On Monday we agreed with Bailey’s Boatyard to lift the boat out of the water at 8am on Friday 18th.  We would then spend a week closing the boat down for the rest of the hurricane season.  At this yard you are not allowed to stay on the boat overnight so we also booked an apartment for a week.

 

The period just before lift out is never an exciting one and there is always plenty to do; ‘pickling’ the watermaker with a preserving solution (so it doesn’t grown bugs when lying dormant for a few months), changing the oil and filters on both the engine and generator and continue cleaning all interior surfaces with soap and water and then a vinegar solution etc etc.  This is the time when being in a warm climate is a disadvantage as much of the work is done inside the boat where it is hot and very humid.  

 

We took the genoa down early on Wednesday before the wind blew up and then did the same with the mainsail the following morning.  On Thursday evening the wind went very still so we made a dash for the ‘lifting bay’ and stayed there overnight.  The bay lies at a difficult angle to the wind and the risk of boat damage in the approach is high so we felt it safer to take advantage of the unusually quiet conditions.  It turned out to be straightforward and we tied the boat up and settled down for the night.  On Friday morning the yard crew arrived nice and early and started preparing the travel lift. 

 

Floating in the lifting bay.  The travel lift over and around us with 2 aft straps in position:-

 

 

 

 

Antigua has suffered from a lack of rain for months but of course we had a torrential downpour just as we were getting ready.  This seems to be the law whenever we lift or launch.

 

 

It took about 10-15 seconds to get soaked through.  Clothes were changed immediately after the photograph was taken:-

 

 

 

Unfortunately the forestay had to be removed in order for the travel lift to move far enough aft.  A certain amount of jiggery pokery had to be undertaken to achieve this without the mast toppling down so the lift took a couple of hours instead of the usual 20 minutes.

 

 

Boat lifted and then lowered to rest on the keel whilst the bottom is ‘scrubbed’ with a high pressure hose.  The top of the travel lift is behind the forestay and temporary line attached to the bow.  Lin is checking the condition of the hull:-:-

 

 

 

 

 

We had little or no weed but we did have quite a rash of barnacles especially by the bowthruster tunnel:-

 

 

 

 

 

And the propeller and prop shaft:-

 

 

 

 

 

The yard staff are scraping the barnacles off.  The guy nearest the camera has his mobile phone welded to his left ear of course:-

 

 

 

 

Then the sun came out so Lin and I retreated into the shade to watch from a distance:-

 

 

 

 

The boat was moved to a cradle and tied down to strong points on the ground.  This is to counteract the effects of any hurricanes when wind gets under the boats and lifts them off.

 

The week following was spent meeting various people who were going to do jobs on the boat and making arrangements with Antigua Rigging who were going to undertake the ‘guardianage’ whist we are away – opening and checking the boat for leaks, bugs, mildew and ensuring the work gets done as planned.