Below the Surface

 

A bewhiskered snout silently surfaces and scents the air. Curious eyes study me. . . .

. . . . from the still surface of the sun trap dock.

The seal swims over for a closer look. Now confident to reveal the full length of his body above the water.

Then, wary once more, he takes a last deep resonant breath and stealthily slips below the surface. There to hunt the marina mullet.

Stargazer is still up on the hard - even though we had originally planned to relaunch last week. Three weeks of chill and changeable weather have slowed progress with the usual annual spring refit program. On top of that, it became clear, once she was lifted, that the ravages of time had caught up with her, unseen and unsuspected, below the surface of the sea.

Over the past ten seasons Stargazer's antifouling paint has built up and started to crumble, leaving an uneven, drag inducing surface. This year, before we can apply fresh antifouling we must first sand and scrape her hull smooth below the waterline. With a run of warm spring days this week, Stargazer's port side is making good progress.

Each year, as soon as we are out of the water, I check the rudder. I hold the bottom edge of the blade and throw my weight back against it. This time there was movement. Only a millimetre or two - but too much for such a highly loaded, critical component. The Hallberg-Rassy yard in Sweden have sourced and shipped me replacement rudder bearings. Today, heart in mouth, I dropped the rudder to fit them.

Helping hands emerged from around the yard to manoeuvre the substantial rudder and shaft back up through the new bearings and into the boat.

Pleased with progress, I relax in the cockpit. Allowing the Easter sunshine to unknot my tensions - built up ahead of tackling the rudder removal. Relishing the end of the stay-at-home lockdown law. Savouring the start of a new season. 

From my vantage point, I gaze out over the river. On the banks, the trees are beginning to bud. On the water, boats are on the move.