Four days on the hard

A new industry for Prince Rupert. A small container port has opened and is to be expanded, it is a boost to the local economy that has seen the town shrink from almost 20,000 people down to 11,000.

At present most of the trade is with China.

First time at the wheel in 2 years after the refit.

Our destination is the village of Port Edward which has the only Boat lift in 300 miles.

Always an anxious moment the boat just fits and is startin to be raised out of the water.

Luksana is not sure of this process.

Almost out of the ocean.

Our skilled lift operator.

Being moved to our new berth for a four day scrub and through hull fitting check and replacement.

Not much clearence.

There she sits high and dry.

Just the odd muscle to remove.

You would pay $5 a pound in the supermarket for these beauties.

Luksana did the washing and painting.

I need to be careful what I say to Thai women with paint roller.

Thai Style!!

$250 for the paint

Second coat done.

The yard is next to the railline which has constant traffic to the port facilities, containers, wheat and coal.

Almost the end of a 3,000-4,000 km journey.

Coal from a mine 1000 kms inland in the Rocky Mountains.

Plumbing and finger and hand grazing was my job.

Also I got the real pleasant job of cleaning the toilet pipes. Don’t ask!!!

We finally motor Beautiful Swimmer and hauled out this week in Port Edward. A boat lift can tell that Beautiful Swimmer weight about 10.5 tons =  9,525 kilograms = 21,000 pounds)  We wash and clean the barnacles, muscles and weed off, it have been two years we did not take her out to clean and paint.

To bring her to the boat yard cost about  $ 1,000 (Including boat lift, paint, regular on the”hard”charge $45 per day). When it’s rain that the delay and to extend to stay more than one day) The atmosphere here is pretty humid from the spray water next to the crab site and the location is close the railway that carry all the British Columbia export including Grain, wheat and coal. Anyway we pay attention to the bottom so we don’t have to stay longer here. (It still takes time 4 -5 days including on weekend that the Port office was closed. While the bottom is cleaning at the same time Steph checked the water system inside the boat and propeller wire disk.

What we have done on the hard.

• bottom Wash and paint black
• water maker plumbed in
• sea water valves replaced and or serviced…
• check on head (toilet) and clean ……..
• clean tube and anything that I can get near while out of the water.

Now we decided to leave but the weather forecast is warning about a big storm will coming to the coast in a few days. If we will leave this week to the south it is 50 knots…right against us so we decided to stay during this storm in Prince Rupert. (home coming!)

On the way back to Prince Rupert we  sailed to 6 knots into the harbour. Which is good against a strong tide and the boat laden down with all our cruising supplies.

Have a nice weather!

P.S. On the hard (a sailing term) = on land (out of water)

Sue Such (Australian), Right  & Dennis Sutherland (American), Left  from Dolphin II sailboat also at dry dock. They are heading to south after Alaska – the North coast sailing.