Yesterday, we hauled out our boat, something we need to do regularly, at least once a year, to clean the hull and take care of essential maintenance. Finding the right marina for this is always a bit of a challenge, as not every crane can handle our boat’s size. Luckily, we found a good fit and were able to get lifted immediately. A relief, but also a nerve-wracking moment. Will they handle our boat safely? What will we find beneath the waterline? And can we actually live on board while in the boatyard?

The first crane turned out to be too small, so they brought in a bigger one. The second attempt went smoothly, and soon we were settled in our land spot. The hull got cleaned and looked good, for the keel.

We knew there was damage from when we hit rocks in Lorient (some of our followers might remember), but we didn’t realise how bad it was. The keel is made of lead and is in one piece with our hull, so structurally, we weren’t too worried, but the ‘wound’ turned out to be bigger than expected. And it is not the dammage itself that is worring, it it the water that gets under the polyester, that slowely grows and can create a problem. To really know the extent, you need to dry and mesure the area before treating it, but that takes time…

The first expert we consulted advised us to repair it thoroughly right away, a process that could take 4-6 weeks, but he wasn’t available to help us now. After which we were quite in shock for a moment… Nevertheless, after a few phone calls to our trusted help lines (thanks to our advisors!), we decided on a temporary fix for now and a full repair next year.

Even though we know the boat is technically fine, the discovery hit us emotionally, especially Mirjam. When your boat is your home, any damage feels personal, it’s not just a vessel, it’s your safe space.

For now, we’re living on the hard and adjusting to boatyard life, doing the work that needs to be done. More on that soon!