Crew changes, boat challenges...

So here I am in gatwick again, waiting for a flight to Copenhagen from where I will get a train on to Kalmar, Sweden, where shoo shoo waits. I am now starting to feel the first few pangs of adrenalin running through me due to the upcoming voyage home with Anne Marie. I had a Skype call with Oz and Eric last night, and all seems good out there, although it's starting to hit home with me what a trip there is coming up around the corner. I have had a few crew let downs lately as well; now although this is not completely unexpected, it is dawning on me it is actually a big bodyblow, as Jay, jano and ed are all three good sailors and adventurers, and any small yacht crew would feel their loss. I have a few people who could still make the trip, however, and perhaps by shortening the first leg to Mexico rather than all the way to Cuba, I can attract some other adventurers. So three crew so far are myself, Oz, and James. Oz has done plenty of sailing before, and is a handy fellow to have around, with his curmudgeonly countenance and heavy streak of pessimism a sound attitude to go to sea with, in such a vessel. James is less experienced with sailing, allegheny he is familiar with wooden boats, and impressed me with a good showing on a windy crossing of the North Sea this spring with shoo shoo. His mechanical knowledge and strength should be of good use. The water tank sprung a leak last week, and Oz has been busy fixing it. A solid riveted steel tank with lead piping, almost certainly original from 1911, had a large crack in the bottom. A piece of steel epoxied over the crack, and then a good skim of cement in the bottom should cure it, and fingers crossed the sides are ok.....! Eric is getting closer with the bowsprit, and hopefully he and Oz will be able to fit them soon so the sailmaker can come and measure for the jibs and topsail. The sails are the biggest outlay so far, but I think it would seem a good decision to make the investment, as we have a good long way to travel, and they are going to power us all the way, apart from when we will be relying on the old Perkins to push us through the Panama Canal. We still need to sort the cooker out, which doesn't work, the lights, electrics, a charging system, as well as deck fittings, fitting the spars, new running rigging, and likely standing rigging. It is going to be a difficult couple of months waiting to get out there, wishing I could be out with Oz preparing for the trip...