Since Saturday afternoon we go again – Gott sei Dank !

As more and more clearly the Spanish era of the Germans over. Jose had said Wednesday night to us, he came Thursday at seven clock in the morning (!!!) to mask the water pass so then the new antifouling can be painted. This early time had already made us very suspicious. Um sieben Uhr am Morgen arbeitet in Spanien doch noch kein Mensch 🙂

And as expected, was also at nine clock, as we climbed down the ladder after breakfast, noch niemand zu sehen 🙁 Irgendwann im weiteren Laufe des Vormittags tauchte ein Eimer Antifouling bei uns am Schiff auf, followed by a roll of duct tape (to mask the water pass) and two paint rollers. So far away, so good…..but Dietmar had asked the workers remains a difficult task. He insisted, that the paint should be mixed thoroughly before application only by drill with a mixer. Such “strange” Procedures were here probably not standard. The mixer attachment had to be specially procured with, aber immerhin gab es schon eine Bohrmaschine 🙂

So we arrived just in time after lunch to two back, to become witnesses of the ordinary mixing the Anti-fouling. Two hours later, the first layer was then applied properly. It looked really good before. The time now missing “the only” two more paintings, then we would be finished with the hull.

Thus, it was clear, that we could forget our appointment on Friday evening crane. That fit in time so the front and back no more. So stellten wir uns innerlich schon mal auf den Samstag ein 🙂

On Friday morning we had to wait until, to the catamaran trip, lying next to us yesterday at the quay wall in the water, had invited all his guests. Due to the unfavorable Northwest wind-wave location with plenty of the tours started at the moment of San Miguel, right next to the SUMMER. Since it was safer, begin the painting only, if no one had to go past our boat.

A clock we had arranged to meet a nice couple from Gütersloh to eat. The two had many years himself a “Hallberg-Rassy” located in Neustadt an der Ostsee. So we got another new Spanish restaurant with good food and very cheap know and spent a nice time. The two spend the winter every year in Tenerife and wanted tomorrow 10 Weeks Canaries fly back to Germany. Sorry, we had met only in the last week, sehr schade 🙁

Gegen halb drei waren wir wieder zurück im Hafen und unsere SUMMER war tatsächlich fertig gestrichen 🙂 Jetzt musste sie nur wieder in den Bootslift, so that the supports removed and the lower areas also could be deleted 3x. So we set out, prepare everything. The alignment of the two belts was much easy than in the water ashore and soon we rocked again freely in the wind. Although still far too high above the water surface, aber immerhin etwas 🙂

But even the trickiest task stood before us: we had to install the rudder again. Although we have two people put the Marina this evening at seven clock available, we moved the action rather on Saturday mornings. Jose had promised, to come on his day specially just. We do this would rather deal with it, as he was also been to the expansion of this.

About ten clock we were ready to go. The rudder of SUMMER weighs good 80 Pounds and is a really cumbersome part with a total length of 3,20 Meters (Rudder blade with rudder stock). First we had the SUMMER by lift to more 1,20 Raise meters, be able to perform at the helm exactly perpendicular through the lower rudder bearing. With this amount we brought the travel lift to his constructive limits. It would not be two more inches in height have been possible. We were really at the absolute limit.

After the first step with three men (Jose, Dietmar and I) was well done, but it was even more complicated. First, we lowered the SUMMER again twelve inches from the stem and fixed so that the lower bearing. Dietmar swung with the shaky and short head back to the ship and ship-mounted in the various seals and the shaft. Means he was knocking us about it, if the travel lift the SUMMER could be re a little further down. After some time, we were then so far, that the 75mm thick shaft just had to pass through the upper rudder bearing, before it could be then finally fixed in position and secured against falling. But this last act which it had in it.

Although we could now communicate directly back since Dietmar now 4 Meter onto the deck, but it was not easy, the instructions of the captain is the direction in which to align the rudder, implement as desired. Because the precise alignment in the millimeter range of a 80 Kg rudder with a slightly rocking 15 Ton ship with only one man and one woman is not blowing cotton. Unfortunately, that went from always right digital. Either the rudder does not move or it was moving too much. So also rushed nor the driver of the travel lift for help, but also to third there was no child's play. Dietmar was on deck slowly but something restless: “What do the three down there? If not do everything yourself makes etc. pp” at least I heard him curse softly.

We have now changed our concept. Wir machten gar nichts mehr 🙂 Denn die SUMMER schaukelte ganz leicht im Lift und irgendwann stand das Ruder perfekt. “Only” more quickly pull up and……. nailed it! We really fell from the heart.

While Dietmar yet assembled, all other parts of the steering gear in the boat, I started out, to emphasize the still untreated sites with antifouling. Finally I was allowed with brushes. It was fun and I malerte the three layers in record time.

Three clock we had our appointment crane. Finally back in the water. The wind had our appointment calendar and notes in his time at a quarter to three, it blew again strong with over 20 Node. The really needed now nobody. Despite the adverse conditions we again safe water and made our SUMMER short time at our traditional fixed berth.

Once on board, everything was put back into operation and reliable work, the watermaker had something refilled the tanks and the dishes was rinsed in the closet, we went to celebrate the day to Los Abrigos fish to eat.