Our absence helped with the muscle soreness, but any sense of being refreshed was eroded away first by the long drive and second by the too-short night that followed. We needed to hit the ground running. Tradies would be arriving first thing. They were going to be in a hurry because it is their last week before a two-week Christmas holiday, when the yard effectively shuts down. Then it will just be me, Maryanne, and a couple other poor slobs remaining in the yard. In the meantime, we had to get to work. We had our own jobs to do.
High on Maryanne's personal list was to get a start at building our remaining shelves. She was busy with more pressing things, so she couldn't get to it for a few days, but soon she realized that if she wanted the paint to be dry on them when we went into the water, she had better get started.
Her first attempt to make a pattern for the forward shelves in the port hull took a while. Perhaps we had been a bit unfair about how long Murray's guy had taken. It really isn't as easy as it looks. Still, this was Maryanne's actual first time trying such a thing.
Once she got the hang of it, her speed improved considerably. By the time she got to the last set, she would have done the whole thing from zero to completion in one day, had she not had to wait for drying time between coats of paint. Overall, she fixed Murray's guy's set, which needed modification, did the rest of the shelves, and then added in a couple of smaller jobs over about eight days.
Perhaps some of it is due to using better-quality wood, but Maryanne's shelves look nicer to me than the other guy's. His has gaps. Hers look form-fitted to the wall. They also feel strong enough to climb, although I haven't tried.
She tells me she has ordered us our own cordless tools to replace the ones Nic lent us. We've unleashed a monster. Looking at her, I can practically see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to figure out how to use her new tools to build a workshop aboard, complete with a table saw.
While she was doing all that, I was busy using my time to try to mop up as many items on our noticeably shrinking list as I could. Finally, it came time to empty our rented storage container of the stuff we had moved there weeks ago in order to allow us a little more working area aboard. After that, I actually got to start putting the boat back together. For the first time in ages, Begonia felt more like our familiar home than a construction site, just a little.
There were also a LOT of rain days and strong winds, meaning outside projects had to be scheduled for the few weather windows that opened up; this delayed painting schedules for the shelving and the galley cupboard doors, etc.
Finally, on Haulout Day Fifty-five, Maryanne and I got to do the very last things on our list. We went to our rented storage container, collected our brand-new, never used sofa cushions and swapped them out for the ones we have been sitting on for the last eleven years. Then came time for the big reveal. We pulled up the drop cloths covering our floor, gave the whole place one last vacuum and, poof! We have a shiny new home! We had deliberately changed the colors throughout the whole boat so that it would at least feel like it wasn't the same exact boat we had pulled out of the water the month before last.
As we were walking the cart back from our last rubbish dump, a taxi passed us, parked in front of the next boat to Begonia's left, and delivered Cyrille and Catherine, along with a whole lot of luggage. Since I had the cart anyway, working from old muscle memory, I grabbed the bags, threw them on the cart, and headed to the ladder at the stern, which Cyrille was now securing after being absent for a month. Catherine had never met either of us, so she looked a little confused, but took it in stride. Cyrille asked me how things had been going and I told him we had literally finished our last job ten minutes ago.
I haven't mentioned Cyrille before. While his wife was back home, he was there beside us on his boat Idéfix, chipping away at his own too-big list. He is from California, and for some reason does not seem to be working too hard to lose his original accent from continental France. He's as good-natured as a guy can be while stuck in a boatyard working through one problem after another. Every now and then, when one of us needed a break, going over to see how Cyrille was faring often provided an excuse, and vice versa. We could vent to each other and commiserate with each other. On bad days, we would sometimes all go together to Norsand's barbeque area to compare wounds, physical and psychic, over beers and delivered pizza. Many times, when one or the other of us needed just one more extra hand, the three of us would tackle the problem together. Late at the end of a long day, it was Cyrille who saved the day by bringing over a better circlip tool so we could finally get the last piece out of the windlass. That was one item I was really looking forward to ticking off the list today and I was quickly losing hope of it actually happening. I have to admit, the last few weeks in the yard without him didn't feel the same. We missed him.
Cyrille of Idéfix came to our rescue many times - here he is helping with a stubborn circlip needing removed to dismantle the windlass - he was our hero!
Now he was back, and he brought his wife with him. Cyrille and Catherine had showers to freshen up from their multi-day journey from California (they still arrived WAY cleaner than we were). Then they came over to the newly-refurbished Begonia for dinner. Maryanne had correctly assumed they would be in no mood to cook themselves. Even though they had tons of stuff to do of their own and they must have been pretty jet-lagged, they insisted on staying up late enough to raise a toast to Begonia's last night in the yard. They aren't far behind. We are all looking forward to meeting up as regular cruisers soon, rather than grubby yard gremlins.
We were finally going in tomorrow, on Day Fifty-Six. That's a new record for us. Our second longest was after the Tweed Heads thing, at forty-nine days. We don't want to break anymore yard duration records again. This one was more than long enough, thank you very much. Of course the work on a boat never really ends, and Maryanne already has a list of things do do aboard (that don't require us being in the yard) for once we've recovered a little.
[Maryanne]So what exactly did we achieve with all this time in the yard? Here's a list (not complete). We returned to the water with 97% of our 504 item spreadsheet job-list completed (the remaining not needing us to be in the yard to complete)
- All usual annual maintenance and checks
- Antifoul on hulls, saildrives and props
- Service winches, clutches, etc.
- Change zincs
- Service saildrives & Engines (oil, zincs, oil and air filters, oil seals, etc.)
- Fabricate/Replace sail drive covers (minimizing space for marine life to access well)
- Inspect/Service all through hulls
- Service propellers
- Clean and wax the external gelcoat (hulls, topside and under the bridge-deck)
- Service heads, replacing parts where due/necessary
- etc..
- Boating Specific Odds
- Anchoring
- Totally dismantle and rebuild Windlass with new parts (old one corrodes where different metals are built into the design and despite our efforts to prevent it) - and then reconnect the wiring to be fully waterproof.
- All new chain marked and installed
- Regalvanize Anchor
- Replace anchor roller that had worn thin
- Remove, refabricate, and replace all our 21 stanchion bases; the old ones were aluminum bases holding stainless posts, they corroded from the inside and you never know until they failed on you - not good! They were a pig to remove and reinstall but it is hopefully a job we'll never have to do again. It was a major job as needed access to all corners of the boat and all the ceiling panels removed
- Replace our LifeTag system batteries (that alerts all aboard if someone falls overboard).
- Repair/reinforce cockpit floor and install new cockpit table mount (after the fur seal damaged our old one in San Christobal in the Galapagos
- Replace the spinnaker after our recent fail – at cost from Doyle sailmakers
- Replace spinnaker pad-eye on mast with one much more robust
- Replace mainsail halyard shackle at top of mast
- Replace self-tailing stripper rings on one of the mast winches. That turned into an unexpected challenge when we were sent the wrong part from the experts on 2 different continents and eventually just had the right parts fabricated.
- Reorient sail furler anti-wrap hardware
- Remove old sealant and replace with new at hull-keel joint
- Remove HAM/SSB radio installation and seal holes in the hull/deck
- Replace bilge pump exhaust with longer hose (with better vent loop)
- Check over sail cover and cockpit canvas and repair as necessary
- Replace engine exhaust hoses (showing signs of cracking)
- Test/check engine wiring and electrical harness
- Test/check general boat wiring througout
- Replace starboard engine stop cable (handle was usable, but had broken so only with difficulty)
- Replace various lines aboard with new/spare
- Repair damage from hitting a tree in the Dismal Swamp Canal (replace both bent rudders and repair damage to hulls)
- Fabricate new rudder bearings
- Various new hardware on the mast to improve/repair systems
- Replaced all our fire extinguishers with new (5 of them)
- Replace CO alarm and fire alarms aboard
- Replaced an alternator that was tested as "not working, not repairable"
- Replace engine dip stick
- Reglass/gelcoat various old screw holes in cockpit and cabin (from old winch handle holders etc.)
- Test and refill our CO2 cylinder (giving us fizzy water again)
- Remove/bypass our corroded Water accumulator/pressure tank
- Build a protected box around some of the wiring that was otherwise getting jostled
- Clean the sight tubes/gauges on the water tanks (so we can readily see the levels)
- Lubricate/calibrate steering system
- Re-fixed the fridge compressor tank that was coming loose - in a particularly small area to work in.
- New chartplotter (a boaters' SatNav/GPS system) was a bonus gift for Kyle who hated our old one. I was resistant because it was a HUGE extra item in the budget, but we called it his Christmas present. The day before we installed it the OLD one actually finally failed, so that was very lucky timing. Installing a new plotter meant moving around a bunch of other stuff and then encouraging all the electronics to talk to it - so it took a while!)
- Some of the hatches and cabin windows required re-bedding (to fix or prevent leaks)
- Trim shroud covers that were damaged/snatching
- Replace heating unit, condensation coil and exhaust (after seawater ingress)
- Find replacement bungs for our heater exhaust
- Replace shower/bilge pump switches
- New Boot stripe (we went with Vinyl)
- Nonskid/non-slip paint in cockpit and on steps
- Remove old rub-rail and years of broken screws, fill old screw holes, and install new rub-rail on both stern step areas (a big job)
- Receive Replacement Kayak (our new one had a leak too buried to repair and was replaced under warranty)
- New O-Rings and cover tethers for the dinghy storage access ports
- Install New bumper strip for the dinghy
- Cut down over-long bolts on dingy that were catching-on and ripping clothing from time to time
- Replace broken/cracked drain covers for various through hulls
- Add valves/flaps to prevent following seas entering cockpit drains
- Reseal davit mounts
- New wind transducer (ST60 short arm) R28170
- Repair windex Instrument (wind direction guide) at top of mast
- Refurbish/Clean autopilot drive motor
- New battery for autopilot remote (but still didn't help too much!)
- Fill gas in fridge door gas strut so that could work again (saves having the heavy fridge door fall on my head while I'm digging around in there).
- Fix hose issue for head sink drain (kink in hose causing problems - easy to fix once identified)
- Replace deck shower hose
- Test and Fill CO2 cylinder (that we use to make fizzy water)
- Scanned 19 years of old log books so we could save space/weight on the boat and store digitally
- Seal fuel tank where exit hose is welded (to prevent leaks when full)
- replace multiple blocks at base at mast with a triple block (manages reefing lines, etc.)
- lights for dingy
- Replace valve on one of the water tanks (old one was stiff, and we didn't want it to fail)
- Replace battery for electric outboard (Torqeedo)
- Replace fasteners to some of the hatch sun covers
- Replace galley seawater tap (old one was getting rusty and temperamental)
- Replace o-rings on galley freshwater tap (that was leaking)
- Fix leak under galley sink
- Replace shower floor drain hardware (rusted out/ugly)
- Acquire a spare VHF antenna (just in case we're ever dismasted)
- Replace some of our 12v charging sockets aboard (for more flush ones)
- Replace reflective SOLAS patches throughout boat (great for finding the boat at anchor in the dark, and presumably if we ever need rescuing)
- Replace/acquire various spares for future needs
- Replace switch for fridge to avoid accidentally knocking it into off position
- Repair anchor locker hinge
- Fabricate new engine support for Torqeedo outboard
- Full professional boat survey
- Full professional rigging survey and rig inspection by Kyle too
- Anchoring
- Inside the boat a host of "nice to have" things achieved.
- All new flooring (rip up the old vinyl, clean and prep and get assistance for installing new commercial grade, non-slip vinyl throughout)
- New doormat at entrance from cockpit
- New shelving in all 4 berths - to help with organization and remove clutter from main cabin (hopefully)
- New shelving in the main cabin to use as our "charging station area" and hopefully avoid cables strewn across the cabin
- Install bedside lamp and USB charging sockets to my side of the bed - at last!!
- Removed all ceiling panels and repair/paint where necessary (we had to remove the panels to get access to the stanchions)
- Replaced sofa cushions (foam and covers) for a lighter colour and hopefully good heavy-duty option (our old ones were well worn)
- Replace one of the floor panels with newly made one; the old one had a crack in it and flexed as we walked on it
- Replace our bed mattress; the old one had a definite dip in it!
- Repaint all the vinyl walls to freshen them up
- Repair/remove/replace cabin walling that was water damaged (from old issues) and sand/paint/decorate. To do this we also had to remove (and then replace) a bunch of electronics. In the process of ripping out one section of wall we discovered we could get way better access to the back of our engine controls and engine panel - a bonus!
- Decorate/paint repaired walls in cabin
- Remove and paint all galley cupboard doors (and the one draw we have), and replace all the hinges and catches/handles that were on their last legs.
- Replace one of the cabin speakers
- Replace internal window covers for port lights (to black out cabins when sleeping)
- Add insulation to the ceiling panel in our bedroom (hoping to reduce any condensation issues, and maybe help keep the room cooler/warmer as appropriate)
- Replace the bathroom mirror in Kyle's head (the back was starting to flake off; "my" mirror was already replaced earlier, Kyle just needed some time to get used to the idea)
- Removed all the cabin doors - after 13 years of living aboard and never really needing them, we finally removed them (saving some weight for all the other things we brought aboard!)
- Replace the mainsail track/car system, and clutches. A job requiring access to difficult area and copious amounts of swearing - but we managed it.. First time it rained we found leaks and had to remove and redo it all over (Ugh!)
- New Stovetop (we didn't really need a new one, but it was about the same price as replacing all the bits we did need!)
- Replacement odds in the galley (we had a host of items on our to-do list: cutlery, granny cart, scissors, can opener, etc.)
- Design and print a 2026 wall calendar with picture from our travels for each month
- Replace Kyle's ipad and keyboard (old ipad would no longer allow for updates and apps needed newer Operating System)
- New protective phone cases (they need replacing once in a while)
- New underwater camera for snorkeling outings
- Lights for bicycles (so we could use them after dark)
- New bug-screen for one of the hatches (flies and mosquitoes in the boat are NOT fun)
- New Bluetooth headset for Maryanne (to listen to podcasts on watches without disturbing Kyle)
- Replace our inflatable globe (which we mark with track of our travels); the old one had developed a leak
- Some new marine life ID books to fill the gaps in our library
- New boat shoes for Kyle
- New tools
- Adaptors for our angle grinder to allow for full range of accessories (when we realized NZ didn't have the right accessories for our "quick-fit" system), and some new accessories
- Cordless Jig Saw, Heat Gun, and Glue Gun
- Various new attachments for our 18V Multitool
- Plus we had Kyle's birthday, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve to celebrate (although celebrations were minimal, and we certainly didn't stay up until midnight on NYE)
- And quite likely a lot of other things I've long blocked from my memory
Of course we did much of the work ourselves (to keep costs somewhat sane), and paid various tradesfolk to do the more technical or nasty jobs, but we also had a LOT of help and support from others:
- My Sister Sarah helped by collecting and forwarding on a TON of mail/packages for us from the UK
- Nic K. helped with tools, instruction, and wood for our shelving projects
- Jeff L. helped with all sorts of useful suggestions and advice
- Cyrille (our neighbour aboard Idéfix) helped with tools and words of encouragement
- Bruce and Aleen of the trimaran Migration helped with the loan of their car from time to time to help with local chores, and lots of commiseration and words of support about the various jobs.
- Lynda L, Nic, Caitlin, Rick, Nina and Lydon helped by giving us a break from the yard, and lot of moral support
- Ben of Hornpipe helped with a giant grocery store run and otherwise fun company
- Christine of Sugar Shack even donated some flowers to help brighten up Begonia.
- Andee and Dr Drew from Bandit helped with supplying some time-sensitive turps, and reassuring us over Kyle's medications and healing progress after the cat bite.
- Michelle and Geoff on Midnight lent us tools to cut a new 6" access panel (which helped with the installation of the new mainsheet track).
- Candice of Deguello also gave me a ride to the nearby hardware store to pick up some larger items (a huge help)
- I'm sure I've missed some. All the boaters in the yard were busy with their own projects and many helped with welcome breaks (pizza!), and with the loaning of tools where needed (we are really grateful for ALL the support we received).
Cabin wall removal/repair/replace/redecorate was a major project
Some of the ceiling panels required a lot of TLC
Removing the old flooring was another BIG job
New Sofa cushions and covers - a much overdue upgrade
There was a LOT of painting going on
Replacing the Mainsail track and hardware was another overdue bonus project
Replacing the damaged rudder posts requires complete dismantling and rebuilding the rudders; that task took a while to get started, but was otherwise a quick task (by others)
We never expected to build/install new shelving ourselves, but it turned into a rewarding job (with a lot of help from our friends)
And on the 5th January - our last early alarm call for a while - we made it back into the water to return to our more "normal" cruising lifestyle
