East River Mathews, VA — 06•02•23
1530 ( 3:30 pm ) — After a 28 nm sail from Norfolk, I dropped anchor in East River near Zimmerman Marine, where Trouble will get hauled out.
I was early and had almost two weeks till Trouble was scheduled to get hauled out. With that time, I started on what projects I could do while still in the water. I anchored up the river in a tranquil spot I’ve been to, so I knew my holding would be good for the occasional storm that rolled through.
Boat Diamonds
Zimmerman Marine, Cardinal, VA — 06•15•23
0630—Engines on anchor up and heading over the Zimmerman Marine for Haulout Day. Getting into the dock a Zimmerman always requires going in at high tide. I knew what to expect and got tied up to the dock without any issues.
They are usually busy as there is a small window for boats coming in and out. They also have customs arms for Catanas that they need to fit on the trailer.
My list of things to do while hauling out kept growing. When they pulled Trouble, they spayed down the hull, and a fair amount of bottom paint came off. Last season, they had done an extensive stripping and painting of Trouble, so I was concerned this paint was coming off so easily. They ended up talking to the paint manufacturer and getting them to give me a different, harder paint to put over the old paint. The jury will be out if this will be a good fix.
While hauled out, I did the family vacation in Marco and made a quick trip back to MN to see friends.
One of the big jobs being done was Trouble was getting all new boot striping. While she was naked I spent a bit of time cleaning the water line to remove all the yellowing that was neglected over the years.
After the boot striping was on, all the poorly matched repairs over the years seemed to stand out. Maybe I’ll try to get those addressed next year. Matching Gelcoat is a true art form, and finding the right person can be challenging.
Here are a few of the bigger projects this year: New air conditioning, a diesel heater, new striping, and rebuilding the windless motor. Plus, there were lots of smaller projects.
Living on the boat while in the yard is not easy. The heads (toilets) can’t be used, and air conditioning is a must as Virginia summers can be oppressive, but marine air conditioners don’t work out of the water. The boat is usually a mess inside and full of tools. Getting on and off the boat is done by climbing a tall ladder.
Time passed pretty quickly, and most of my projects were completed. Trouble was ready for launch day.
Start of the New Season — 08•31•23
Well, here we are at the start of the new season 2023-2024. I will be doing the Bahamas again this season. This will be my fourth season there. I know it pretty well, so it should be easy.