Back on the Gold Coast and the last six months seem to have gone by like a blur! It is time for boat and body maintenance.
Despite our lack of enthusiasm for the Gold Coast, it is a bit like a home coming. Our friend Bill was waving at the Seaway Spit as we came in, a few friendly stalkers were watching us on Marine Traffic and sent us messages.
Since getting back, we have been catching up with local friends and other cruisers, enjoying coffees, lunches ashore, and unlimited access to food, walks and all things land-based, so this week has been social. It has also given us time to catch our breath before the medicals, and we have fitted in some boat maintenance before getting underway again in early May.
We motored up to The Boat Works and anchored in the Coomera River for a few days. It has only been six months since our haulout, but after our big voyage in Tasmanian waters, there are a few niggly things to attend to.
The zip on the boom bag needed to be replaced, and some of the stitching was coming undone, so we dropped the sail bag to Bevan of Marine Canvas & Trimming for him to fix. As usual, Bevan was super quick and accommodating.
Our One Way Vision film on the windows and hatches is peeling off after having been replaced recently. The original perforated film, designed to give sun protection and privacy, was clogged with salt – because ‘somebody’ did not want to use fresh water to rinse the windows regularly. We got Print Image to redo it in October 2023. To make it easier to clean and protect the One Way Vision film from dirt and salt, the Print Image crew put a clear laminate on top. Good idea, we thought, however it has not worked out well since all the edges and corners are lifting up and in fact started curling up within days of the job being done. The business now has changed hands, which does not help! We got the new owner to have a look and quote for a couple of options. We’ll see what he comes up with. Either way, Chris is working on Wade to be less stingy with freshwater usage!
Our white top sides have been deteriorating around the cabin top and back of cockpit where all the winches are: peeling paint, a few cracks and knocks… We got Ryan, our shipwright at 143 Boat Building, to check what needs to be done. We are up for a sand, fill and repaint of the top sides and back of cockpit, which will be attended to in October. It may seem a long way ahead of time, but whether you respray or roll and tip, the work has to be done under cover, which means booking a shed with a slot in the roof to allow our catamaran to go in without needing to drop the mast down! We have asked Ryan to quote and schedule the booking and we will haulout to suit in six months.
The pull start mechanism on the dinghy engine has been playing up. It does not engage the clutch when the rope is pulled and it can take half a dozen attempts to be able to start the engine. It is worse when it is cold for some reason. So Wade fiddled with that on the beach at Paradise Point, following the advice given by the motor mechanic. Last time he did that was at Roydon Island with Trevor! It now starts first go… fingers crossed that keeps up!
As you can see, a mix of small quick fixes for now and planning ahead to ascertain how far north we go during this winter season before we have to turn around and come back here.
For now this is where we are over Easter, before the medicals start.
Sv-Anui 
enjoyed your photos – and the coast is so welcoming
Thank you, Yvette. We have lots of favourites along the East Coast.
What a busy yet fulfilling return to the Gold Coast! It sounds like a mix of catching up with friends, tackling boat maintenance, and planning ahead for future adventures. The detailed updates on repairs and fixes give a real sense of life aboard, with its constant balance of work and leisure. Here’s to smooth sailing and a successful season ahead! ⛵✨
Thank you… typical life afloat… there is always something to fix!
Timing is everything but we aim to be on the Gold Coast next week (weather pending). Hopefully we can catch up with you there.
Looking forward to it!
Seems like a lot of things to fix up while you are on land! It’s great you know what needs fixing and where to go for help.
Hope you have a great Easter weekend and a restful time on land before the medicals. Is the medicals like appointments?
Happy Easter Esther! We are still on board, just have easy access to land😊. And yes always lots to fix on a boat!
The medicals are my one year follow ups after breast cancer, as well as scans and a specialist’s visit for chronic back and neck problems.
Thank you! Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend too. Oh boy, there’s lots to do for you.
I pray that the follow ups and scans go smoothly and you get the best news ever. My friend is a breast cancer survivor too and she gets scan anxiety when she has her follow ups. Hope you get relief and treatment for your back and neck problems. Peace!!
Thank you Esther… can’t help but feel a bit jittery.
I can imagine!
My mother in law has these scans too and they fill her with anxiety.
Praying for peace and comfort in your heart.
Thanks Esther.
Old saying says: boat is hole in water into which one pours money! Best wishes on the medicals, guys!
Yes, or BOAT: Bring On Another Thousand!
That works too! 😂 Be well you two. 😊🇦🇺
Thanks John 😌
👍🏻😊
Hope the list of things to be done for the bodies is done as quickly and efficiently as that for Anui.
Everyone will be super sea worthy and shiny by the time you head off again!
Fingers crossed, Ann!
With continuous network failures on my side this morning, this is the third time I have written but failed to send!!! I cannot believe it has been six months since you sailed ‘past me’ towards Tasmania for my best ever geography lesson of the erstwhile ‘Apple Isle’! And now you are back on the Coast for the necessary housekeeping 🙂 ! Well, the Anui seems to be ‘getting done’ – now the hope is that you two will follow suit ere setting off north – with Bengie able to stay out of the doona !!! So, the best with friends for the Easter break . . . and, I love that last river photo today . . ., remember my own six years up there, with no great joy, as I have probably said a multitude of times . . . be well . . .
Morning Eha, technology frustrations aren’t fun, but glad you persisted. We always enjoy your comments.
We hope the medicals go as smoothly as the boat fixes! Bengie is out and about now that the warmth has returned… well… she snoozes in the cockpit instead of on our bed! 😉
Glad you made it back in plenty of time for all your appointments!
Hope you can get the privacy screens sorted. We too used Print Images and ours have been fine apart from a couple of corners where the polisher caught it. We used fix tech to stick it back down…
We’ve made it to Maria Island and looking for a weather window north from here now!
Fix Tech clear might be an idea for the One Way Vision! We’ll see what Print Image comes back with after Easter! What specific Fix Tech product did you use?
Saw you left POW. Hope we get to see you and spend a bit of time together this season. We’ll keep an eye out for you.
We used Fixtech15 white because it was only a small section in the corners. Maybe one of the all purpose fix tech clear products would work?
Hopefully the print company will come up with a solution. We certainly didn’t use fresh water to wash them and they’ve now been on for 5 years.
And yes, looking forward to catching up for some more adventures!!
Never ending story the repair stuff 😞
Love the sooty oyster catcher picture, is it new or have I somehow missed it?
All the best with the medicals!
Yes, always something to fix on boats. The oyster catcher picture… I had to think about that one then realised you saw it in the header. There are half a dozen header images that alternate randomly and get changed periodically.