Poked and Prodded

It was going to be a long, cool but sunny day. We arrived at the dock (in a residential area, behind someone’s house) at 8:30 a.m., to find the surveyor Jeff and his assistant Ashley already at work. Wearing little paper booties to protect our potential purchase, they were exploring her every nook and cranny. Ashley took dozens of photographs.

Also present were our broker Mike and the captain (hired by the owner for the day) Mike. We spent a couple of hours turning engines on and off, checking various bits of electronic widgetry, and discovering the EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon) had been “illegal for a year or so”—and a mere $1,000 for a new one. (In the event, WW found one on eBay for $600.) The lifeboat was questionable at best. There were a few other things Jeff recommended be taken care of. However, the not-so-goods were far outdone by the gosh-golly-greats. The two practically brand new Volvo engines, the updated electronics, the spiffy interior, the well-maintained exterior…and most stuff worked. Jeff was particularly astounded when the little outboard for the dinghy started up after just a bit of coaxing. “Nine out of ten don’t,” he said.

Next on the list was to take her to a boatyard and have her hauled out “onto the hard” so her underside could be examined. Mike (the broker) had brought a Styrofoam cooler of bottled water and sandwiches which we consumed as we motored along.

At some point, Ashley stood on Mike’s (the broker’s) cooler, which instantly became an ex-cooler. Jeff nodded sagely at her and said, “Remember the On Boats Rule Number One.” Ashley dutifully recited: “Don’t step in holes.” I guess coolers are holes with lids.

In a basin outside the boatyard, La Dolce Vita was asked to turn on her axis. She did a lovely job in both directions. The new engines were so quiet, we sometimes weren’t sure they were running. We moved on toward the dock where she’d be pulled out. As we waited for the go-ahead to enter, Mike (the captain) pointed out a manatee, then an enormous iguana having a swim.

In the dock, a large machine lumbered down and huge slings were fitted from it under our vessel’s belly (bellies?). She was lifted from the water to reveal her lovely blue antifouling paint and a fair encrustation of barnacles. The monstrous machine moved her slowly from the water. Two men with high-pressure hoses blasted her bottom (bottoms?) clean…removing most of her antifouling paint in the process. Mike (the broker) grabbed a scraper and removed a multitude of barnacles. He said it was deeply satisfying.

Jeff walked around La Dolce Vita and used a long flexible hammer to tap her, listening for soggy spots, and examined her with an infrared camera to detect water infiltration. He allowed as how he was surprised to find her so sound.

She was launched again and we headed off for her sea trial.