Another week at the boatyard… Argh!!! Just as we thought, we were ready to be launched, nothing seems to be going our way. First our new foghorn broke, just as the mast was ready to be put back on the boat, so we had to wait and get the foghorn exchanged.

The shop had to order a new, since they didn't have one in stock, so only today we'll be able to get the mast back on. Furthermore, the workers hadn’t sealed the screw holes before putting on the wooden rub rail, and there were also gaps between the toe rail and the hull, so the risk of getting water in – even though it would just be dribbles – was big.

Henrik and I debated whether or not we should mention it at all, and instead just get back in the water and fix it at another time. We pay 50 Pounds a day for our rental car, and the insurance doesn't pay for the yard anymore, since we were supposed to be done two weeks ago.

On top of that we're beginning to be in a bit of a hurry. We only have a few more weeks left, before we’ve been in USA for 6 months, and since we would like to return in the summer, it would be wise not to overstay. Anyhow, we did mention it to the guy in charge of the repairs, and he has sealed it with fibreglass, which we'll live with. Now, though, the problem is that they haven't ordered the brass list to go outside the rub rail, plus the newly printed names for the port stern don’t fit!

Since we haven’t been in a boat yard before, we’ve never come across the term boat yard blues. The other cruisers on the yard have been talking about how depressing it is being in a boat yard, but we’ve quite enjoyed getting work done on the boat. Now, however, we've joined the choir of frustrated, complaining cruisers! The cruiser next to us has been on the yard since August, and he talks about the good old days, where he still had hope that one day he would return to sea!

Besides the things mentioned above, our boat is ready to be launched, though:

  • Everything beneath the waterline is finished.
  • The transmission is fixed (even though we haven’t tested it yet).
  • The new through holes has been made with Forespar.
  • The exhaust to the engine has been moved.
  • The bottom has been sanded down and had extra Copper Coat.
  • The workers have given up on matching the colour on the hull (how do you match a 30 year old faded colour?)
  • Top hull the blue stripe has been repainted.
  • The tiller, wind pilot rudder, and door boards have been varnished
  • Henrik has rewired the mast, put on a new Windex, lightening rod, and now also a new foghorn.

I ascribe the boat yard blues to unfulfilled expectations, but I still have hope that we’ll be in the water by Monday the latest!

Signe Storr - Freelance journalist and friend of Boatshed