BV gets a clean bottom

Our first attempt to get BV hauled out on Tuesday afternoon had failed. There had obviously been some complications with the previous boat being lifted and we were politely told in the late afternoon that we would not be lifted; maybe Thursday morning would work? It was a shame as we could have spent most of Tuesday working on the generator rather than waiting ready to be lifted out at 15 minutes’ notice. However, it had focused our, or more importantly Rob and Phil’s energies, on getting the old generator out and the new one into position on Wednesday to leave Thursday clear for BV’s haul-out and clean.

The lifting process gave us an insight into the Spanish yard’s working day: at 9 am the working day starts with a cup of coffee. At 10 am everything stops for an hour whilst the workforce go for breakfast. At 2 pm work stops again for lunch. Just for an hour at this time of year but 2 hours are taken for lunch with a siesta during the hotter months. Work then restarts and then seems to stop at around 6 pm.

With our newfound knowledge of the yard’s working day we now knew why nothing seemed to be happening but ‘you’ll be lifted at 11 am’ was still the claim from the office. As it happened, the previous boat was lifted in at 11 am and after that we were able to move across and into the lifting pen.

From the moment that we moved into position to be lifted, it was apparent that the yard staff knew their stuff and were going to take great care – always a relief when having one’s pride and joy lifted out of her natural environment and swung over concrete. The travel hoist was also large enough that we didn’t need to disconnect the backstay, which simplified things. By midday BV was in the jetwash area and we could do nothing whilst the yard staff cleaned her. We therefore explored the fishing village to the west of La Duquesa, and the supermarket there, before returning for lunch in one of the restaurants overlooking the marina.

We got back at 2 pm to do our work on the anodes whilst the yard staff went off for their lunch. BV’s hull was beautifully clean. A few spots of Coppercoat had come off around the waterline but nothing dramatic.

The yard staff had also cleaned the propeller and rope cutter better than we had ever been able to before. They had used some sort of acid to get rid of all of the marine grow and it made our bit of the work, changing the sacrificial anodes, extremely easy. The new propeller and rope cutter anodes went on first time with all of the bolt holes lining up perfectly. It took all of 10 minutes to do the job, so with ¾ of an hour still to go before the yard staff were back from their lunch, we went to one of the cafés for a coffee.

The lift back in went as smoothly as the lift out and once BV was back in the water we used the main halyard to crane the old generator out of the cockpit and onto the quay by the yard. We then moved BV back to her mooring very pleased that one of our last remaining pre-season ‘big’ tasks was complete.

For the rest of Thursday and all of Friday work continued on fitting the new generator. Rob checked and double-check the clearances on everything before drilling the mounting holes. It took time but far better that than, for example, finding later that we couldn’t get the generator covers off. By the end of Friday the drilling and tapping was done and the generator had been bolted into position. We had hoped to have the job finished by Friday and to be able to set off again on Saturday but Rob is still waiting for some piping for the expansion tank and raw water supply to arrive. That apparently will be delivered from Barcelona some time on Monday so we will stay an extra few days in Duquesa.

Friday’s weather was beautifully hot and sunny with a brisk breeze. Not idea weather for cramming oneself into a small hole with a generator but perfect laundry drying weather! So, whilst work on the generator continued down below, Nicky turned the rigging and guardrails into a mammoth washing line. In her forays to the marina facilities to use the washing machine, she had also found out where to get Camping Gaz bottles, so that task was also ticked off the list.

Better still, she routed back from the ferreteria via the fishmonger’s so that with sundowners we were able to enjoy Gambas (prawns) Pil Pil with proper sized prawns.

Duquesa, Spain