Finally out of the water

Our next attempt at getting Robinetta out of the water was booked for Saturday 23rd May. Weather looked okay, although with a force 5 gusting 6 slightly on the high side. Then that morning we got a call. It was actually gusting 7, much too high for a tow through a narrow channel BUT the weather on the next Monday was much calmer, with forecast wind speeds on 2-4 knots.

Now the yard does not normally work on a Monday, let alone a bank holiday one, but this was an exceptional year. Julian and I went along on the Monday, and with the aid of two inflatables Robinetta finally left her berth. Julian stayed aboard for the tow while I retrieved the ropes and brought them round to the dock.



Unfortunately I left my camera on Robinetta so have no pictures, but she made an amazing sight coming toward the dock, with one inflatable lashed alongside, and a second on a longer line behind to act as a brake. I was reminded of a liner with an entourage of tugs.

The weather this March, April, and May has been incredibly warm and dry for the time of year, and her starboard sides which were exposed to the sun have dried out a lot, with cracks along the plank lines. The port planking is in much better condition, and there is no sign of the open planking that caused the problems last summer. The garboards, that have caused problems in the past, are also water tight.

Most of the problems are cosmetic, and I shall ask Paul Drake to recaulk/restop the opened seams as appropriate. He has already removed the rudder to start the rebuild, which leaves the rudder fixings on Robinetta's stern exposed. Replacing/repairing these is also on this list....

Lockdown eased

With lockdown in England eased yesterday I decided that I should check on Robinetta. In the expectation that she would be coming out of the water I had partially removed her covers, and at the very least they should be put on more securely.

On first approach she looked fine, but her stern was well out. I did not have to look far to see why she was lying so strangely. The bow spring line was lying on the mud, while the stake it had been attached to had snapped. There was a lot of strain on the stern line. I had to get a "gangplank" so I could get aboard Robinetta from the staging to retrieve the bow line.

A chat with a live aboard neighbour revealed the problem must have happened during the last high tide as he goes past every day and had not noticed the broken stake before. Not long after I had retrieved the line one of the Salting's staff turned up with a new stake, and I was able to moor up properly again.

I checked the bilges and they were good and dry. The covers had been on well enough for the small amount of rain in the weeks since my last visit. I also greased some of the shackles.

We still plan to get her rudder fixed and get some sailing this season, so she needs to come out ASAP. The first high enough tide is not until the end of the month, and hopefully the yard will be back in full activity. Paul the yard manager has been furloughed, so there is no launching going on until next week at the earliest. I am conflicted about my decision to leave her in the mud berth during lockdown, since Paul Drake might have been able to get on with the work. It was the warmest April on record though, so I probably made the right choice.