Boats are complex systems that are immersed in salt water and then shaken about — sometimes vigorously. That treatment is going to lead to more upkeep than is usually required for a house in the Midwest. Most of the time, it’s simple stuff that we can take care of on the go: cleaning, changing filters, inspecting systems for signs of unusual conditions, etc. However, every so often there comes a time when the boat must be hauled from the water to get some work done.
All catamarans have escape hatches installed towards the bottom of each hull, quite near the waterline. The idea is if the boat were to ever capsize, people trapped inside the hulls could open the hatches and get out of the boat. Our wrinkle is that the manufacturer of our particular escape hatches (and the hatches on many, many catamarans) decided to hold the lids together solely with an adhesive sealant. This has led to documented cases where the lids have fallen out while at sea. Not a good situation, for they then leave a large hole at the waterline for seawater to pour into the boat. Our chore is to replace the lids on Tilia’s escape hatches with new lids that are attached with bolts and an adhesive sealant. This is best done when the boat is on land (sailors call it on the hard).
We’ve made our way to Belhaven, NC and found a yard that has the capacity to haul Tilia. While Tilia is on the hard, we’re trying to get a few other chores done, too. These are things we can do in the water, but are easier on the hard.
Boatyards are dirty places: the ground is usually gravel of some kind, there is heavy equipment moving around, and people are grinding and sanding on their boats nearby. This yard is all of those things, but it is a very nice version, with a tremendously friendly community. There are some people who are here for just a few days, others who meant to be here for just a few days, and some who are working on a multi-year refit of their boat. Many people stay on their boat while they are in the yard. This is annoying because you can’t use any of your systems that use water (sinks, toilets, showers, etc.) and you have to use a ladder to get in and out of your boat. This marina had an option to rent a cabin during our stay, which is what we did.
Our time here has been productive! We accomplished our primary goal, and have the new escape hatch lids in place. We also did some other maintenance items that are nice to have done. Once satisfying task was replacing the sacrificial anodes. These anodes are designed to be consumed by galvanic corrosion instead of our propellers and propeller shafts.
It’s nice to have Tilia back in the water. It felt strange to walk on the boat when there was absolutely no motion.
