Base camp, Setúbal

The Wong has been moored up in the fishing harbour of Setúbal, Portugal for a few weeks now, whilst awaiting new crew and getting some enhancements for the Atlantic crossing later in the year.

Two more crew have been to visit and are confirmed for the next leg of the voyage - Mike from the South of England, currently advertising extrordinaire, soon-to-be adventurer and Siân, also from England, formerly environmental researcher and now on a quest for a new life and new, exciting experiences. Siân is now living aboard the boat to help out with the work that needs doing and with preparing the provisions needed by the crew.

Work is making slow but steady progress. A local welder has repaired the broken stanchions and toe rails, which have been painted too. Today a friend Antonio, who regularly brings buckets of fresh fish, began fitting wooden panels to make the cockpit more weather-proof. In time we will use putty to seal it and make it as warm and water-tight as possible.

The top two panels of the main sail have been fitted with a stronger material and the booms have been extended with bamboo to make sure the positioning is just right. The finished panels are hanging well and have a really good shape.

In the next week we hope to move round the corner to Sesimbra, where we can haul out and start on coating the hull with epoxy tar and anti-fouling paint. We aim to set sail for Madeira at the end of November!

Limited berths available so get in touch via email or phone if you fancy the challenge!