay in a straight line and not going to try and throw me in the drink.

First I dismantled the spare autohelm that failed on Tuesday to find that like the first it had been penetrated by water. The mass of circuit boards, motor and electronics are totally unprotected once the water is inside. It has the same affect as pouring a glass of water down the back of your TV set – not a good affect!

Although I now know what is wrong with the first Autohelm and might be able to improvise a repair on a corroded circuit board the second seems to have come to the end of its life. Even if I can fix the first I need a back up to what will be a weak link so have decided the best plan is to buy a new one.

After visiting Eyemouth library and doing a bit of searching on the internet it seem the best bet is going to be a new Simray autohelm. Just have to find somewhere to buy it from now.

Luckily the harbourmaster pointed me in the direction of Marine Radio based only a few hundred meters from the pontoon. After searching through numerous order sheets they managed to find one in stock with the wholesalers in Plymouth (of all places).

The new autohelm is due to arrive on Friday so it looks like Eyemouth is going to be home for a few days. I have to travel south at the weekend to a birthday party so the next few days will be an opportunity to catch up on the household chores. On Wednesday afternoon the assistant harbourmaster (who could not have been more helpful) let me into the laundry. Unlike all other harbours I just need to pay a one off fee to use it and with a months washing to do I was soon taking advantage. Six hours later I was on my fifth wash of the day and by midnight there was nothing more I could have washed.

Thursday was spent fifteen minutes down the road in Berwick-upon-Tweed trying to find a gas supplier and doing some shopping for the weekend. Friday was an early start on the bus to Berwick at 9am and on the train from Cambridge by ten. After a few delays due to lightning strikes earlier in the day I crawled off the train at Cambridge station shortly after 3pm.

The rest of Friday was spent resting and shopping with Susie for the ten other guests due to turn up for her birthday later on Saturday. Although I would have not missed Susie’s birthday for the world it was well worth the trip to meet up with some many people many of us having not seen each other since leaving Uni. After a few drinks in the city centre we all made it back to Susie’s house, which had been converted into a B&B for the night.

With full respect to Susie’s hospitality Rich and myself went down the road to the five star hotel, otherwise known as the parents house. Susie’s mum is like my second mother and it took some persuading in the morning that I did not need a three-course breakfast. After saying bye I spent the rest of the day recovering from the night before on the sofa down the road. Monday was spent travelling back to Eyemouth and in the evening getting Silverwind ready for departure.

This turned out to be a bit premature as I found out on Tuesday morning that the new autohelm had not been sent and would not be in Eyemouth until Wednesday at the earliest. Time to take advantage of the “free” washing machine again! At last on Wednesday afternoon the Autohelm that had been due on Friday arrived. Following half an hour work the new autohelm slotted perfectly into place where the old ones had been. We were at last ready to go sailing after sitting out two good days of wind. This was all fine but the weather was on the change again. With the wind forecast to gust to force 8 it looks like at least the weekend before we will be able to get away. The forecast was confirmed on Thursday with strong to gale force winds from the north and west due to hit later in the day. Friday was much the same as Thursday but things are looking good for a quick passage south on Saturday.