Savannah



We returned to Savannah, ready to get repaired and on our way. The shipyard at Thunderbolt promised to get right on it before the new year rush of charter certification began for them. The first day we had visits from the fiberglass team to discuss making a hard top for the cockpit, the interior carpenters to discuss the replacement of the counter top, the upholstery guys to talk about replacing/repairing a sagging ceilling panel, the electronics contractor to talk about our instruments, and the hydraulic guys to talk about the steering problem. The metal workers were too busy to look at making an arch to replace the davits and mount solar panels. We decided that since we were in  a shipyard, it seemed like we might be able to get some impossible projects done while we waited for the steering and electronics to get fixed. 

The hydraulics guys were convincedd that we just needed to bleed the air from the system, despite my adamant requests for some sort of pressure testing and verification of the functionality..They lacked the fittings and equipment to do much more mostly due to the french steering system with english fittings installed on Fantazia.

The carpenters told us we could order the countertop material and have it delivered next day, so the counter top would take 1 week. It was pricey at shipyard rates, but the promise of actually getting it done was enough to get us signed up. 

The fiberglass guys came back to let us know that the cost to set up making a large hard bimini top would be almost as much as the cost to actually make it. With setup, construction and painting at yard rates, it would be about 3 times as expensive as an independent contractor might charge us. 

The upholstery guys promised to repair the panel in aobut 1 day labor spread over several days. 

The electronics guy said it was doubtful that he could fix the wind instrument, but he was too busy to look at it that week, and maybe next week. He could not commit to a specific day to return.

As is usually the case with all things boat, none of it would come about on time and under budget, but we did get some of it done. 

The hydraulics guy was sick and couldn't come back for a week to bleed the system. More discussion of testing the systemfollowed, but he was adamant that bleeding fixes all.

The metalworkers declined talking to us as their bread and butter in January was the certification process for all the metal tourism boats in the area, and they had no time for us. They also mentioned at yard rates, it would be really expensive.

The counter top material didn't show up for 3 more days, so the 1 week time frame was nicely blown. It took the guy a week to measure and make the new top, with plans to install it the next week. The boat is pretty much hand built and as such is not exactly square and flat under the counter, which may account for the old counter top cracking. It took them almost a week to get it to fit securely as planned. Fortunately for us this was a fixed estimate project which means even though it took almost an extra week to complete we only paid 15% more than originally estimated.

The upholstery project went about the same as the part was made as estimated, but it took 2 guys an extra day to get it to install to our satisfaction. This was mostly due to the compound curvature of the cabin top and the flat panel not conforming nicely. 

We got another electronics guy to come fix the configuration issues with our system, enabling us to get back our depth sounder which had been fgiving erractic readings and verifying that a new antenna should fix our AIS(Automated Identification System}. The AIS identifies other ships in the area and gives a distance, speed and course fix, as well as warning of impending close encouters with other ships. We got the shipyard to install a new VHF radio antenna as it is shared with the AIS.

 I saw a kit radar arch installed on another boat at the marina and liked it enough to order one, due to show up in three weeks. It showed up the day the last repair was completed, so we just lashed it down in the cockpit and got reay to head south.

We moved to the fuel dock early the next morining, topped off the tanks and headed down the river.


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