Preparing our boat continues to be a challenge. After many years of refitting and maintenance, will we finally be able to finish our technical to-do list?
Amsterdam – Lemmer – Amsterdam (NLD)
“The natural condition of a sailing boat is that something is broken” Ivar likes to say. “Only after investing lots of time and money in repairs and maintenance, with a bit of luck you could temporarily reach a state where everything works. Enjoy that moment – before you realize it, the boat falls back to its natural condition”.
Lucipara² in Lemmer
Lucipara² is no exception to this. Last year we completed a seemingly endless renovation project (see the “Boat” section for an impression), yet there are still quite some things that need to be fixed. We know our limits in the do-it-yourself department, so we’ve scheduled a visit to Herbert in Lemmer. He can maintain the engine and repair the steering system (following the incident last summer, we were sailing with our emergency repair). In Lemmer we can also lift the boat out of the water apply a fresh layer of antifouling paint and replace anodes (zinc elements that avoid electrical corrosion of the hull).
On a sunny April weekend we sail to Lemmer with Floris’s mother and her partner. The owners of the shipyard lift Luci out of the water as we stand on the side and admire the ease with which they handle 24 tons of steel. We alternate with Herbert: we paint during the weekend while he fixes the steering system during the week. We do the engine maintenance together, so we learn how to do it ourselves. He explains which engine parts commonly break, so we stock up on some spare ones of those.
Sixhaven Services
Back in the Sixhaven our electrician Marc comes to fix some LED lights, install the satphone and the watermaker. We’ll soon be able to produce our own fresh water! And to minimise the chance of getting cold, a Kabola serviceman services our central heating system. We also order the most common replacement parts for the heater – just in case.
Magical Moment
And than, suddenly, a magical moment: we finally seem to have reached the end of our to-do-list! We try to enjoy the moment, which is surprisingly difficult in the midst of such a busy time. We’re preoccupied with finalizing our jobs, meeting sustainable partners, saying farewell to people, making preparations for our farewell party, stocking groceries, etc., etc. Still, it feels good to be prepared when it comes to the boat. Of course only time will tell which component will break and bring Lucipara² back to her “natural condition”. Let’s hope we stocked the proper replacement part when that happens!