One or Two More Projects...

Our official To Do List is in constant flux. Whenever one project is finished, it seems another project joins the list. Setting priorities is important, but some things are really controlled by the availability of parts and technicians. Today I'm celebrating several recent successes...

An onboard Splendide combo washer/dryer has had issues over the years, and they always occur when we're remote, really far away from a big city or easy supply chain. This was the year to install a new and improved combo model. Easy to say, but there were none available in B.C. at a price I wanted to pay, during the week I wanted delivery. Bill Howich RV and Marine stepped up to the challenge. Rick H. located a Splendide in Calgary and arranged for quick shipment to the boatyard. Rosemary answered my frequent questions and even hand-delivered the invoice. Ocean Pacific carefully handled removal, plumbing adjustment and installation inside a tight space. Now that was excellent customer service from all parties. 

Photo: Rosemary poses with the new Splendide.

Photo: Splendide plumbing & vent pipe located in a tight space

The retractable 360-degree scanning sonar unit failed to retract while we were out of the water. Wizard electrician Todd disappeared deep down into a below-deck compartment and diagnosed the problem... something about a failed lifting bracket and broken motor shaft. Our sonar is an older model, no longer manufactured, so the parts chase must have been interesting for the Ocean Pacific parts department. Essential pieces were located in Woodinville, WA, not too far from our shoreside home, but that didn't help us in Campbell River. The morning after the parts arrived, Todd quickly had the sonar repaired, extending and retracting just like new again. 

Capt. Ron installed a new bilge pump in the aft lazarette. While he was hanging out below deck he also rewired the oil transfer pump and rerouted the wiring on other components. The newly drawn wiring diagram is quite impressive, like something out of a set of blueprints or an official troubleshooting manual.

No celebration yet on:
2 wind-snapped antennas (communication essentials)
1 dead 1-year old Dell computer (navigation essential)

Why Do We Haul Out?

The expected "few days" grew into thirteen days on the hard, and we are finally back in the water, relaunched yesterday. The question remains: why do we haul out?

Part 1: Planned Activities
Hauling out is part of our annual Spring outfitting and trip preparation routine. RL visually checks the condition of the hull, bottom paint and running gear. Additionally our marine insurance company requested an out-of-the-water inspection by a certified marine surveyor this year , a once-every-five-year requirement. We anticipated a brief stay in the boatyard to accomplish a short project list beginning with power washing, scraping barnacles and bottom paint.

Bottom paint retards the growth of marine life such as barnacles, mussels, grasses, etc. No owner wants their boat to wear a hula skirt of waving green grass. This year a powerwash cleaning showed that only a waterline band of red would need fresh paint. 

Photo: hull before power washing

Zincs always need replacing when we haul out. These molded chunks of metal are sacrificial elements that reduce the corrosion on other metal components, important things like propellers, shafts, rudders and thru-hull fittings. (Click here for more information about zincs.) The before and after photos of the stern zinc gives evidence of their importance... only a tiny bit of that big chunk of metal remains on the lefthand bolt. 

Photo: the stern zinc has disappeared

Photo: a new stern zinc, installed

Photo: shaft zinc after one year of wear

Imagine what the propellers and shafts might look like without a zinc installed nearby. There are nine pencil-shaped zincs inside each of the Caterpillar engines which serve the same protective purpose, but these small units can be replaced while the boat is in the water.

The Ocean Pacific Travelift can hoist 100 tons, but it required just 36.7 tons of that capacity to move Rhapsody shoreside. It is impressive to track the slow, precise movement of that monster machine as Jeff transports boats, large and small, through the crowded boatyard and guides them into position. 

Photo: Rhapsody moves through the yard

Photo: a forest of metal stanchions wait to support the hull

Photo: adding wedges to block the keel

Back Aboard... again

We're back aboard Rhapsody, at the dock, in Discovery Harbour Marina in Campbell River, on Vancouver Island, B.C. It feels good to be afloat once again, even if we're weeks away from cruising. This week has been a scramble of stowing "stuff" that we brought with us and organizing "stuff" that we had put away for winter storage. Cleaning, organizing and checking out systems are an essential part of Spring outfitting, essential but they don't count as fun. That comes next. We do get to stretch out muscles and limber up after a less-than-active winter. This year we can add some extra clean-up and fix-it activities to the list, the result of several ferocious storms in the area. 

We haul out at Ocean Pacific Boatyard this morning so I'll be brief and get back to posting in a day or two. Right now I'm delighted to be back on board, even as we're heading for dry land for a few days.