After 19 seasons, when we have cruised Abemama in several countries, we decided to do something a bit different.  We bought a caravan for two reasons; (A) to live in when we are working on the boat ashore.  Existing on a boat on the hard is real purgatory and we had a lot to do this year (B) we wanted to escape the Med heat and the pushy crowds and inflated prices of the high season, by going up into the cool of the mountains. We already had a suitable tow car, which would also carry the Tinker Foldaway RIB, sails, mast and 4 x 4 Yamaha outboard.  We obtained an immaculate 2003 Bailey Ranger 500/5 caravan, with many accessories including a full awning for a very reasonable price and some very helpful sales staff at Chichester Caravans, Bromsgrove.  This was in contrast to some of our dealings in the marine trade. Getting it was a very pleasant experience.

We had a lot to do, because several of the basics were getting a bit tired.  This included the 'wet', semi traction, starting and domestic batteries, which had done 3 seasons and I suspected that their 'maintenance-free' days were numbered. [ Because family problems forced us to leave in a hurry in Sept 2006, I did not even disconnect the batteries.  When we returned in May 2007, they were down to 10.2 V but not only recovered, but held their charge and are still in use by the boatyard owner.  So much for all my theories about batteries wrecking themselves if discharged more than 50% capacity]

After plenty of research and asking around, we decided to replace them with Optima, spiral wind technology... expensive, totally non-spill, long life, totally maintenance free... and much, much lighter than those we planned to take out ... if we could lift them..... and if we could transport the new ones  in the car, which was already destined to be filled with a mountain of other gear and to tow the caravan. It coped

Our dying battery bank was enormous.  In addition to the pair in  the picture (cranking left/domestic right) we had a second domestic in a port side locker alongside the engine space.  That gave us about 450 Amps, but the CW can carry it easily.  With hindsight, even with a boat a bit top heavy on electrics and electronics, this was much more than we needed.  Fortunately, as a motor sailer, we usually have the engine running (mostly ticking over) on passage, so there are no problems with charging, even though our alternator is well below the norm of having an alternator at least 30% of the power of the battery capacity

I have no grumbles with the way the three batteries had worked for 3 years, but they  were too heavy and nearing the end of their life expectancy, so they had to go. I could not get them out alone but Jacques, the Castelsarrasin yard man, is immensely strong.  He perspired, but he did it unaided.

Optima spiral wind batteries were the choice for a number of reasons.  They are much smaller than 'wet' batteries and are completely sealed.  They are also, lighter and completely maintenance free for an expected life of about 10 years.  At nearly £200 each, they are also expensive, but this price can be bettered by asking around and will soon tumble, thanks to a new factory in Mexico.

The new bank was easy to lift in but, as with all modifications, then the trouble started. None of the wires was of the correct length and they are too numerous and complex to change.  I did not fancy the labour and expense of our third rewiring, so we had to be pragmatic -- doing the best we could with what we had available, 700 miles away from home.

The wiring looks a bit of a mess, but it has worked well for a umber of years.  I was taken to task by a PBO reader because we have red cables on 2 terminals, but we have them polarity tagged and have a wiring chart, so we know exactly what does what. This is not work for a client, it is us working for us, so commercial rules do not apply.  When we did the original installation, they were all we had to hand.  The lay out has worked well for 12 years.  That is good enough for me.

The red Optima  is a specialist  85A cranking battery, which can be left unmolested for a year without losing its charge.  The blues are 70A batteries.  The advantage of Optima is that they can be completely discharged, unlike a normal battery, which can only be dropped to 50% of its rated capacity, before damage occurs. So, a 70A unit is equal to about 140A of wet battery.  We have two in the engine space and a third in an adjacent locker.  There was room to put it with the others, but the cables had been installed for the old batteries and would not reach up into the engine space, so we had to compromise and reinstall one battery in the locker.... not what I had planned but, as I say, you can only do what the situation allows.

Batteries in, we started on the cooker.  We rarely use the oven, especially in The Med, because it makes the saloon too hot.  It was still in very good nick, but had to go. Removal was easy and a grateful yachtie took it away to his own boat FOC.

We have replaced the oldie with a Plastimo 2 burner hob and grill.  Plastimo used to be seen as a bit shoddy, but they now do some very good gear and the girl who advised us had been a chef on a charter yacht, so really knew her stuff, in a very practical sense. The new unit is smaller and lighter than the old, so the freed-up space beneath will accommodate a microwave oven, wired on a plug, so that we can easily remove it to the caravan if we need.

We had developed some vibration at the prop and hitting what we think was a car in the canal had torn away our Spurs cutters.  Yard owner Bernard, cut a new shaft key, tightened it all up and replaced the cutters ... at about 25% of the labour charges experienced in UK

We also installed a new Waeco 60 litre fridge.  That was an easy task, with very simple wiring and clear instructions.  The old one had a holding plate which freezes well down and then slowly gives up its coldness over 8 hours, after the engine stops.  This conserves battery power.  However, these days, Med anchorages are difficult to find, so we are usually in mainas on 240V.  The plate is not needed, so the new model does not have it.  Even so, it is a very superior piece of kit, with many innovations ... like a drain from the water holder straight into the bilges, a device to hold the door ajar when left for long periods, good locking for when the boat heels, improved opening handle and changed, cleaner interior and - of course - the very efficient and economical Danfoss compressor.

We also have a cool box/refrigerator/ deep freeze which can be 12VdC or 240Vac.  It is great to hold bottles of real cool, water and beer in the Med heat.  It can be cooled right down at home and then put into the car to keep food fresh on the way to the boat ... in our case 700 miles South of home.

This year, we added a cover to the cool box.  This increases insulation, prevents damage and makes the unit much easier to carry from car to boat to car to caravan.

The new lightweight gas bottles are marvellous.  In UK they are butane (10Kg or 6Kg of gas) in a newly designed bottle ,made of a plastic-like substance, which is much, much lighter than metal and is transparent, so you can see the liquid level.  This is the way all liquid gas will go.  In UK the cylinders are called BPLight and are green.  In France, the are produced by Antargaz and were on offer at  €50 including a new regulator.  We are converted.

When we were working on the boat, living in the caravan was easy de-luxe.  I hate climbing a 12 rung ladder every time I want to enter the boat, with no loo, no running water and either being out in the rain, or deep in the dark winter storage hangar.  This year, working on the boat was pleasure.  The caravan was parked in the boatyard, which has electricity and a shower..  Where in UK could you do that?  The view from the restaurant patio was not beautiful, but the menu was excellent.  It always is with us.  Which explains why, this year, we did not once patronise a restaurant on shore.   This has no financial significance.  I just do not like restaurants.

This is Kiwi Pete, who is a good woodworker.  He was stuck for several weeks in CastelS with a very sick engine.  As Abemama had a serious water leak in through rear door when it rains, we did a trade off.  Pete did our joinery and I was the interpreter to sort out all the technical language and complex ordering for his engine rebuild. The Black Economy.  Great. We did a lot of work prior to launching.  It was not made easier by still being in our Winter storage hangar, where it is very dark.  However, it got done and we launched for a much shorter cruise than normal.

Stowing all the gear in the car , then carrying all the boat and caravan equipment up the steep mountain roads was always going to be a consideration.  In the event, Rita's genius at organised packing and a bit of Landrover power, solved all the problems, aided by some useful gear, like the Yamaha 4Hp 4stroke engine cover, which makes the unit easy to carry, protects it from scratches and shields the other stuff in the car: also obviates grease on the carpet and petrol smell in the air It was £50 well spent.

The Tinker Foldaway RIB is an ingenious concept.  With sponsons deflated, bow and stern fold into the centre compartment.  You can see the dimensions and other boat details on the Henshaw Inflatables, or the Tinker website.  It is great gear, but like all superiority, comes at a highish price.  For the full sailing version, you will not get any change from over £3000, but it has given us incalculable value in fun as a sailing boat, a motorised explorer and for 'oaring around.'

We tried the listed site, alongside the sailing centre, at La Regate.  It was rubbish, crawling with dogs and kids and poor facilities for £13 a night.  The launch place, listed as direct into the lake, was 300 yards away and not easy; so we moved to a farm over the other side of the water. It has good showers etc and 10amp electricity plus Freedom, as in the photograph, we put the 'van where we wished.  Fee £10 per day. The lake was just down the hill.  It was good, so we stayed for a couple of weeks.

This is the view from our other window. Montbel was created as an agricultural irrigation source.  By mid Summer, the farmers have all been pumping away for a couple of months and the lake was about 10 metres down on its norm ... but still plenty big enough for us.  Normally there is only one island, but the extra one made the sailing more interesting, especially as the wind on inland lakes is notoriously fickle in both strength and direction.

The site was good for €15 a night all in.  During the day, it was very warm and temperate, but at night it was thermal pyjama (or caravan heating) time,even in Summer.  Most amusing was having to scrape summer ice off the windscreen at 0900 in the morning.  However, it was still a nice, unusual place to be.