Haulout Day - Mackay

Friday 1^st June 2012

Haulout Day - Mackay
Still raining on and off throughout the days and nights – less wind



In the slings

MrJ picked a good morning to make the haulout; the wind has dropped considerably and is more easterly which made the manoeuvrer of AR into the haulout slings much easier if not a tad on the fast side with wind and tide. Shelly and Ric and their friend Wayne were on board to lend a hand and the fellers from the yard were at their best, as usual.



Up in the air

Ben the crane driver had AR in the sling in lightning speed with the help of his offsider Toto who helped with the manoeuvring from a pontoon alongside the haulout area with lines and a long boat hook. The skipper stood by watching very nervously. There was a bit of a discussion between the fellers and the skipper as to the positioning of the front sling. Even though the fellers are very good and knowledgeable at their job the final decision always falls on the skipper of the boat. It was after this that MrJ (the skipper) signed the dotted line on the haulout contract. All that sorted and AR was lifted out of the water, up into the air and transported into the yard where Toto gave her hulls a pressure wash before would sit her down somewhere along the fence in the work yard.

The wash down

The helping crew went home to start their days work on Neriki and MrJ and I went to the cafe to hastily gobble down a cheese and bacon burger for breakfast. When we arrived back in the yard AR was being set down in her “spot”. Good timing?

It was raining again and my first job once the ladder had been put up to enable MrJ and I to climb up to our “out of the water” home was to put the side covers down and then put some old towels on the back steps and along the back deck to try and keep the black yard dirt out. It doesn’t really work that well but one has to try. Next I hung up the wet jackets, other towels and things; everything was so wet and I hate wet feet or wet things left lying around. I packed up the good floor mats, inside too, into the washing bags and replaced them with old towels. Tomorrows washing!

MrJ had already gathered up all his bits and pieces to start the rubbing back of AR’s hulls and was busy at work. My next job was to cart some bits of wood, blocks and planks, to make a couple of small table benches under AR. I also roll a rather heavy block of wood over to be used as a seat when doing those low jobs. I was the first to use my wooden seat, to sit and scrub and sand back both props. I don’t know which job is more back breaking, leaning into the sanding using the long pole apparatus or sitting and leaning forward. No good complaining, the job has to be done!

Ben and MrJ

By midafternoon I was ready for a long hot shower and a sit down. MrJ finished for the day not long after when a down pour of rain put a halt to the works and went for his shower. That night MrJ and I had been invited over to Neriki for a baked dinner. How could I not! Thank you Shelly and Ric!

Will tell you another time what it is like living in a work yard.