The Big Spash

There's no SPLASH without cash. That's what boat yards say. From our perspective, there's no cash after the splash! Our 5 days out of the water flew by and I'd not yet completed the topsides. Too bad. The Boatworks runs a tight schedule and lift an average of 40 boats per week. Since our time there coincided with the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show their numbers were up on that yet again and if we missed our slot we could be days waiting to be re-scheduled. Expensive! Harry, the 100 ton crane was booked to lift us at 2pm and The Bloke would have just 20-30 minutes to anti-foul the prop points and under the keel after the cradle was removed before we were to be transported in the giant zimmer frame to be re-floated i.e. SPLASHED!

 No one argues with Harry.

Our girl looking sleek and shiny on top.

... and slippery fast below.

 

The slings were put in place but not tensioned until brown paper was inserted to protect our painting and polishing efforts. What a refreshing change to years gone by where we'd rush off to carpet shops to find carpet scraps to protect our hull! We'd heard that the crane actually weighed your boat in the process of properly balancing it. In this moment of truth our notional dry weight of 9 1/2 tons was revealed to have grown like middle age spread to a staggering 12 ton. OMG and this was with a diminished wine, beer and food holding too. The water tanks were empty and the fuel was yet to be topped up! The Bloke was wondering if I'd smuggled extra shoes aboard and gave me 'a look'.

 Sitting high above the ground and being carried back to the water.

A moment of terror for The Bloke...you can 'overthink' these things!