Boat out for the winter (Pictures)

[Divemaster1]

After having moved the boat to Inverness, we also decided that she was going onto the dry stuff over the winter. (6 years since she had more than two days in succession on land).

So I drove up to Inverness this morning and we started the liftout, something I have never liked, but of course had to do...

So reverse into the liftout bay and into the slings she went ...

..which at times appeared to be un-comfortably high above the water

Once out, I found that she was surprisingly clean, despite the low useage this year...

Then after the pressure washing they moved her to her cradle...

where she will be for the next four or five months and I am now sitting posting from. More pictures of the cradle etc., will have to be taken tomorrow as it is pretty wet and dark out there now..

Very good guys lifting her out and never was it felt as being rushed, or risks being taken. As you can see they fitted double slings around engine and tankage area, to spread the load better, so all-in-all pretty happy with the process of how I got here and where I am.

Onto winterisation of engines tomorrow...

 

[Mr Googler]

Scary Times!! Glad all went well.

Out of interest, when lifting is there not a lot of pressure on the square sections to each side which I assume are exhaust tunnels?

I guess there pretty tough

 

[Divemaster1]

.....Out of interest, when lifting is there not a lot of pressure on the square sections to each side which I assume are exhaust tunnels? QUOTE]

Thanks, ... exhausts blocked out by 12" of wood underneath, just in case... just by chance I could actually get my little finger in between the slings and the exhaust, so no load was put on the exhaust tunnels .. was a worry though..

 

[U4]

Just out of interest - why did you back in to the bay as apposed to entering it forwards?

 

[mainshiptom]

Smart looking boat!

 

[sarabande]

remarkable underwater condition. Hope you have lots of fun with all the spring cleaning.

 

[Divemaster1]

Just out of interest - why did you back in to the bay as apposed to entering it forwards?

Reson was very simple... if bow went first, there would be more hassle manouvering her into the final position. The boat before me was lifted onto a low loader and was behind the lifting bay getting her ready for road transport, so they had limited space for manouvering.... so it very much made sense. This made it for a 10 M reverse when in slings then forwards into yard and cradle, rather than forwards, backwards etc., several times.

 

[Divemaster1]

Smart looking boat!

Thanks Tom ... seem to recall you made similar comments when we bought her..

 

[Divemaster1]

remarkable underwater condition. .....

Was very surprised too ... so will stick with the reasonable Cruiser UNO...

 

[SpottyDog5]

Alf, I love the "solid" look about her, what is she ?
Can you post some specs & layouts or web links please.
Roy

 

[Divemaster1]

Alf, I love the "solid" look about her, what is she ?
Can you post some specs & layouts or web links please.
Roy

LOL ... we like her to .. and will take some interior shots tomorrow to post but web links may be difficult as not very many built..

Spec is pretty commercial ;

CentroMarine Astrale 45 ... launched in 1983 (builder is now named Enterprise Marine)
45 ft LOA, and 4.3 M max beam, She draws 1.59 M, and as you can see, deep V throughout
21 T displacement (weakest part of the hull .. the sides are laid up with 1" fibreglass)
2 x Detroit Diesel 6/71 TI, pushing her up to 25 Knots at 2300 RPM
1500L fuel in two tanks which is linked (if we desire) via 100L SS balance tank for engine fuel pick up.

Her forward deck gives access to a crew cabin (now my storage and workshop...have more stuff in the lasarette).

Forward Master Cabin with ensuite head/shower
Port twin Cabin
Starboard Twin Cabin
Galley up beside raised helm
L shaped saloon with 3 + 1 seater around table...

Hope this gives a quick overview ...

 

[BartW]

nice and tidy boat Alf,
have been reading your old but interesting threat about the purchase a few day's ago.

why does she go out for such a long time now ?
are you going to give the DD's a complete service ?

 

[Divemaster1]

nice and tidy boat Alf,
...why does she go out for such a long time now ?
are you going to give the DD's a complete service ?

Thanks....

Just won't have chance to use her this winter, and with the move to Invernessand taking an annual berth, there is no additional charge for standing ashore... so thought that after six years in the water, a couple of monts on the dry would not be entirely negative..

The old iron lumps do get a fair bit of attention every year, but this spring may bring some additional work (water intake valves etc.)which is easier to carry out when ashore...

 

[SpottyDog5]

LOL ... we like her to .. and will take some interior shots tomorrow to post but web links may be difficult as not very many built..

Spec is pretty commercial ;

CentroMarine Astrale 45 ... launched in 1983 (builder is now named Enterprise Marine)
45 ft LOA, and 4.3 M max beam, She draws 1.59 M, and as you can see, deep V throughout
21 T displacement (weakest part of the hull .. the sides are laid up with 1" fibreglass)
2 x Detroit Diesel 6/71 TI, pushing her up to 25 Knots at 2300 RPM
1500L fuel in two tanks which is linked (if we desire) via 100L SS balance tank for engine fuel pick up.

Her forward deck gives access to a crew cabin (now my storage and workshop...have more stuff in the lasarette).

Forward Master Cabin with ensuite head/shower
Port twin Cabin
Starboard Twin Cabin
Galley up beside raised helm
L shaped saloon with 3 + 1 seater around table...

Hope this gives a quick overview ...

Thanks Alf
I thought it looked "solid" now I know, interesting when compared to my F43 :

LOA 13.2m (43'5")
LWL 10.7m (35'1")
Beam 4.2m (13'8")
Draft Min 1.3m (4'2")
Draft Max 1.3m (4'2")
Displacement 10,500kg (23,152.5lbs)
Headroom 1.9m (6'2")

Yours has twice the displacement !

Cheers Roy

 

[AndieMac]

The slip set-up at Inverness is vastly different to the massive commercial (and slightly old school ) arrangement at Peterhead Alf.

You'll get very fit climbing up and down ladders for the next few months

Do you have far to travel to the boat these days?

Thanks for posting the pics, she is certainly a substantial, and very good looking boat

 

[BartW]

Do you also use the boat for diving, or is that only occasionally ?

 

[Divemaster1]

Do you also use the boat for diving, or is that only occasionally ?

Not really used for diving any more. Wife's ahstma got worse over the last couple of years, so her diving career is over... I still have the kit, but only useit now & then. Got straps for tanks and the ladder you see on stern goes down 1M into the water ... so set up for it..

 

[Divemaster1]

Travel 80 Miles to get to her .. so a short two hours..

 

[Divemaster1]

And here she is in the cradle after flushing the engines...

The cradle next to us is ready to receive a P440 within the next couple of weeks...

 

[mil1194]

Don't think I'll ever get over how much bigger they look when out of the water. Lovely craft BTW