Launch day has finally come

Thursday 7 Nov, HHN day 27: Cloudy Bay is back in the water with no leaks! Now it’s time to get the dinghy secured on the davits.
We are up early again to ensure we catch the launch crew before they start their day. While it does actually seem there is enough water for once, the crew say only a maybe for launch today, and definitely not this morning.
So we set about tasks again. Oana completes a second coat of varnish on galley shelves and also on the new bilge flooring while I potter around not really wanting to start anything major just in case they come to launch us.

And that’s exactly what happens, at midday the crew arrive and the usual flurry of activity starts. I have to paint antifoul under the keel bulb and also some bits where the stands had been. And before we know, Cloudy is heading to the water at a steady walking pace. Once in the water, the moment of truth. Will there be any leaks due to all the hull fittings we have replaced? Gladly there appears to be none. The Volvo also starts immediately on request and we are off down the channel to C-dock. We feel a bit rusty with regards to boat maneuvering, but all goes well and soon we are snugly tied up, side to the pontoon, floating once again, at last!

Priorities move from being ready to launch to being ready to sail. First importance is getting the dinghy properly secured on the davits and that means new strops and likely 2 new lift points in the stern to ensure clearance of the outboard to the davit arm. For the first time the dinghy is united with the Suzuki-20 and lifted to the davits. While there is a space between the outboard and davit, it’s just too close for comfort. We will have to get some U-bolts installed slightly forward of the transom. With the outboard on the new dinghy, I can’t wait to give it a go. After filling the Suzuki with oil and the fuel can connected I sneak a short ride, being careful not to over throttle. We want this outboard broken in nicely, by the book. It all feels very nice and seems to get on the plane very quickly. Cant wait to see Oana’s opinion. Riding in the last (wet) dinghy was not one of her joys.

As dusk comes, so does the expected rain. And it’s damned cold rain. Time to head inside and work on new davit strops. My supply of dyneema is a bit thin for the task, so before it gets dark I head to the rigging shop where they not only kindly give me 15ft of 6mm dyneema, but also demonstrate how to splice a loop in it. It all looks very easy but I must immediately get back to the boat and try to do it again, without help. So with a cup of tea, and my fids out, I give it a go. But do you think I can replicate what he showed me? Pfff! How could I forget so easily? I even have his loop still in the line, but still cant work out how he did it so simply.

The evening is spent watching YouTube videos of splicing and generally chilling out. A bit of R&R is in order now that the land phase it done. Unfortunately, in the aft cabin it’s difficult to sleep. We are welcomed back to the water with wavelets coming on our stern and along with it an intense lapping sound. Damn, we should have moored the other way around!