Drive off to Norfolk - 15th July 2024

 After nearly two months of back and fourth with the Insurers' Haven Knox Johnston and their request to get technical reports from two suppliers Black Gang Marine and One Degree West both saying we needed a replacement lower drive or alternatively a refurbished drive from IVSS Marine. HKJ however have now asked us to send the whole drive to Doug Ashley Marine in Norfolk who are the Insurers Surveyor and Repairer. We now await the out come from the surveyor following there inspection as to the next step in sorting the drive...who thought Insurance could be so painful.

Complete drive packed up

Off to Doug Ashley Marine

Drive Shaft Sheared - 30th May 2024

 Black Gang Marine rang us to say they'd stripped the drive to find the main drive shaft had sheared in half due to the drive having struck the dock at Haslar whilst docking. The problem is there not sure they can extract the broken shaft from the lower part of the drive. However they did manage to do this.

Sheared Drive Shaft with shear collar intact

This isn't good nor cheap to repair

Broken bits in the drive

Cone clutch damaged

Worm gear damaged

It seems to be going from bad to worse

Black Gang Marine at Haslar - 29th May 2024

 On Wednesday 29th May 2024 Black Gang Marine arrived to check the drive out, after checking the drive out and noticing damage to the drive cone they we're sure the drive shaft had failed. They removed the drive to take it too their workshops to investigate further.

Ivor from Black Gang checking the drive

Ivor removing the drive

Starboard Cone damaged

The drive appears to have struck the dock

We’re out again - 20th May 2024

 After just a month in the water we’re out again after starboard drive wouldn't engage drive forward or reverse, really becoming annoying now. We've called an engineer to try and sort as not sure what the problem is.

More time ashore as we await an engineer.

The offending drive.

In the yard at Haslar.

Haslar yard with Spinnaker behind.

Berth Holders Party Weekend - 17th/19th May 2024

 We headed to the boat for a few days as I was taking the photographs for Boatfolk for the weekend, unfortunately tested the drives and there is now a problem with the Starboard Drive. On a better note the Bathroom trim is now fixed and dried in place.

Finally rid of the awful grey trim and tatty fixings

Nice Clean Lines 

Relaunch and Clean - 12th April 2023

 Finally the weather picked up so the boat was relaunched and returned to our mooring by the yard, they for some reason put it in stern too.

Cleaned the decks and tonneau cover, all ready for the season.

Great to be back onboard

Final Wheel House Polished - 30th March 2023

 With Easter being early this year the boat wasn't completed in time to get away, so on Easter Saturday I headed to the boat to complete the polishing of the wheel house. Just waiting on a spare part from Volvo Penta to sort the port gear selector and we can return to water.

Top side looking shinny

Looking like new

Bit brighter than the F33 next door

Port side looking bright

Nearly all done

Wheel House top looking good

Starboard Side Done

Port Side Done

Props & Anodes Fitted - 26th March 2024

 With half a day predicted to remain dry I arrived at the boat to refit the Props and Anodes before the rain comes in again for the next four days.

Props & Anodes on

Quadrant Anodes on

Looking new

Rain held off all back together

All antifouling done

Hull Antifouled - 22nd March 2024

 With the weather holding I decided to get the hull fully antifouled before the predicted wet weekend, just the props and anodes to go.

Stern complete

Looking good

Glad that's sorted

Looking clean

More Polishing and Drives Antifouled - 21st March 2024

 Finally a dry day with little or no wind so went to the boat to spray the drives with antifoul and complete the polishing of the hull and upper skirt above the rub rail. All completed just need to antifoul the hull and were ready for relaunch.

Drives sprayed with Hempel Eco Power

Drives ready for the props

Starboard Side Complete

Boat looking shinny

Top skirt polished

Gleaming bow

Looking Shinny

That looks better

F33 on the left looking grubby

Greek Princess is 5 years older but a lot better condition

That's the polishing done on the sides

Hopefully not much more to do

Cutting and Polishing - 19th March 2024

 The March weather has been one of the wettest on records and despite being predicted to be dry it rained again so had to call off halfway down the starboard side. Managed to sand the bottom for an hour or so to get out the rain but in the end had to pull off the job.

Portside cut back and polished below the rub rail

Greek Princess left looking shinny

One side done, if only the rain would stop

Got halfway down the Starboard side and down came the rain again