On the Hard

 

We hauled Merengue last Monday for some repairs and new bottom paint.

As many times as I've seen her hanging in a sling, which was twice a year in Milwaukee, I'm always a little nervous.  Boats are meant to be floating, not hanging in the air or propped up on hard ground!

 

 

Repairs began the same day and it's been a productive week.

 

The packing for the stuffing box was replaced.

Old packing on the left and new packing material on the right.

 

 

The thru hulls were replaced.

We also have new lower rigging (uppers were done in St. Thomas a few years ago), a new topping lift, the Y-valve has been lubricated and the new fuel tank will be installed this week.  The hull below the waterline was sanded in preparation for new paint.  The hull above the waterline was cleaned and polished.  We also have our own list of projects that we are working on while the guys in the boatyard handle these big projects.

 

Cruisers have a saying that B.O.A.T. stands for

Break Out Another Thousand.

In our case there should probably be an S on the end of thousand.

Yikes!

 

While Merengue gets primped and polished, we are staying on land.

The boat is so torn up inside that there is no way we could live aboard while the work is going on.  We are in a lovely apartment where we have unlimited hot water, cable T.V., choice of ceiling fans or air conditioning, microwave oven, high speed Internet, etc.  I know most of you will think we are crazy but we find ourselves missing living on the water in Merengue.  I guess we are well suited to the live aboard lifestyle!