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.

It is a strange feeling, that our SUMMER rocking motion and when you look out the window, then you look once six feet in depth to the water surface.

Yesterday and today were days of work and dirt. The paws are constantly full of goo, Color, Dichtmasse und die Fußsohlen sind am Abend so schwarz wie Stempelkissen 🙂 Daran beißt sich sogar ein Schwamm aus Stahlwolle die Zähne aus :-). Have accustomed myself since Monday, evening to go with shoes in the shower. Then I can imagine me at least, that the black broth of the shoe sole is. Das hilft 🙂 Unsere SUMMER hat sich in eine echte Baustelle verwandelt und um dem geordneten Chaos etwas Ordnung einzuhauchen, we vacate the evening all the tools again neatly back to the place, where we have also hergenommen.

Jose wanted to come yesterday and start sanding the hull. The poor lad but was constantly sent to other ships and at noon it was clear, that it would be nothing more. Does not matter, dann eben morgen 🙂 Wir nutzten die Zeit, reduce the partially decomposed strongly sacrificial anodes, To polish stainless steel mesh, to procure new sacrificial anodes, to overtake the propeller of the bow thruster and clean the SPW-rotary-wing propeller and fill with new grease.

For lunch Katja had once again conjured up something delicious on the table. After such a meal you right back in the mood, to plunge back into the labor.

A small problem but we have already, because we can indeed be no more water running. Probably the others would thank us, wenn plötzlich aus den Ventilen über Ihren Köpfen irgendwelches Abwasser herauslaufen würde 🙂 Man muss es sich schon gut überlegen, how much one evening nor drinks, because “Pischbox” is yes 150 Meters. In addition, one would have in the night even climb down the ladder. Da sollte man besser richtig wach sein 🙂 Die Nummer mit der Flasche im Bad ist auch keine wirkliche Option wenn man den Frieden an Bord bewahren möchte 🙂 Also, who drinks much just have to run too often. It's that simple!

At noon today it finally went with the grinding of the old antifouling down to business. Jose had brought a colleague and together they ground like champions. At times, the boys had disappeared in a cloud of mist of blue sanding dust. One could get the impression, that there were two Smurfs dabble along. It's a really hard job and for this we have the two rewarded with a decent tip.

Without Words! On the rest is our SUMMER. Arbeitssicherheit auf kanarisch 🙂 Bisher ist aber noch kein Schiff von den Böcken gefallen, I've heard….

Today, we have dedicated ourselves fully to the bathing platform. The thing was so so rusted and the screws partially rotted, that it was a real slog to remove all the screws, to remove rust and reinstate. The bathing ladder, we have completely disassembled, the welded brackets and beams were to remove rust and polish then to preserve the end it all together with the preservative wax TECTYL. Das Ergebnis lies sich aber sehen und dieser Schandfleck ist endlich beseitigt 🙂

Against 15:00 Jose and colleague was also done with the grinding. Jose seems to be a very happy man despite the many and hard work. He is 45 Years old and the father of four children (it works as a forensic pathologist). He wears a black belt (third DAN) in TAEWONDO and trained after work 2 Hours 5 Days a week. It may also two minutes to hold their breath and dive with a harpoon to 15 Meters deep for hunting. Und singen kann er auch ganz gut wie man heute gehört hat 🙂

On Friday, the work should be completed. Then you have “the only” yet the rudder reinstalled and the SUMMER back into the water. But we have a good run and are quite optimistic, that luck will hold us.