Sunday 3 October 2010

Boat Lift-out for the Winter

 Every two years we have "Summer Love" lifted out of the river to "dry out" the GRP hull , to have it pressure washed and the bottom antifouled.  We arrived on Wednesday 29th September in time for our dinner on-board and so that we were ready for an early start on the Thursday. The picture is of the main cabin (saloon) with Rosemary in the doorway of the sleeping cabin in the bow (used by the grandchildren). 

 After some very heavy rain in the night, Thursday morning was bright and sunny but still pretty damp.  We motored round from our summer mooring to the Lift-out  and moored prior to being pulled into the motorised lifting gantry.  At this point David removed the three large batteries used for engine starting and domestic 12 volts. These will be taken home to be "pampered" over the winter.  This picture gives a good view of our sleeping cabin in the stern.

 Here is "Summer Love" in the lift.  Rosemary is with Rachel, the Marina Manager, and Andy the Engineer.

 Andy gives the hull a hot pressure wash, paticularly to remove the marine growth below the waterline.

 The boat is then "driven" to her winter home in the lifting gantry.  Note David's fetching oufit.

 With "Summer Love" safely chocked-up Andy can drive the gantry back to the lift-out.

 We spend the rest of the day winterising the engines, domestic water system, WC and shower.  In April she will be relaunched nicely dried out with the bottom freshly antifouled

Just a nice memory to finish up taken on a quiet mooring at Prickwillow during our holiday in July.

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