A Big Splash

Ker Marie finally back in the water again, electrics going wrong, David in the UK and presenting you our new website.

Yes, that was an exciting and big splash when ‘Ker Marie’ was in the slings of the crane to be lifted back into the water again. A few days before the splash we have been sorting out the replacement of the seals of the propellor (these need to be replaced after 800 engine hours or every 2 years). And I can tell you that was quite a thing. The first seal went completely wrong because somehow grit came in the shaft and it ruined one of the seals. So, seal out and new one in again. I talk like this is an easy peasy job, but it is very fiddly, greasy and especially exciting when you are doing this for the first time. All of it was a bit of a race against the clock, but we managed just before the haul in.

Even more exciting was; Is the engine going to start after all those months? We didn’t test the engine because there was no time left to try it. But this lovely lady started her engine so smoothly like she hasn’t been in the yard all those months.

I was standing on the bow when David motored us to our dock. I remember I felt absolutely incredible. The silence after the noisy yard, the sea gliding underneath me, I felt so alive and free! Arriving in our dock we straight away got the hose out to give her a good clean, so dirty she was.

David and I felt so relaxed to be back in the drink again that we started talking about our plans. Our plan is to stay here for maximum two weeks. In these two weeks we need to get the sails back on, fit our solar panels and then we can leave to Hyeres in France to replace our rigging.

But, first things first, we have to get rid of our car. So David drove the next day to the UK and IOM to store it with his family. He left for 5 days and on day 1 it was already trouble. Poniente is back again (is a strong wind direction) and we are blown with our boat against our neighbours, a fancy Amel 54. I have been rearranging all the fenders and lines in the hope it all holds. It was an very uncomfortable night where I went out of bed (I do not sleep well in these conditions anyway) multiple times to check, double check and re arrange. Even Floyd was uncomfortable and I took him inside the boat at night. Which he absolutely loved by the way. The next morning it was a hard time to get him out of his bed. Suddenly pretending (with puppy eyes up) he couldn’t get up the stairs anymore into the cockpit. Funny animal.

In the morning I was cold and turned our heating on. Yes, we are still in Spain. After 5 minutes I smelled burned rubber and turned around and smoke came out of the socket. This is one of my nightmares; electrics going wrong. Straight away I turned the main input off and then pulled the plug out. The socket was half gone, it burned a hole in there. It was still smoking away, but it eventually got less, end ended. Why now?…exactly at the time David is not here. But I learned something new again, I dismantled the heater, threw it out and way you go. Who needs a captain! Well, me, because obviously I called up David in panic mode. 

The wind is not stopping, it even got stronger and stronger, accompanied by rain. Great. The Marina staff is doing very well, they are driving every hour on the pontoon to check if everything is oke. Even at night. Somehow that makes me feel a bit better and if there is really something I can call up on the VHF. Not the way my dad is using his VHF though; he refuses to talk in ‘boat language’ and just says straight away what he is after. It always makes me laugh the times I have spent on their boat. Some people are trying to correct him, but they haven’t met ‘Louis Bontje’ yet, no messing around with this one.

I had planned a lot of things these days, cleaning in/outside of the boat properly, last checks on the winches, some sanding and oiling wood. But because of the weather it was already a challenge to give Floyd his daily walks. So, instead I have been writing this and have given our website an update, which you must have noticed while reading it. And we have a logo which I am so happy with! Go and have a look on the homepage and let me know what you think!

For now I wish you all a lovely day. We will be sailing very soon and we can not wait!

Love,
Kelly