Splash Day

Well we finally got to that line in the sand and stepped boldly over it. The events leading up to the launch were about typical. We wanted to coordinate finishing the spots on the hull we couldn't paint while still  on the stands, the application of new graphics to the amas, the launch of the boat, and the sail maker coming up to install the sails.

 

Sent the graphics for the ama out for estimates, and amazingly enough the cost for a vinyl banner is about 1/5 the cost of a vinyl sign, probably because t shirt shops aren't as snotty as sign shops. Wednesday evening, we went to pick up the graphics, oops we ran out of ink, can you come back tomorrow?
Got back to find the boat up on the trailer, maybe they didn't need nervous mother hens supervising the loading.
We were still painting the sail drive and the bottom the next morning. Went to get the graphics, the guys hadn't put transfer paper on it yet. Forty minutes of fidgeting and toe tapping and we were out the door, except the part which the printer messed up at the end of the flames on one side. They cheerfully offered me half off and promised the last piece would be ready the next day. Back to the boat to try and get the graphics on before the launch at noon.

 

 

Leonard arrives to view the launch and help supervise the graphics work, and we get it done by noon.

The boat launchers are off having lunch and other stuff, so we wait a couple of hours.

Hope we get it launched and in the water before the sail maker arrives at 4 o'clock

 

 

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The time comes and off we go.

 

The hole where the boat used to live.

 

 

 

Through the gate with inches to spare.

 

 

 

Down the ramp.

 

 

At the dock ready to move to the visitors dock. Hope the engine feels like running after almost a year.

No worries, but there is not enough room to turn around  in here so we get to back out with a cross wind. A good initiation to big boat in tight spaces boat handling.

 

 

Made it to the other dock with no surprises, now we just need to wait an hour till the sail maker gets here.  As though in chorus with the rest of the day, he shows up almost two hours late. He left a little later than planned, and the rush hour traffic took care of the rest.

 

 

 

The jib goes on with some effort, we are badly organized, the boat is a junk pile, and we have trouble finding the parts to hook it up. We worked out the details and when we furled it, it didn't want to cooperate. A years worth of dirt and bug nests in the furler make it very difficult to roll the sail up, but we get it on. The main didn't go quite as well, the batten car sliders on the ends of the battens were about 1 mm. wider than the groove in the track. By this time we have been messing with the sails for an hour and a half and the sun is going down. The sail maker has missed his dinner reservation, and everyone is ready for a break.

 

 

 

Still need to glue down the chain guard on the deck, install the forward vent, caulk the hatch, maybe get the paper peeled off the top of the hatch, put the dagger board back in the case, and a few more little goodies. I need to change the oil in the engine and sail drive, top off the fuel, wire up the new instruments, and put the mainsail on. I took a file to the sliders for the mast track and trimmed just enough off to allow them to fit. It would be nice to have the bow rail installed, the forward tramps in place and the dodger canvas back on the frame. Should be a busy couple of days of leisure, must be why its the labor day week end, as we will toil through the holiday. Trouble with not having jobs is that you never get days off.

 

It is wonderful to be back on the boat in the water. Just the peaceful motion and quiet foggy nights are a world away from the spot in the yard, even it is only 100 m. geographically. We have a couple of days courtesy at the dock, so we will get enough done to move down to the bay, and continue at our leisure. The next little challenge will be getting dock space there. The end ties are generally used as guest docks and we have to find one that is unoccupied at the time of our arrival so that we can tie up there.