The Haul-Out

         After Daytona Beach we spent two nights in the New Smyrna Beach area.  The first night (Sat Dec 10) we were in the Ponce de Leon inlet, with view of the lighthouse.  Sunday we moved over to anchor smack in front of a row of condos, a short dinghy ride away from the town dock.  

Lighthouse at Ponce de Leon inlet

Last time we were in this area, we utilized the town dock for an oil change (Dan) and a trip uptown to find wifi (me.)  I’d found wifi at a little ice cream shop.  This time we took the dinghy ashore to get some zincs at a local marine hardware store and to have an ice cream lunch.  We scored all the zincs we could possibly want, but the ice cream store has since moved to Edgewater.  We are doing really well in this department - places we remember or that are listed on Google as open have closed, moved, or are not open on the day or at the time we’re there. 

Monday we moved on to Titusville, and did a little recon of the boatyard before anchoring in the strong current and chop for the night.  Tuesday, Dec 13, we were hauled at 0900.  

Hauling out - notice the ICW stains

Westland Marine is a DIY boatyard that allows living aboard while on the hard.  The people who work there couldn’t be more friendly.  The other boaters and contractors in the yard couldn’t be more generous with their knowledge or their supplies.  Dan made friends with the surrounding boaters and there was a lot of swapping of tools and information.  The boatyard also offers showers, restrooms, and laundry facilities and we made good use of all of them.  

Green slime on the bow

We were swiftly hauled out by the team (Joe, Colby, and Steve) and placed over a waiting tarp.  Dan and I first walked to a hardware store (that was no longer in business - we really have to start calling before we walk…) and managed to find make-do supplies at a Dollar General before we returned to begin the scrubbing.  The boat had few barnacles and a little green slime, so we declined the pressure wash in favor of working at it ourselves.  It was drizzling but warm - actually perfect weather for this kind of wet, dirty work.  We were a mess.  Armed with scrub pads and brushes, we went over every inch of the bottom, the ablative black paint streaking our clothes, shoes, skin, and hair.  We were quite a sight!  We took a break for lunch and then right back at it, until our arms and backs protested enough so we thought hot showers and a walk to a nearby restaurant was in order.  It was also Dan’s birthday, so we celebrated in style:  rum drinks and a key lime pie-cake.  

Wednesday we started the real work.  I began the waxing while Dan began the painting.   As I was trying to rub out the orangey-brown stains of the waterway as well as all the scuff marks fenders can make, one of the local contractors - Chad - came by and pulled out a spray bottle.  “Here, use this.”  He said, spraying a generous amount over the topsides.  Like a miracle, the stains and marks all disappeared.  Whoa!  “You can get this at Ace Hardware.”  He told us, then offered his supply to us for now and to buy us a bottle when he passed by the next day.  Dan dropped his paint roller and took up the spray bottle and twenty minutes later I was waxing the beautifully clean topsides.

We worked til about three-thirty, cleaned up and went back to the same restaurant for dinner.  Wednesday night whiskey and wine drinks were a dollar off!  

Thursday morning we finished the painting and the waxing before a line of severe thunderstorms rolled through just after noon.  Willie Dawes looks spectacular!  Melissa at the boatyard office called us to let us know we were slated for an 1100 launching the next day (Friday), and we were very grateful, as they had told us they were fairly busy and might not be able to get to us until next Tuesday.  We celebrated that night at what had become our regular restaurant.  Hauled, scrubbed, cleaned, waxed, and painted!  Today’s launching performed by Joe and Colby went smoothly. 

See the jaunty paint job - and no brown mustache!

We did a small shake-down cruise to make sure everything was in order, before anchoring on the south side of the Titusville bridge where we should have a front row seat of the rocket launch from Cape Canaveral.  

Space-X Falcon 5 satellite launch just after dark