This might sound very boring for some.....
We're in the thick of it now, that's for sure but it started 3 weeks ago just after we arrived. There are 3 boatyards here in Rio Dulce that can haul you out. We wanted to do the work in RAM Marina but got quotes from people in the other 2 first to compare. After buying all the paints in the USA to bring here before we arrived I had an email from the American owner of the yard here saying we had to use their products for the paint job so didn't have much hope of being able to do it in RAM. After a meeting though with the Manager Karen and a talk with the head painter this ended up not being a problem and when the quote was given we were super happy as it was just in our budget and this is a very professional place. As they are a one stop shop so to speak they could do us a bundle on everything including-removal of mast, sandblast off all old bottom paint back to bare glass, paint topsides, deck and sandblast mast and paint, haul out and handstand fees and even included accommodations in a share house they have for the time it takes to complete the job.
Taking off the mast was an eye opener, they strapped 3 telephone poles to the travel lift with some pulleys and man power but it worked real well!! Next was the haul out and sandblasting, that took nearly 5 days of real dusty going but it came up well. We had some osmosis blisters but it wasn't too bad at all and now we are back to a bare base it can dry quicker and we can start fresh with huge amounts of epoxy to go back on but it will be all good in the end. Next they moved us back to the concrete work area and the boys started preparing the deck for painting. They estimated 3 weeks for the deck and I thought the work ethic would be pretty casual but we are REALLY surprised they are into it flat out and are doing a great job, really getting into every detail including a lot of epoxy and fibreglassing work I didn't think was so necessary but great all the same like new glass pads for stanchions and staysail and strengthening other areas they really are getting stuck into it, it's amazing to watch and to think we can actually afford to have all this work done on our budget Sunflower will be new once again........
Not for a while though, at least another 6 weeks to finish the painting, then we have the bottom to do also and put the stripped mast back together and back on. Also a lot of other jobs, a big one was we got the mast compression post out from inside and will strengthen that and put a new wooden base for it to sit on so at the moment the floors are all stripped from inside and we will also varnish them. Then there is a leaking stainless water tank that's pulled out, prop to rebuild, cutlass bearing, maybe drop the rudder and a lot of other little stainless repairs, yep we fricken flat out!! Not to mention every deck fitting we pulled out to polish and clean up the nuts and bolts, we have a hell of a lot to do but will get there in the end but at the moment it's just one big mess!!
The weather has been great for nearly a week now with no rain and that makes for great progress but the heat is right up there also so we normally take a couple of hours for lunch and have a beer and get stuck back into it later on.
Our French friends left today on Syrah so that was a bit sad as it's been great fun hanging out with them in the evenings. So now we will just carry on chipping away and will update in a couple of weeks when hopefully the deck is all painted.
