We hauled out in Trinidad with a short list of BIG projects:

• Bottom Job:
• Raise the keel.
• Change the Hatch Door
• Take off all the stainless steel screws off the sterns.
• Build slates for the stern of the boat.
• Shorten the Hydrovane
• Tighten the bathroom sink faucet
• Get our new sails delivered from the UK, so we can test them from Trinidad to Bonaire (400NM)

BOTTOM JOB: Scrape, Power Wash, Basecoat, Ablative Antifoul Applied 2 coats. BEFORE

AFTER.....

RAISE THE KEEL :In March we noticed that the keel would no longer fully raise into the bottom of the boat. We couldn't figure out why, but figured it was something like fishing line stuck, somewhere where we couldn't see it. In this photo you can see that Mark from Dynamite is discussing with Blair what could be keeping the keel from raising all the way.

Luckily after they power washed the bottom, the keel came up fully. We couldn't figure out why, but we were able to see there was a round disc stuck in the box where the keel hindges up. Blair and I where able to use a wire the same stiffness as a coat hanger, and speak to each other on our cells phones. Me inside the boat directing where he should put the wire, and Blair under the boat pushing the wire around until we were able to pull the disc out. It turns out that when Alubat drilled the hole for the hinge in the box, they just left the disc there. It had gotten stuck under the keel stopping it from coming up fulling into the boat. It was a simple fix, that took us 15 minutes, once we figured out what was wrong. Just goes to show that sloppy workmenship can cause a lot of frustration, but a simple issue. 

CHANGE THE HATCH DOORS: The original doors that came with the boat, were slick and very simple, and easy to use from the OUTSIDE of the boat. Unfortunately, when you are inside the boat, you needed to sit on the stairs, and reach up over your head to open them. It was challenging and in an emergency I didn't feel that I could be able to get out quickly. BEFORE

So we ordered new hatch doors, than now come standard with all the OVNI's. We knew this would not be a simple swap, as they needed to be custom fit, so we waited until we had time. We received the doors back in May when we were in Martinique, but Blair had so many projects in Grenada that it just didn't go to the top of the list. BOY am I glad we waited until we were at a really good boat yard. It took a 4 hours just to get the old door out. 

Then It took Blair 8 days, too many modifications to count, and both a metal and wood working shop to help make the modifications, so that the doors would actually fit. It took several hours just to make sure the doors would close once we reattached them to the frame. But Finally they look great! 

TAKE THE STAINLESS STEEL SCREW OFF THE BACK OF THE BOAT: Stainless will corrode Aluminum, and we're not sure why Alubat who's been building boats for decades would have but these stainless steel in.

We were finally able to get someone to take them out, but they didn't want to deal with fixing the aluminum and painting it. I guess it's a project for another time.

DESIGN AND BUILD NEW SLATES FOR THE STERN: The fabric that Alubat had used in the stern wasn't strong enough, plus it was attached with stainless steel bolts. We wanted to change all this, and put in wood slates to keep items on board during crossings. Blair used some of the Delron that was used to old the Old Hatch door inplace and had it modified by the wood shop so we could bolt it to the stern with ALUMINUM rivets, and then we had slats made. I think it looks GREAT!

After 2 weeks Silver Moon was ready to go in the water. Sadly, we still had to wait a few days for the new sails from the UK to show up. They were actually on the island stuck in customs and it took 9 days to get them out of customs. 

We FINALLY have our sails. From the time we asked for them to be shipped from the UK to the time we actually got them was 16 days, and if we hadn't kept calling both the boat yard and DHL it probably would have been 21 to 25 days. Here is our code zero, I will share more photos once we're sailing with our new set up.  NOW all we have to do is rig the sails so we can test them on the way to Bonaire.