So after the most frenetic 3 or 4 days in some time she's back in... but I'm jumping ahead... so final jobs done... rub down and two coats of varnish on the grab rails...
look, shiny.. given what they looked like before that's a little more than miraculous...
Morning of the launch and fit the outboard.. more importantly though, will the lock fit... answer yes, but only upside down.. decided I don't care, and that will do very nicely.. I may have a play about to see if I can turn it over, but upside down is OK - what I will do is get a plastic bag to keep the water from filling it up..
...and an hour and a half later I was on the mooring for the first time in 18 months... been a lonnnnnnng wait...
A good launch for me, 3 other boats also went in, but one came straight back out (leaking skin fitting.. a new one).. we also recovered a boat that was already in, but which had hit some object floating under the water in the harbour and given its rudder an almighty clout, the rudder was bent at least 10 or 15 degrees out of true, and had lost a pivot pin.. very worrying for the skipper, and an earlier end to his season than he would have hoped, though he's hopeful to be back in again this summer...
The Jolly Boys are convening Saturday afternoon to put the mast up.. should be fun, I only hope we can remember how to do it!!
If I was in the UK I would volunteer to come and help with the mast if only to savour the beer and the famous Jolly Boys get together mast raising pork pies. Good sailing as you go into summer.
ReplyDelete....and very welcome you'd be, Alden!
DeleteEvery time I cross the Bridge to Hayling I look out for Sparrow. Nice to see her back. :-)
ReplyDelete