Unloading in Fort Lauderdale

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Tue 4 Apr 2017 20:56

26:07.05N 28:08.50w   - Unloading in Fort Lauderdale

WOW!  Time2 just went all the way around to the other side of the world.

We have been in Fort Lauderdale for 3 hectic weeks. The first week we stayed with our dear friends Will & Di, who have been an incredible support system for us. Not only are they great company, but they have been very generous in opening their home to us, but also lending us Di’s magical little Chevy Spark, and of course lots of dinners and laughter together.

 

will di beer    FullSizeRender

A night at a favourite local – Old Heidelberg                                                Braai with the Paterson clan – always fun

 

 Before Time2 arrived, we did our best ordering parts and doing some essential shopping. And then on Friday 24th we were able to unload her. We immediately headed down the intra-coastal waterway and up the New River to our dock between 3rd and Andrews Avenue bridges.  This is the same area that we have stayed before, with both Indigo and Time2. It is very central being literally in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It was an exhausting day.

Once we had tied up, we were able to inspect the yacht properly and we started finding problems – very disturbing damages occurring during the transit from New Zealand. The first thing we spotted, was water dripping out of the light-fittings in the galley. Mike pulled out the lamp fittings, and water poured out. We also found a water inside on of the cupboards. We dried everything as best we could for the moment. We have tried to replicate that water ingress with a hosepipe on all obvious points above the galley – but to no avail. We have also had rain, and NO further leak. So the only thing we can think, is that the transporter crew washed down TIME2 with very powerful hoses and that the water was squirted up the louvres that are there exactly to protect the yacht from water.

Next morning we started washing the boat and then found more problems. The handle to the fly-bridge had been broken and crudely stuck together with superglue! And then the burns! Burn holes, many of them, in both our bimini covers, as well as the Boston Whaler dinghy cover.  We had heard from one of the crew of a superyacht (also on the transit) that soot was raining down on the boats. We were in the front, right under the stacks. We were also right below a protected balcony, on the transport ship. Is it possible that the crew were smoking up there and flicking cigarettes over the balcony?

hole cover     IMG_5970

One of the holes                                                                                                                Our position on the New River

 

During the weekend, we also found burns on the pontoons of our small inflatable.  Mike also found weird rust marks and imbedded metal bits into the superstructure, that could have come from grinding or welding. All in all,  a very sad state of affairs.  We were so disappointed as Time 2 had been transported on Dockwise before, with no problems at all.  It would seem that our position on the transporter, and careless crew, were the biggest issues here. We have now been busy trying to get quotes for insurance, seeing the surveyors etc. All this has to go to the Yacht Transporters insurance. Frustrating and heartbreaking. Not to mention delaying!

My next post will be more cheerful, I promise.