On Thursday 11th we got through the 9am bridge opening and motored cautiously up to Preveza. We dropped anchor and reversed up to the town quay then, just as John was passing our stern lines ashore, the anchor chain started running out apace! We retrieved the situation and made a mental note to get the windlass serviced this winter.
We socialised a fair bit with other crews preparing to lift out, both old friends and new. We were moored next to Dave on Phased Out who was going to over winter onboard in the new Preveza marina. He’d had an anxious, sleepless time of the winds at anchor as a single hander. We didn’t envy him being on his own for that. We had drinks and a meal with CA members Paul & Anthea from Galene – it’s good to put faces to some of the names we know from the forum.
For the last night before lift out we left the quay for the anchorage by the boatyards. We didn’t want to be delayed by any crossed anchor incident and there were NE winds blowing all night, making being on the quay a very sloppy, uncomfortable experience. The anchorage was calm and peaceful and we wished we’d moved earlier.
Today, Tuesday 16th, we’re ready with fenders out, fore and aft mooring lines set up on both sides. The speed impeller is out, replaced by the dummy (so it isn’t damaged by the lifting straps that go under the boat.) Our holding tanks are flushed through and empty. Lift out is booked for noon.
Before lift out, Cleopatra yard are going to look at our stern gland leak as they’d fitted the new gland in April. We duly moor on the outside wall at 10.30 as requested. They tell us to leave the engine running and disappear into the engine room.
“The engine cooling pump is leaking. That’s your problem, not the stern gland.” John looks and sees that, yes, the cooling pump is leaking. However, so is the stern gland, but they’ve gone by then, adamant that the gland they’d fitted is fine.
Time to lift out and at 1226 we’re called into the lifting pool where we tie up at 1235. We step off the boat and watch as the cradle moves and the straps are fitted. She starts to lift out of the water.
Someone has suggested that we should look for any difference in how the water comes off the hull as she lifts – that this might indicate if there’s any hidden damage from the collision. We see nothing untoward.
Then suddenly, we’re running to keep up with the tractor trundling LouLouDitsi through the yard – all the way through the yard to nearly the last row. She’s manoeuvred into place, inches from the next boat, and propped up for the winter. We’re exhausted and go off to lunch before we start work.