Hauling Out For An Emergency Repair

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From time to time we break things, or things break on the boat, that just can’t be fixed while in the water. One of those ‘things’ is a thru-hull fitting. My husband Simon did an engine service having to close a few thru-hull fittings. When he went to open all the stopcocks one of them broke half-open/half-closed. Within a few days, we were hauling out for an emergency repair.

I use the word emergency loosely. It wasn’t an emergency, per se, but it would be if we didn’t get it fixed as soon as possible. The damaged thru-hull fitting was part of the underwater exhaust system. Not something that you want to mess with!

It’s amazing how quickly things can happen sometimes.

Simon called three boatyards and found one that would take us out and put us back, completing the repair, all within 48 hours. And of course, while the boat was out of the water, we took the opportunity to change the anodes, clean up and grease the propeller and note an electrolysis issue.

We sailed six hours south from Sandy Island in Carriacou to Prickley Bay in Grenada, hauled out, got the work done, went back in the water, and sailed north back to Sandy Island all within four days. We had to get back up to Sandy Island for a 50th birthday celebration.

Interestingly, we did have one hiccup during our plans. Just as we went to move the boat from the anchorage to the haul out slip our bilge pump went off. Our bilge pump sits at the bottom of the boat and the top of the keel. It takes quite a bit of water for it to go off so when it does it raises our adrenaline. Watch the video to find out what was causing us to fill with water.