Is it a boat or an RV?

Our first trip on sv Harmony...was by road. Yes, it's a boat, but this week we added wheels and went for a land cruise...to a catamaran factory where we'll be doing repairs for the next 6-8 weeks. The factory, Knsyna Yacht Company, builds stunningly beautiful catamarans. We actually had considered buying an older one of theirs before choosing Harmony. Their quality and attention to detail is world class. If ours comes out of their factory even a fraction as beautiful we'll be incredibly happy.

Unfortunately, the factory is 5km from the nearest boat ramp. The route took us through town, around some very tight corners, up a major highway, and into the local industrial area. It took several days start to finish with some nail biting moments which we tried to capture in photos.

Fist step was taking down the mast. TS rigging did an excellent job. We motored to the Waterfront area of Knysna which has a concrete quay that can support a crane. Here they are connecting the crane to the mast. 

TS Rigging

And off it comes. We laid the mast down on a trailer and drove it to the factory the next day.

We hired a local man named George to help us clean up the boat. Almost everything you see that sparkles is due to him. He's amazing. Here, just in front of the John Benn, is the town boat ramp, a rock solid, thoroughly modern facility. Unfortunately, we're too wide to use it. Instead we needed to use a makeshift wooden ramp just around the corner. We had to go back to our dock and wait until they shored up the ramp and trailer.

Mzuvukele "George" Mwele

The next week we motored back to the yacht club. Getting ready to pull our 11 ton yacht up a very wobbly wooden ramp. Do I look nervous?

The Dreaded Ramp

Our good friend Mark thinking the same thing...

Mark Beard looking nervous

A flatbed tow truck from KMS Towing positioned a specially made trailer under the boat and slowly pulled it up the ramp. There was a lot of creaking and cracking, more than everyone expected, but it held and the boat finally emerged from the water.

Slowly and with lots of creaking

A huge sigh of relief. Little did I know the real nail biting was still to come.

We made it! Safely in the parking lot. 

Once out of the water we realized the boat was a bit too low for the road trip the next day. The guys worked into the dark to jack the boat up another 6 centimeters. 10 years of rust on the trailer made it more difficult than they'd expected.

sv Harmony tucked in for the night

The plan was to move the boat up the highway before rush hour traffic which meant an early start. The lighting made everything look eerie.

5:30 the next morning, hard at work

Then the fun began. Two men drove the truck and trailer (the trailer has a steering wheel) while 5 men ran around moving things out of the way. We learned that in Afrikaans "Yo" can mean anything from "Yes, no problem" to "Geez, mate, you may want to stop now before the boat gets crushed against that concrete pole."

Who planted a tree here?

After a tight squeeze out of the yacht club parking lot, we drove along the N2 which is the main highway leading through town, equivalent to an interstate in the US. Can you imagine driving to work and seeing a 54' catamaran on the highway?

They drive on the left here

Unfortunately, 6 centimeters wasn't quite enough. The starboard rudder dug into a pile of dirt in the center median. They had to back up a few times to try other angles before finding the right path. They plan on jacking the trailer much higher for the return trip.

Our first grounding...won't be our last

All while dodging trees, poles, and power lines. At one point the hull was 2 centimeters away from this concrete pole.

We dug a furrow down the median and barely missed a pole

At this point we'd taken longer than planned. Rush hour traffic was starting to build. What you can't see is the long line of waiting cars to the right. Most were supportive. Some even got out to take pictures and cheer. Knysna has a long tradition of boat building which is a source of pride here.

Green means go

Off the highway and on the final stretch to the factory. Still more obstacles though.

Digging more trenches

Now on the other side of the Knysna lagoon

If you look closely, you can see Gavin at the wheel of the trailer. He was a pro. The boat and trailer weigh in at over 15 tons but doesn't have power steering. Luckily the steering box lasted until we were 100 feet from the factory. A loud pop and the sound of metal hitting the ground signaled its surrender. He muscled it the last few meters.

Gavin in the driver's seat

Knsyna Yacht Compnay

Making the final turn into the factory. I've backed a lot of trailers but this felt like rocket science.

Tight turn into the factory

The fence opening was too small. No problem. 3 minutes with an angle grinder and the fence peeled back like a tin can.

Cutting back the fence

Almost there 

Finally safe inside Knysna Yacht Company where we'll spend 6-8 weeks painting, replacing windows, refurbishing equipment, and turning our baby into a beautiful swan.

New home of sv Harmony

We'd like to thank everyone from TS Rigging, KMS Towing, and Knysna Yacht Company for taking such good care of our beloved Harmony. The care and attention you gave her are testament to your professionalism and expertise. We feel lucky to be in such good hands.


David & Angela

Making dough for NY pizza night tomorrow. How's my technique chef Yves Fournier?

via Facebook http://ift.tt/2m1hhwJ David Coon

FAQs

As we moved through the process of selling nearly everything we owned, buying a boat, moving across the world and starting to refit the boat to get her ready for an ocean crossing we have received many questions from our friends and family. The most common of which is "Are you crazy?" I won't address that one here, but here are some of the other common questions we've received. If you have others, feel free to leave them in the comments and we will either address them individually or if we receive enough we will post a FAQ part II.

Where are you going?

Our initial plans are Cape Town - Namibia - St Helena - Brazil - Caribbean. From there we plan to winter in the Caribbean and spend our summers exploring the East Coast of the U.S. After several seasons will see where the wind takes us. David is not so secretly hoping that it blows us to the Mediterranean.

When are you leaving?

We estimate that it will take us 6-9 months to refit the boat in preparation for an ocean crossing. Nine months will put us in spring here in the southern hemisphere, which will be a good time for an ocean crossing from a weather perspective.

How many people are you taking with you?

For our trip from South Africa to the Caribbean we are planning on a crew of 4-6. That's enough to get 6-8 hours sleep every night but not so many that it feels crowded on board. Since people have time constraints and schedules to keep we will likely be changing out crew throughout the journey. Any volunteers?

How long are you going to live on a boat?

We both agree: until it isn't fun anymore. 

How long will be your longest sail?

Most likely 10-12 days, depending on the weather. Our longest sail will be from St Helena to Fernando de Noronha island off the coast of Brazil followed by Fortaleza, Brazil to Tobago.

When you are sailing, what do you do at night?

Eat, Sleep, Stand Watch. Passage making is 99% boredom punctuated by bursts of excitement as weather fronts blow through. At night, 1 to 2 people are always awake watching for other boats and making sure the sails are set correctly. Everyone else usually sleeps. We also have a huge movie and music library for the insomniacs.

What will you eat?

Food! We get this question a lot. While on passage there's no grocery store nearby so it can get tricky stocking enough variety that we don't get bored but otherwise it's very much like shopping at home. Fresh foods only lasts 5 or 6 days so we buy cans of vegetables for the 2nd half of the trip. And, with 6 people to feed, we buy more than we would for just the two of us.  

What will you drink?

We have a watermaker that desalinates sea water so we'll have an unlimited supply of drinking water. We'll also stock up on beer, wine, juice, and UHT milk before we leave.

What kind of communications will you have on board?

A Garmin InReach satellite messenger for sending position updates, receiving text messages, and emergencies. An Icom 802 SSB for weather and voice communications. And an EPIRB emergency beacon if things go really south. Every boat also has a VHF for local boat to boat communications and we'll have an AIS transponder to let ships in the area know we're there too.

Do you get seasick?

People are always surprised when we answer this with a resounding "yes". Angela is much more susceptible to mal de mar than David. We use scopolamine patches and usually have our sea legs within the first three days of a journey.

Can the two of you really sail that boat?

Of course we can. The harder question is for how long. Fatigue is the biggest problem when sailing short handed.  One person needs to stay awake at all times and both need to be awake for the harder jobs like changing sails. After a couple of days we'd be exhausted so we'll bring others to help for sails longer than a day or two.

Are you concerned about your safety in South Africa?

We were...at least until we got here. South Africa is an amazing country. While there is crime in certain areas, just like anywhere else, most of the country is safe. The town where we're currently staying is as beautiful and safe as any resort town in the U.S.  And South Africans are extremely warm and gracious people. Everyone we've met has been polite and eager to help. 

Are you afraid of pirates?

Yes! Aren't you? Luckily, there aren't many pirates where we'll be sailing. We're much more likely to encounter petty thieves than pirates which is why we always need to remember to lock our boat and dinghy at night...just like you lock your front door and car at home. If you're interested in pirates, here's a live map of reported sightings.


And since all of you are asking questions, we would like to ask a question of you...when are you coming to visit?