Maintenance

9 October 2024

Maintenance

After about a year at sea, it’s time for some maintenance to keep our ship in top condition. We were lifted out of the water at Whangarei using a large lift and then placed on blocks. It was our first time doing this in this way, so we found it quite nerve-wracking. But once she was hanging securely under the lift, the tension quickly faded. “She’s hanging!”

We’ve now been on the hard for a few days and are busy with work. We’re painting the outside of the ship using a cherry picker. The two of us, in a small basket, first tackled all the rust spots, which are now primed. Soon, we’ll paint the entire ship. Additionally, we’ve proactively replaced the forestay, and Gerben is working on making a new boom for the schooner sail.

We’re also tackling a lot of tasks that are difficult or inconvenient to do at sea and therefore tend to be postponed. For example, we’ve sorted out all the spare parts and stored them neatly, so now we know exactly what we have on board.

It’s also time for the ship and safety equipment to be inspected. All the liferafts, inflatable life jackets, and similar items have been sent off for inspection. We’ll get them back in the coming weeks. The communication equipment has been checked, and the ship has largely been inspected as well. Several sails have been removed and taken to the sailmaker for repair or inspection. In short, as the late Mark Zijlstra would say: “We’re doing a good job!”

We expect to be relaunched this week. Once back in the water, we’ll continue the maintenance. The focus will be on painting, varnishing, and rigging work, such as replacing lines and leather chafing gear, and reattaching the sails. In a few weeks, we’ll be fully ready, fresh and fit, for the passage to Australia, after which we’ll begin our journey home.