After three months of enjoyable cruising in Thailand and having to friends come and visit it was time to once again get caught up on our boat maintenance. No we don't just sit around and drink margarita's and read books every day. Boats need lots of constant upkeep. It has been three years since our last haul out and it truly should be done every two years. We had originally planned for this in December but after doing all the work in Danga Bay we needed a break to read and drink margaritas.
Since the boat yard is located on an island and has only a small chandlery we spent ten days anchored off the main town of Kuah trying to gather everything necessary for our work while out of the water. We stocked up on not only the boat repair items but also essential provisions. It is possible to go in to Kuah but requires first a 15 minute ferry ride then either renting a car or using a taxi. Food is not to much of a problem as the store at the Rebak resort carries quite a few things and on Fridays a "veggie" seller meets the 0845 ferry with lots of goodies for sale. Still it's necessary to be organized for the time your hauled out and on the hard.
Our list of project started with cleaning, sanding and painting the bottom with anti-fouling paint, scrubbing and waxing the hull, removing the wind vane steering system which has never worked and after our recent transmission problems included new oil seals for the transmission and one for the rear of the engine. There is not a reliable mechanic in the boat yard so the engine and transmission work will be learn as I go.
We hauled on April 1 and first was a high pressure wash to remove growth. We were moved to a hard stand location with the boat propped
up in a cradle with supports under the bow and stern. Next was the placement of the ladder. Our home that normally floats is now ten feet in the air and accessed via ladder. Of course we continue to live aboard. The sink now empties into a bucket and the toilets are no longer usable; but we are close to the restroom's and the shower's are not a far walk. There is a special restaurant for the yachties and we can even bring our own beverages. There is internet at the speed of molasses which is why I write these on our sailmail provider. Hopefully I will be able to up load some photos soon. It's hot here so we have rented an air conditioner which manages to keep the inside boat temperature at 80 degrees during the day. Working outside you try to stay on the shady side and use the hose liberally for cooling.
Once settled our first project was preparing the bottom for new anti-fouling paint. After the high pressure wash the bottom still had to be scrubbed and then sanded, real FUN. Definitely a "blue" job especially with blue paint you turn blue. Kathy was busy cleaning the hull of the boat with oxalic acid in preparation to apply wax before we go back in the water
As I write this we have just had our second earthquake, the first generated a tsunami warning. All the occupied boats are leaving the marina but here on the hard we'll just sit and wait.
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