Well, we are floating again and shimmi has a brand new pair of panty's (sexy blue ones). A lot of factors had to come together for this whole job to work: the right tides (a spring tide with a middle of the day low), the right place (a navigable estuary with a nice flat sandbank), the right materials (good antifouling paint), enough time (the paint needs 2 hrs to dry) and of course good weather (no rain!). We first scouted the estuary with the dingy...i planted 3 long driftwood poles in a row to act as a 'lineup' behind the shallow spot to guide us to where we wanted to careen shimmi. Then at 4am on monday it was full high and time to go. A full moon was up. Only the tips of my sticks were sticking out the water. I first took the dingy over to the sticks and fastened a head torch to the top of the first and last stick to act as beacons. The previous day I had made to big keel shoes which we had strapped to shimmi's keels. This meant we had t0 drive REALLY slowly as you dont want the keel shoe to slide off and go into the prop. By 415am we were driving shimmi towards the two lights blinking in the distance (my two torches worked like a charm). When the two lights are behind one another we are on course. Slowly our depth gauge fell: 10ft-8ft-2ft-1,5ft etc. About 50m from our final position I turned shimmi around, dropped the anchor and reversed onto the spot. But a sideways current was pushing us so I quickly had to put a stern anchor in the dingy, zoom it out and drop it. We put this stern anchor warp on the primary winch. Anyway to cut a long story short (and a few blisters on Chonny's hands), a few bumps later we were high and dry. I spent the first day cleaning the hulls (I have been scraping and cleaning previously whilst at anchor so I thought this would just be touch up clean). I also drained the gear oil from both sides, took the props off and inserted new binding wire. Chantal and the kiddies went for a walk, she came back saying that she now knows what it feels like on the moon....at spring low tide we might as well have been in the middle of the Sahara. By late morning Andy arrived from the camp to give me bad news: my antifouling wont arrive as it was a public holiday...faaark. We had ordered the paint from a shop in David 2hrs away, they in turn ordered it from Panama city 6 hrs away from where a truck would drop it off for us in a town called San Felix which is 1 hr away...how's that for a logistical nightmare. That afternoon the tide came in and we decided to take shimmi back to the anchorage and not to do anything further until we have the paint in hand. My tide calculations were showing that Thursday is our last possible day for being on the hard: If we are still on after Thursday we wont get off again until the next spring mid February!! Also we were anchored basically in the small channel/mouth leading into this big river system, and the tide coming in and out of the river was running at more than 5 knots - so we basically had to overnight anchor 3 times in a fast flowing river...which does not make for a peaceful sleep. But we held, our CQR anchor has not failed us yet. On tuesday Andy followed up: now the paint was on the truck, bound for San Felix. It was a blessing in disguise for me that Tuesday was a rest day as Monday was backbreaker! Tuesday afternoon Andy came zooming into the anchorage: we had the paint! The next morning (yesterday) was a repeat of Monday morning: only this time I did not need the lights as I could follow my previous GPS track on my chart plotter. Andy came and helped with the painting and after about 4hrs of painting we were done. Poor Chantal and the kids stuck up on the shimmi could not use the loo's, showers or wash up (keep water coming out the drains and onto the hull under progress). It was tough for all of us. BUT: Shimmi looks gorgeous. Lots of catamaran owners talk about how easy it is to careen a cat and do the bottom job yourself...but in reality very few do it. Its bloody hard and you need nerves of steel, a strong arm and a big hat. Oh yes, did I mention the crabs nibbling your toes just when you are painting around the transducer? Had to wipe off with a thinners rag after that. But the JOB IS DONE. We have saved ourselves BIG BUCKS on a time consuming and expensive Panama haul out. Shimmi is looking READY! We woke up to a beautiful morning and we are all going to the beach to celebrate our near-marooning.
Lots of love
SEXY PANTY'S SHIMMI
