Back in New Zealand. Wed 18 Jan 2017

Alcedo
David Batten
Wed 18 Jan 2017 20:45
This is commissioning blog, no doubt recognised by every boat owner the world over. The only variable is how long it takes to get to the boat and how much needs doing on arrival and whether the boat yard, the sail maker, the rigger etc have completed the jobs commissioned 5 months ago. Best not to think about the money.

Arrived in Whangerei Thursday pm local time after 22 hours flying, 4 hours stop over, about 4 hours driving and 4 hours hanging around. Just time to shop for supper and breakfast before collapsing into bed in the Villa del Rio.

Since then, 3 and a half days in the travel hoist slings, keel down, scraping, sanding, priming, filling, priming, antifouling. Slight heart failure when asked if ready to launch Monday am having been told, by someone with no authority according to Brad, that the hoist had no bookings Monday. Boat clearly not ready to launch but fortunately all bookings tentative and not confirmed, so phew, carry on with priming and finishing antifouling. The latter, a local anti foul we were recommended for NZ, has to be applied at least 8 hours before wetting, not like UK and US products. Note to selves: never, never, never have any steel underwater and definitely do NOT have a keel of steel! Skipper thinks he must have been asleep when keel being discussed during design phase.

So yesterday 08.00 and the props are removed, the keel lifted and the boat launched. We are so busy, no time for cameras as we have to be on board during the lift, the only boat yard we have been in where this is allowed. Plenty enough wind, but not as bad as when we came out and we are now on the pontoon the other side of the "harbour" doing all the other commissioning jobs.

So the boat yard have, we hope, fixed the leaking windows, they are hose pipe proof at least. The new stove is in, great job, will be tested properly tonight. We have met up with Steve and Kate of Blue Summit, who gave us a great supper and Steve, bless him, collected the sails from Opua, which were ready. We have also met up with Anne and Stuart of Time Bandit, who are here briefly before taking a motor bike to South Island. Kate and Steve are also going South after laying up in a yard just up the river. There is very little sailing activity around here, is there something we don't know about sailing here at this time of year?

Alcedo


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