A sheared davit weld left Lauren unable to lift the dinghy, with no welder nearby
The most serious structural damage from the passage was a completely snapped weld on the stern davit arch. The stainless steel tubing joint sheared clean through, leaving two structural components disconnected. With no welders known to be available in Fakarava, Lauren planned to ask around among other sailors and hoped the dive boats might have someone who could help. In the meantime, the davit was effectively unusable for lifting the dinghy. The fallback was an engine-mount davit that still allowed her to lift the outboard solo, but getting the dinghy on deck single-handed was a new challenge she'd never tackled on this boat.
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Sometimes replacing the whole toilet assembly is faster than chasing seal failures
Lauren's aft head had seals replaced a couple of times and still was not working properly. Rather than continuing to chase individual seal failures, she decided to replace the entire assembly. The result: two out of three heads on the boat
Heavy calcium buildup in hoses can defeat even a new toilet pump
On the master head, Lauren replaced the pump assembly but the toilet still was not working correctly. Her suspicion is that the hose itself has too much calcium buildup inside it, meaning the new pump is fighting against a restricted line.
Sail shops can be genuinely helpful when you are single-handed
When Lauren picked up her sail from the sail shop, the woman there and her assistant offered to help carry it back to the boat, recognizing that getting a sail aboard solo is not easy. That kind of assistance from a marina or sail loft can