After 16 days in the i15 shed at The Boat Works getting the crew and the boat attended to, we are done and dusted.
Anui looks particularly schmick. The paint work is outstanding and looks like enamel. This should last us for 10 years!
This week was all about the MMA team finishing the lengthy preparation, ready for spray painting of the cabin top, the cracks in the cockpit, the repair of the coving under the bridge deck (damaged during the Gladstone haul-out), a respray of the shower ceiling (to fix a poor colour match done last year after a drill went through the deck which was being repaired), applying the anti-foul, re-sealing of the saloon windows and bedroom hatches and finally the big task of removing all the paint masking films and Coreflute sheeting off the decks and floors.
Big shout out to our friend Bill who took us and Bengie in as refugees from the paint fumes for a couple of days. We coped while the spraying was happening outside, but once the guys were working in the bathroom and cockpit, we had to escape! It also coincided with Chris’s op so it was nice to recover in comfort and even the pussycat thought apartment life was pretty cool – much better than the shipyard, and the car trip was a fascinating adventure too!
We splashed back in the water on Thursday, two days later than originally planned as thunderstorms delayed the spray painting. It was good to finally leave the shed!
We are still at The Boat Works, however now in a wet berth till Saturday morning. But it is all for the best: time for the paint to harden, time to ‘reconstruct’ the boat after being a work site for over two weeks, time to give it a good wash as it is really filthy, time for recovery from surgery, and time for all the pathology results to come through.
We are posting much later than usual today because we wanted to wait until all our pathology results had come through. We are still waiting for the main one!
But we have some good news: the skin biopsies are clear for both of us and we are hoping Chris’s lesion is benign but the results have not come through yet! We are well and truly ‘over’ the medical worries and the craziness of marine expenses. Can’t wait to let go of all the tension we are holding.
If you have been following our posts for a while, you will be aware that on the health side the last two years have been a physical and mental challenge. Once you have had a cancer episode, the threat of more is never very far away and you worry about suspect symptoms. We had three months of waiting to get this round investigated and the stress of it all got more and more intense as you probably gathered from our posts. Speaking or writing about our fears does reduce the potency of their venom. We are hopeful we will get confirmation it’s all clear soon.
On the boat side, having a 52ft catamaran (bigger than average), 25-year-old vessel (older than average), and being particularly fussy owners (more than your average punters) means it all costs a frightful amount to maintain. We reckon it’s 8% of the purchase price each and every year. Some years such as 2025 it’s more like 12%. It goes without saying we have been stressed about this too. People think the sailing life is a dream until they have had a boat for a few years… then it dawns on them… it’s a nightmare for your bank account! No wonder there are so many vessels for sale after only a short period of ownership!
We look forward to the next weeks of cruising back to Victoria with Anui looking bright and shiny, the best she has been for a while, both of us okay health wise and pussycat Bengie hanging in there.
Sv-Anui 
Great news all around. Such a relief for you both, as well as for your close followers!Hope the weather becomes more sensible down south for your return to Vic.Love from Chris & Suzanne.
Not quite confirmed yet… had to correct the post… but hoping! Leaving the Boat Works Saturday, however will have to wait till we hear from the surgeon before we head south which might not be until next week now. Never easy!
So glad you both have the all clear!! And yay for a shiny Anui after all the hard work.
It’s been in immensely stressful year on so many levels for you and here’s to smoother sailing ahead!
And yes, the cost of maintaining a boat is waaaay more than people realise! We’ve always worked on 10% of the purchase price and some years it’s less and some years it’s more, but in 13 years it pretty much averaged out at that. There’s always something that needs to be repaired or replaced, but the lifestyle more than compensates ❤️ Although it doesn’t mean there aren’t days when we look at each other and wonder!!
Hoping to catch up on our way south.
Nearly all clear… I was being positive and forgot I scheduled the post for 3.00pm thinking the results would be confirmed, instead of leaving it in draft form. Still haven’t heard from the surgeon although he said the lesion did not look malignant after the op.
Anui does look resplendent and we are keen to take off!
Hopefully the surgeon won’t leave you waiting over the weekend!!
I suspect he might… the consulting rooms are closed now. You’d think they’d be aware the waiting is a killer!
Was just about to close the mail when yours flew in. Glory hallelujah . . . OK, the last formal part has not yet been put down on paper but methinks words have been exchanged and . . . blessings . . . to you and that inquisitive puss of yours. It will take a while for feelings to normalize and logical future plans to go into effect and the mental overload to subside, but . . . a nice weekend coming up methinks . . . and the Anui looks wonderful in her newest garb . . . tons of hugs to all three of you . . .
That’s what we are hoping Eha… good old paperwork! We are a bit cranky the surgeon has not called yet… You’d think he’d know better! You described the aftermath perfectly. It will take a while to ‘let go’.
That last pic really shows up Lock’s unmistakable design signature, his DNA is all over it. Still very much a great boat, ageless quality.
Thanks Roger, yes we are a bit biased but we think Anui is classy… a bit like an old sports car.
A good paint job is all about the preparation & there certainly is some preparation going on particularly with all the masking inside & out. Looking great.
Great news for your health results to date hopefully the same for the remainder.
Cheers Mick & Lyn
Hi Mick & Lyn, a few hours of painting versus multiple days of prep… and the MMA team was all about perfection… close enough was not their way of doing things! Very thorough and very precise.
All clear with the pathology, thank goodness.
Yay for good test result, guys! Excellent news. And, yay for Anui being almost ready to float again! i can’t imagine the amount of money Anui needs to be maintained, wow. Have a great weekend guys!
Hi John, back in the water and all good to go! Yes this is an ugly year for maintenance! Be well, thinking of you for your surgery.
That’s great!! And thanks again, my surgery is this coming Tuesday. I went to the hospital this morning for the pre surgery tests and info. Fun… Not!
Thank goodness the skin biopsies are clear for both of you!! That’s wonderful news. I get the frustration, fear, and stress of waiting for results and the wariness of new “suspect symptoms.” We are in a different boat with medical issues, but the vigilance is exhausting.
The Anui is going through a major makeover and is going to be the shiniest vessel out there! Hooray for all the time, effort, and money you invested into it. Hoping your time sailing is wonderful…
.
Hello Esther, always nice to read your comments. I know you understand the waiting and vigilance, and the exhaustion that goes with it. Hope your kiddies are doing better and you are a little more serene. We are pleased to be on our watery way again and free to let go of the worries.