sneaking out between the weather fronts

[John B]

We only have a 4 day tide window for this end of october and yesterdays haul( mon) got postponed because there was a storm warning. It blew 40 ,50 and 60 knots on monday. this morning( tues) the deep depression which had caused the problem had gone over but it had a cold front on it's heels with an associated wind warning( since upgraded to a gale warning). worse still for us, the wind was from the north which crosses the haulout area and brings a sea swell into the bay. Several times I nearly called it off , but it was either today or not at all. (the forecast is all bad for tommorrow too)
well, it couldn't have gone smoother. that 3/4 submerged cradle was a small target in a cross wind and a swell but she slotted on in there no problems. she bounced around a bit, we got the bow line on pronto and she was jerked out tout suite. we came out at 10.30, the front was on us by about 11.30. good timing. quite exhilerating.
now for the work.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/pcd7e57c526f414fd815af49ac93ec4df/faf3ced4.jpg
The method at this yard FYI.
Steel cradle set up to the boats dimensions clamped onto a trolley. The wheeled trolley is let down the ramp by a tractor( with a long wire strop). Run the boat into the cradle. tie off the bow line ,and out you are plucked.

[Art Read]

John, you're either a much better liar than me, or a lot cooler headed! I don't think I breathed properly, or spoke coherantly, the entire time my boat was "in transit" from the shop to the water! One thing I learned this past weekend, it's much less stressfull going through complicated, risk prone "evolutions" in charge of someone ELSE'S boat, no matter how big, expensive or unique, than it is with your OWN, no matter how modest she might be... And WAIONE is no "modest" vessel! Congratulations on a seamanly piece of work...

[ 09-30-2003, 12:32 AM: Message edited by: Art Read ]

[John B]

LOL, Art. I used to get so gut crunching stressed about stuff like this. At the end of the day, The boys on shore know what they are doing and we've been hauling here for 20 years now. If they are going to trust someone, and if I'm going to trust someone, then this is the place to do it.
Nevertheless I was in a fair sweat a couple of times. The wind wasn't much when we actually hauled but it was brewing and the sea was rougher than we're used to for a haul out. we've slipped in in similar stuff before but even then usually with an offshore breeze rather than this cross/onshore bizzo.
I have to say I was particularly conscious of the painter. a motor problem could have been a bit disastrous.

Glad she's out. :D

[John B]

It rained hard last night and today it's blowing hard and I have horizontal hail going past the window.

I am GLAD she's out.

[John B]

And now she's IN.
made it by 2 hours. exactly the same as when we came out. Northerlies and a front coming. It was only about 18 knots but building when she slipped back in. By the time I had her up the harbour and taxi'd back One boat coming in to haul out had a bit of a disaster. He missed the pile, tried to back up to it ( lee shore don't forget) fouled his prop on the painter and ended up hammering his keel on the concrete ramp. One of them jumped O board and cut the painter and he managed to back her off against the wind and the swell. lucky.
Anyway. Waione is snug on her mooring again.