You have to have faith when you embark on a serious clean up, because things look worse before they look better! But what a relief – after weeks of boat maintenance culminating in the haul-out and sitting at the shipyard for 8 days, Take It Easy is back in the water, looking good and ready to go. Phew!
This has been a particularly demanding boat maintenance marathon, not only because there was a lot to catch up on after skipping the task last year (the boat spent seven months in Queensland), but also because we are preparing our catamaran for full time cruising and are attending to absolutely everything that needs to be done.
Wade and our shipwrights James and Tim did the big push to complete as much of the task list as possible before our Summer Cruise, while I was finishing my last two weeks of interstate business consulting for the year.
The photos in the gallery show the extent of the work. During our week on the hard, the guys did a lot, from cleaning-up the mussel farm growing on the bottom and anti-fouling, to strengthening the stringers under the bridge deck, repairing the damage to the hulls caused by the chain or mooring lines rubbing and people running into us with their dinghy – you can’t get away from lousy drivers, even on water! This required grinding, fibreglassing in some spots, bogging, sanding, undercoating, more sanding, painting, and was by far the most time consuming job. And then there were things like making adjustments to the port rudder which was not totally straight and needed some welding of drill holes and a sleeve put in, preparing the wiring for our new Raymarine multipurpose screen and navigation instruments, servicing of the two outboards, fitting the newly made locker covers (the original ones were delaminating), and once back in the water, completing the cockpit floor and sugar scoops repaint and connecting all the electronics.
There are still a few chores to do, such as repainting the brightsides (the white uprights) and replacing the engine box lids which are delaminating just like the locker covers did, but that can wait till we get back in February.
Now all we need is for the weather to be kind to us so we can leave the Gippsland Lakes as planned next week, bound for Tasmania. We will be watching the forecasts and be ready to escape on 1st December or a few days before if we get the chance.
Sv-Anui 
Good job Bro! 🙂
Thanks!
Great looking ship, nice work!! Those mussels were horrid!
Yes they were! First time we’ve ever had the bottom look so bad, but then first time we had skipped antifouling!
From YUK To spiffy. Great job. Ready to go. Wow
Yuk was the operative word, Susie, the worst it had looked ever! Not quite spiffy now, but good enough. We’ll finish things off when we get back. We will be free spirits tonight – last day at the office for me… hoping to be on board Tuesday and ready to cast off when the weather lets us.
Good to hear it is all coming together ready for your trip. Of course I hate the trips, you aren’t around, but I know you will have a great time.
Thank you Leanne. Yes it’s a bit sad not to be able to meet up for a couple of months but we can call talk on the phone and keep each other posted on WP.
Although, as you know it is neverending, I can imagine rhe relief you must be feeling right now. Have a wonderful time. Safe sailing. X Trish
Thank you Trish. We are already making lists for when we get back!
She looks wonderful and def. ready for your travels to Tassie.
Thanks Nat – getting exciting now. Just left work and we are hoping to head off early next week! Phew! Have a good break too!
We are coming down on Tuesday night so if you are still around will come and wish you bon voyage 🙂
Ok – we are keeping an eye on the weather and if it all goes well we will be gone by then… stay in touch anyway.
I’m interested in the stress points on the stringers Chris. The bridge-deck is our next major project on our build. Were the cracks primarily at forward bridge deck/stringer joins, as the photos seem to indicate, or along the length of the bridge deck?
At the front only, Peter, where the stringers join the bull nose. What we’ve done is epoxy double bias cloth in a Figure of 8 at the front along where the deck/stringers join, then bogged and finished off cleanly.
Thanks Chris. Take it Easy must have covered more ground than most of her sisters, so its good to see where what stress points emerge. I’ll bulk up the fibreglass at that join on Selah.
Yes, that’s worthwhile. We haven’t had any other stress point become apparent.
a lot of work!!!
Yes, but we can leave on our big trip with peace of mind. Thanks for visiting Cybele.
You beat us back in the water! Sounds like your projects went well, always good! Hope you’re having fun on your cruise!
Yes a week on the hard.but lots of work in and out of the water!