The Swiacke family is a cruising family of 3 with a dog setting off for new horizons. They work remotely from their boat (purchased through Sunshine Cruising Yachts) and are electricians and canvas makers/repairers and are always happy to lend a hand or ear to any fellow boater. You can follow along on their adventures at svbogumila/Instagram.com, tracking at https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/4714402332803072, or reach them via email at svbogumila@gmail.com. Look for them on the water and follow their adventures here!
Managing It, On The Hard
Our take on making the best of being hauled out…
Our conversation about the next haul out of Bogumila II started as soon as we bought her. Our situation was different than some; during a whim Google search while stuck in a blow on our Hunter 376, she stuck out like a sore thumb, neglected on a dock in Ft. Lauderdale just waiting for her next owner. Soon came the initial look, then the survey, which found her sound. After finalizing a drawn-out deal for a couple of months, we took ownership and took her back to New England, had a lightning strike, and had her hauled 2 more times, which revealed some other required maintenance. We determined getting hauled out to get these much-needed delayed maintenance items done was a priority.
All boats, even new ones, need maintenance and upgrades to keep them in good working order. It’s almost impossible to remember everything, and from the get-go we kept track of even the most minute details.
Bottom job.
Though hull for our watermaker.
Replace the zincs on our prop and bow thruster..
Repair the keel damage that revealed its ugly head after the survey..
Remediate the small delamination and rust on the keel…
Wax the hull…
And on and on…
We keep a running list of things of all sizes: small drip from a hatch seal, chip in our gelcoat, squeaking block—all of it goes on the list. It lays out everything and allows us to keep a record of what we did when too. But most importantly, it allows us to prioritize items visually. The most immediate item for us was to get the bottom stripped and repainted. We feel this is always a big step to the longevity of the boat, avoiding blisters, keeping her fast on the water, and keeping some of the critters at bay.
The first step for us was to find a yard suitable for the work. For us it needed to be DIY, liveaboard, with a way to get packages, groceries, etc. When we look for boatyards, we look at affordability, the climate of the location, and if we can stay on the boat while we do the work. Doing bottom work in Florida in December is much more comfortable than doing bottom work in Grenada in July. With the boxes checked, we honed in on Green Cove Springs Marina in Florida and took her back south. We scheduled our haul out well in advance, about 3 months, and we shuffled the date as weather and timing factors played out. Most marinas are very flexible with these dates because they understand there are many variables that play a factor. So we kept in touch and updated them on our plans as things got closer.
Contractors… ugh, contractors. We have always heard horror stories about folks hauled out in the midst of their work and the contractor disappears. Eventually, it’s always sorted in some way, but it’s unneeded stress put upon yourself. Once you determine where you are hauling out, you should contact the yard to get their recommendations for contractors to do the work. Most yards tack on a percentage to the contractor’s invoice of the work done, so do your homework and find one that doesn’t. We will say that we exclusively do almost all of our own work, but in the instance of the bottom sanding, which we had done before on our beloved Tartan 28, we wanted help. It’s a dirty job that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
After making some calls and checking their references, secure the work and make sure that they know you’re serious. Ask them if deposits or payments are needed and how they want to be paid at the completion of work. Ask them how they plan to do the work; simple details are fine, but it will explain the difference between sanding for 10 weeks with an 80-grit orbital or if they will grind off the paint with efficiency. Once the details are sorted, it’s important to follow up early and often with the contractor to ensure that they know what and when. Tell them when you’re going to be there so they can schedule their manpower, order supplies/materials, and set a timeline for the work; make sure it’s clear where you’re hauling and follow up several times as you get closer to remind them about the job you want done if they don’t answer or return your calls its probably a red flag.
Doing the work: After you laid out a list of what you’re doing, next is how. For bottom painting, it’s pretty straightforward: grind, sand, fair, prep, and paint. If you’re doing the work, put together (yes, another list) of things you need and add 10% to each. Paint calls for 2 gallons; order 2 gallons and a quart to make sure you have enough, and in the worst case, you roll more paint on and use up what you have. For 550 sq ft of sanding, we went through at least (30) 35-grit 5″ disks. At a minimum, ordering enough plus some will save hours or days to your project, which equates to money and, most importantly, time on the water. For things like electrical or plumbing upgrades, draw out schematics; after initial investigation on what’s existing, add in what you’re planning on doing and make sure your installation is to the latest practices and standards before you start. Missing just 1 fitting or cable connector can result in another trip to the chandler. Making sure you have that material there to do the work by far can turn a 2-month nightmare into a 2-3 week haul.
Execute; boat projects are time-consuming, and usually gremlins rear their ugly head once you get started. If you find yourself hauled with a failed rudder bearing, ask for help. Almost all of the boaters in the yard will lend a hand or knowledge of how to fix something. Sometimes you will have a delay; that’s just part of it work quickly to find a resolution. After we hauled we found our old bearing had too much play so we asked around for a machinist to get another made. They were happy to stop by and take the measurements for a new one. Within a couple of days the replacement showed up and we were well on our way.
Going back in. After the majority of the work has been done and the dust has settled. Take stock of what you have done; we keep an electronic record of everything that we did, the part number, model, and mfg cut sheet go into a file on our Google Drive for future reference. We have needed it for ourselves or others many times, and in today’s electronic age, it’s easy to declutter the paper by scanning it in. Go over each thing that you have done to ensure that everything is in ship shape before she goes in the water. Check all through-hulls, check your electronics and nav systems, make sure your rudder spins freely, make sure your engine starts, check auxiliary components, and add zincs where you need them.
With your yard work done and your boat back in the water, you can now enjoy the fruits of your labor. Hopefully you’re heading off to exotic locations, but if not, you will rest easy knowing that things are well below the waterline.