Success! It took some work, but our boat's shaft seal leaks at a normal leakless rate. Jimmy found an authorized installer for our Tides Sure Seal, just over in Salt Creek (see Jimmy’s Feb. 5 blog called Keeping the Sea Out of the Boat). Elite Marine scheduled our haul-out on a high tide and they also let us know that we would be required to back into the slip, then disconnect our backstays in order for the haul out to take place.
Since Utopia had not left the slip since arriving the first week in January, we wanted to depart early enough to go out of the marina to practice some maneuvers, especially backing. Things got interesting right away as we attempted to back out of the slip when the wind caught our bow, sending in range of hitting the concrete pier. A quick blast in forward allowed us to keep our bow pulpit.
Anyway, we headed out to the bay only to find that the winds were so strong we had no control over the boat in reverse. Utopia is almost a full keel and thusly notorious for not being able to back in a reliable fashion. Next, we found a little basin that seemed protected from the wind. Again, I found controlling the boat in reverse to be difficult, and now it was time to call the marina to let them know we were ready for the scheduled haul-out.
Carl at Elite Marine let us know that the tides had not filled in yet, and we needed to wait another 90 minutes. Jimmy suggested that we head back to our slip and wait there, also stating that it would be good for us to practice docking. I was not feeling up for it after what felt like a failure with the practice backing, but I am glad we did it because the docking and undocking during our wait was a success.
I approached the haul-out slip slowly and turned the bow into the wind, away from the slip to attempt to line up for backing into the slip. The slip was not perpendicular to the creek, so it was going to be a long turn.
Location of haul out slip at Elite Marine on Salt Creek (that is not Utopia in the aerial)
If I learned anything about our practice maneuvers, it was that I could control the boat in forward gear. This is the technique I used to very, very slowly get the boat back into the slip. As soon as the bow began to swing the wrong direction, I bumped into forward to move the bow to starboard, then resumed with some time in reverse and neutral. Back and forth we went, and eventually I was close enough to the slip that the marina line handlers grabbed our lines and pulled us in the rest of the way. The crew there was very patient even though it was nearly time for them to call it a day.
The shaft seal was replaced the next day and ready to be splashed about 24 hours after arriving at the slip. Carl with Elite Marine let us know that the bottom paint is starting to slough off, so it looks like it is already time to start the next-haul-out-project list next April.
No signs of leaking appeared during our 10-minute cruise back to the slip, so at least this project appears to be completed successfully.
Comments