Matilda's Journey: Haul out in Edge's Boatyard - Airlie

Matilda's last haul out was just before we set off from Brisbane in March 2014 using the Wynnum Manly slipway. Then in November 2015 we applied a thinned down coat of anti foul on a haul out in the Scarborough Marina slipway so come April 2016 she was well overdue for an anti foul. After many phones from Airlie to Cairns we decided to haul out using Edge's Boatyard and are very happy with our decision - http://www.edgesboatyard.com/.

We hauled out at 0600 on Friday 15th April and she was splashed back in at 2230 on Thursday 21st April 2016. As usual we made a list of things to do while we had her out on the hard and these included:

Sand off old anti foul and reapply 16 liters of Micron Extra - Dover White
Prop speed
Grease outlets
Polish our hull
Paint the water line mark to freshen it up
Make new tender seat pieces
Remove old anchor chain (100 meters)
Haul up new PWB anchor chain(110 meters) and secure
Anode on anchor
Cut timber to replace diesel soaked timber under starboard aft bunk
Cut timber for ladder steps to be used getting in and out of the tender
General inspections

As it turned out one of the slings on her aft end, went under our propeller shaft and it bent it. We felt shattered at the sight. Neil the yard owner was good about it and we all decided to share the cost of either a repair a new prop shaft - as it turned out we needed a new propeller shaft. Also the cutlass bearing was bent and the rubber inside the cutlass bearing was well worn so maybe a blessing in disguise.

Apart from that hiccup all went well and we enjoyed the company of the yard owners, their staff and especially their yard cat - Bella.

Going up and down the ladder always feels precarious but lucky friends are always around to bring a cold beer and lets not let a haul out put an end to our love of cooking.

Tea Cake

Ham & Pinapple Pizza

3 1/2 meters is a long way down from up here.

Karla dropped in with cold beers!

Once the new prop shaft and the cutlass bearing arrived it was all systems go - Bella always around for inspections.

Rope Cutter, all cleaned up.

New prop shaft and the propeller with its prop speed on it.

Stern tube ready for the prop shaft.

Bruce (and Bella) inspecting the flange.

Cutlass bearing inserted and being trimmed in place.

Neil & Bruce inserting the new prop. shaft.

Going up Muddy Creek was an interesting exercise and one we took very seriously. The shallowness demanded a high tide and timing this for the lift was difficult - at one point in time we nearly missed our chance, but didn't.