Hauling Out

Waiting in the haul out slip

October 27, 2014
We are now on the boat yard schedule to get hauled out of the water for a bottom paint job and full polish of her top sides.  While out of the water we will be livingaboard or "on the hard" as it called. Sailors do not like living on the hard.  It's...well....hard.  Actually, pain in the arse would probably be a better term.  We will have to climb a ladder each time we want to get on or off the boat.  We will be limited on the use of our water and more importantly the thru hulls that allow grey water to drain.  Our heads are salt water flush into a holding tank so we will be using the bathhouse exclusively.  Some people get hotel rooms while their boat is on the hard.  This time around we plan to stay aboard so we can keep an eye on everything and monitor....everything.  Additionally we will be working on projects while we get the bottom painted.  Imagine that!  Make no mistake, boats are designed to be in the water and sailors are designed to live on boats in the water.  Anything else is unnatural and just plain weird feeling.

Stay tuned for updates from Life On The Hard.

Travel lift moving into position

Update Monday November 3rd.  

Early this morning we maneuvered carefully out of our slip and the short distance into the haul out slip where Tom expertly backed us in and then we waited.  Sometime after 9:30 the yard fired up the travel lift and adjusted the lifting straps for s/v Honey Ryder.  The Travel lift operator came down and asked Tom the specifics of our keel and rudder.  Soon the lift was backing into place around s/v Honey Ryder and the straps were moved into place.  Uh-oh - the normal diver was no where to be seen.  Never fear, the lift operator himself stripped down to his skivvies, grabbed a snorkel mask and jumped into the water to check the placement of the straps himself!  In the process he spent twice as much time as I've seen the diver spend.  Satisfied that things were in place, he climbed out of the water and took his position driving the lift - still soaking wet in his skivvies.  How is that for customer service!  Thanks Blair.  Slowly s/v Honey Ryder rose out of the water.  Gulp.  Picture your home up in the air in a big sling being maneuvered around.  Double gulp!  It may have looked cool in the movie The Hunt For Red October when Big D - the submarine Dallas flew out of the water but NO boat owner digs having their boat out of the water!

Straps in place

OMG - please be careful

Despite being the water for 4 1/2 years, the bottom didn't look too terribly bad.  Whew!  No surprises. Ok, the prop, shaft and strut were all pretty crusty but the overall hull was in really good shape.  (4 1/2 years on the same bottom paint people!)  So much so that other sailors keep asking what type of paint we have on there because it's lasted so long.  Problem is, we don't know.  We never got that info from the yard that did the bottom 4 1/2 years ago.   The yard guy did a quick scrape down with a drywall spatula, easily removing the small barnacles hanging on.  Tom couldn't stand it and joined in on the scraping fun.  Then the yard guy did a super power wash.  Finally we were ready to move to our new home On The Hard.  7 jack stands later we are set.  Let the fun begin.
 

Looking great after 4 1/2 years on the same paint

 

Minor small barnacles

Ok -crusty

Ahhhh - nice power shower....who doesn't like that

Tonight Tom is climbing up and down the ladder cooking dinner.  He is grilling hot dogs on our little boat grill on the ground.  Next door and all around the yard we see the glow of lights on inside various boats as people try to carry on livingaboard while On The Hard.

Our temporary home On The Hard

Solidly set