Season 2023 Episode Two Commissioning

Season 2023 Episode Two, Commissioning.

Spring commissioning can seem endless but you chip away and it all gets done. 

Remove the tarp and....start from there. 

We have listed the boat for sale onto the two sites that are used here in Ireland. We are not so keen to sell on one hand but then may be its time after thirty years of fun and adventures. We shall see what happens in the mean time we will prepare for sailing back to Canadian waters. 

                                    Noel at the computer sorting the listing and researching. 

   1st up was to sort out our fuel filter. We have upgraded the primary fuel filter to super size.

Then came the brightwork....what a chore that turned into. 

 Tired Noel. 

 Then the taft rail + swim ladder.

 Preparation for anchor locker glass work.

Between all this was the water system working. We are living on the boat while all this is being done so we are very comfortable. We have what is referred to as the VIP stairs in the boat yard which make a wonderful difference. 

 Life lines back in place, now the glass work can begin. Vertigo is no fun up on the hard.  

Life at the boat yard is interesting, their a many distractions and loads of people to chat with.

 

Down in the dry dock, happy John.

 

 The door getting swung into place.

 Michael at the controls.

 John swims the sill.  

 Almost done, big beam along the top and then pumps.  

Between all the jobs that the boat requires are visits to friends, sharing meals and visiting all lots of fun. We have been lent a lovely red car from our pals and its wonderful.

 

 Noel in the anchor locker removing the old hawse fitting for the chain. This is no longer used due to the windlass.  

We got fuel delivered by fork lift to the boat. They use this system with all the various machinery about the yard and for the boats that do not need so much that they need a tanker in but still need a bit of fuel to get going. Wonderful service. This enabled checking for leaks with the new filter and getting our diesel cabin heater running. The heat distribution is much better with the plumbed in air ducts. . 

We took Sunday off to join John and Carol in their rib to travel up the Slaney River from Wexford town with the boat club. That was very social and lots of fun. What a lovely day we had. There were some steering issues on the boat so another boater took us under tow on the way home. They were waiting for us at the crane to haul us out before the tied got any lower. We could have stayed for wood fired pizza in the club house but none of us were keen on driving in the dark so headed back to the house. On our way we purchased fuel for both the diesel car and the outboard pumping from two separate pumps yet at the same bay. The cashier had not had that before. 

Glass work done, clean up and paint remains.

 Noel driving the sky jack. 

 Brail reinstallation of the windlass.

 Fresh bread, lovely to do on a cold day.

Launch was delayed when we learnt that our Scottish outboard was not worth fixing. That was a disappointment but better to know now than somewhere at anchor too far from the shore to row where there is no one around to help fix or the ability to be able to find a replacement. We ended up getting a new four stroke 9.9 Yamaha. The weight of the motor was a surprise and we realized we had been comparing it to a two stroke 9.9. So the list is back when the motor is on its rail mount and we really hope we have not made a mistake with the size of the outboard. Then gradually, finally the job list ran out and we were ready for launch. Now to find a time slot for the travel lift. Its the busy season now and there are restrictions due to needing high tide. We were about on Sunday and Michel came by and said that he could launch us as another boat had changed to a later day in the week. 

 The new prop.

 Ready or not...

We launched about 2 PM and pulled ourselves around onto the pontoon for the night. Noel had to bleed the diesel system again after sorting out a leak near the new super size fuel filter. We let it run for about an hour and a half on the pontoon, all seemed happy so made plans to head away the next day on the tide. The red car went back with John after his boat got towed to the yard earlier that morning. He stores his boat at home but raises the mast and launches at the boat yard. 

How great it is to be back in the water and soon to head off on another summer's adventure.