On Monday 3rd April we had the crane booked to come and lift our other boats back into the water but before that we had the final touches to do before they were ready to go.
We did a bit of fibre glassing, then gel coat before the final antie fouling was applied. I like the results but I'm not keen on fibre glassing at all.
We did a few bits to Mara Mhor our dive boat but that was really about it.
Serenity II had all the major work done to her this year as she has had two new engines and new wiring too. We have also changed all the pipe work for the engines, water pumps, bilge pumps and hand pumps. She has had new propellers and new couplings add to her.
I have to say that its not been me that has done all the refit but my brother. When someone deserves a pat on the back then this is the time to do that.
Our new addition ( below) is going to be called Sovereign as the name has been in the family for a long time now. She is the same build and Mara Mhor but her wheelhouse is longer with a little bit of a shelter behind her. Perfect for those cold days. We have to do a few things to change her but nothing major which is good.
A friend came along to help us with the big lift, but in a different way. He brought his GoPro's and his new drone as we had a good idea to put them at different angles as we lifted the boats back into the water. He works on the rigs so he has gone back at the moment but I can't wait to see the footage.
This is the crane which is going to lift all the boats back into the water.
Sovereign safely back into the water and it will not be long until she has her first guests on board.
This is the spreader bar that we use. The reason for this bar is to keep the straps crushing in the side of the boat when it gets lifted. This only because she is a catamaran and you would not need to use it for mono hulls.
Watching the boats being lifted up into the air is amazing but a the same time it does not half get your heart racing. It a bit like a puppet on a string really. The man behind the strings (chain) is the crane driver and the boat is the puppet. Our hearts were racing, but the drivers must have been in overdrive as he has his crane to think about and our boat. Not for the faint hearted I can tell you.
My son "Archie" watched his Uncle Toby fix the engine and he even helped him by telling him he was doing it wrong and this was not his boat but Ron's. You got to love kids. The things they come out with just puts a smile on your face. (Well sometimes)
The crane driver really struggled lifting Serenity II back into the water. She was weighting 18 tones and even though the crane can lift 30 ton the angle he was at the crane was saying "NO", but after a bit of adjusting he managed to get it back into the water. We were starting to get a little worried as the tide was going out and we did not have long until it was to late but we managed it.
So with Serenity II back in the water where she belongs, my brother turned the key and she started straight away without any hick ups at all. After a good check over we took her out into the bay for a run and everything seemed fine. I have no doubt that something will need a good look at, as it is a boat and nothing is straight forward with boats. I have to heap a lot of praise onto my brother for a cracking job he has done on my baby and I'm raring to go now.
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