Affordable Dry Dock Irland

[Sea Change]

What sort of mast base does the Centaur have ? Solid hinged base? We annually raise and lower the mast of similar sized boats by hand typically with about 5 people.

When we bought our Vega (a foot longer than a Centaur) the mast was off but the boat was afloat. We just came in at low tide and lowered it down off the harbour wall. Required a bit of a squad but no cranes, a frames, etc.
Obviously only an option if you have decent tidal range and access to a suitable harbour wall.

 

[Ursaminoris]

The OP hasn't been back

Hi what does this mean?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

OP = Original Poster ie you. You put up a question and never checked in again to see the answers.

 

[justanothersailboat]

Hi what does this mean?

Unfortunately occasionally we get posts where someone asks something and then doesn't post in the following thread at all because they've wandered off.

I'm sorry there don't seem to be any easy answers here.

 

[Sea Change]

Another option worth exploring with a boat of that size is to get a mobile crane in. I've had a lorry mounted HIAB lift my boat out a couple of times, on to hard standing that wasn't technically a boatyard.
And, of course, there's the option of staying afloat. You don't have to put your boat in a yard to have the mast taken off.

 

[Ursaminoris]

OP = Original Poster ie you. You put up a question and never checked in again to see the answers.

Sorry I just read the post but was quite Sick the last week. And yeah its not easy to find an answer. But thanks guys

 

[Ursaminoris]

Another option worth exploring with a boat of that size is to get a mobile crane in. I've had a lorry mounted HIAB lift my boat out a couple of times, on to hard standing that wasn't technically a boatyard.
And, of course, there's the option of staying afloat. You don't have to put your boat in a yard to have the mast taken off.

Hi I also want to inspect the under water hull (Sorrzy I just learnd everything in german). But yeah I also have to look around for maybe mooring boyes! I assume they are cheaper right?

 

[Ursaminoris]

Any chanche that here is somebody from Arklow? It was the marina were we first arrived after our mast broke and I would love to go back there

 

[justanothersailboat]

Feels like here are problems that could be separated.

Underwater inspection - it's a Centaur, beach it or find a scrubbing grid. Or wait til on the hard, if nothing's leaking right now.

Cheap mooring buoy - good idea for longerterm keeping, not an easy place to do major works. Therefore may be ok if it takes a while to arrange.

The mast - lots of ways to raise one but first you have to have a mast to raise. We have no info on whether anything else needs doing (any damage to chainplates or anything else?) which makes it harder to visualise how much work is needed. And no leads on a mast

 

[Ursaminoris]

Okay, now I’ve added some pictures. Sorry I didn’t do it earlier. I think only the photos of the mast foot are actually helpful. The rest is old—we removed the upper part of the mast (and of course kept all the important parts). We assume that a terminal broke.



.

 

[dgadee]

You need a breakers yard for a mast. Here is an example: Boat Breakers from RB Marine Services and Ribs Marine

 

[Sea Change]

It's possible to sleeve a mast. Larger ones are sleeved from new because the anodising baths are only about 40ft long.

 

[potentillaCO32]

Howth yacht club marina has a big hard. Worth givi g them a call.

 

[dgadee]

Take the boat to the mast is probably easier than taking the mast to the boat. Sleeving does work, though. We broke a mast (hit rounding a buoy while on starboard) but my friend hated the boat anyway so took the insurance money and sold it on to someone who repaired the mast and was happy with the price of the boat and the mast.

 

[Ursaminoris]

It's possible to sleeve a mast. Larger ones are sleeved from new because the anodising baths are only about 40ft long.

Hi yeah we dont have the upper part anymore sadly

 

[potentillaCO32]

Hi yeah we dont have the upper part anymore sadly

A lot of boatyards have been scrappjng old centaurs. If you phone around they might have a spare mast.

 

[dgadee]

Try irelandgroup@westerly-owners.co.uk

 

[Slowtack]

Check out Donedeal... For example there was recently a Westerly for sale in Wicklow for less than €5k...
I am not connected in any way to the seller...

 

[SMacDonald]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here, so please let me know if this question would be better placed in a different section.

We are Anika and Oliver, new and fairly young owners of a Westerly. We bought our boat in Germany about a year ago, refitted her, and then sailed from Germany to Dublin so Oliver can begin his PhD there. We’ve had a wonderful adventure so far, but unfortunately our mast broke just before reaching Dublin.

We’re now trying to figure out how boatyards, harbours, and dry docks work in Ireland. We’re finding it difficult to locate an affordable place to haul out our Ursa, where we would also be allowed to carry out the repair work ourselves. As PhD students, our budget is quite limited. We have already contacted Malahide and Ross Dry Dock.

We understand that prices in Ireland may not be as low as in countries like France or Greece, but we’re hoping someone here might know of more budget-friendly options, or perhaps smaller yards, boat clubs, or even private land where owners sometimes arrange lift-outs. We’re quiet and respectful and simply looking for a place where we can work on the boat responsibly.

We are mobile along the east coast of Ireland, although we are limited to our older inboard engine (around 15 HP). With careful planning, tides, and some local advice, we recently managed the trip from Arklow to Greystones, so relocating the boat is possible.

Any advice on suitable haul-out locations would be greatly appreciated. Information on where we might look for a second-hand mast for a Westerly Centaur would also be very helpful, though our first priority is getting the boat safely out of the water.

Thank you very much for any guidance you can share.

I have a westerly mast here you can have though I’m on the Isle of Arran

 

[Ursaminoris]

I have a westerly mast here you can have though I’m on the Isle of Arran

Hi MacDonald,
That’s very good news — I’m really pleased to hear it. I’ve started asking around to see if there’s a way we could organise having the mast transported to Ireland. I’ve also spoken with a few other sailors to see if anyone might be interested in making a trip like this.

Would it be possible for you to send me some pictures of the mast