Monday, June 30, 2014

#170 On the Hard

I've been hanging around the boatyard here in Portland a lot these days, waiting for repairs to our boat Claudia II. Boatyards are fascinating places. This sketch is of the Grey Ghost. I found her around the corner one late afternoon.

The Grey Ghost is "on the hard" waiting for her turn to be launched*. The official definition of "hard" is "a section of otherwise muddy shoreline suitable for mooring or hauling out."  I use it here to describe a boat that has been hauled and is now sitting on dry land.

Our boat has been on the hard in Portland for about a month. Tom and I, and the boys at the boatyard. including two Robs, two Mikes and two Eriks, are making all necessary repairs before she can be launched. We've fiber glassed (badly) and epoxied,  frigged-around-until-it-works with hoses, thru-hull shut offs, straights and elbows. We can work a screw driver, wrench and ratchet upside down, wedged over a bulkhead on our bellies and in a full mobious, all at the same time and while trying to remember to breathe.

Have a great week and a safe July 4th, 2014. Signing off from the belly of the Claudia II.
On the Hard • 8" x 8" gouache framed to 12" x 12" • $200
 
* The Grey Ghost has since been launched. The CLAUDIA II remains on the hard. In fact, right after I post this, I am headed back down to the boatyard with a new freshwater pump.

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