Guildive Cruises Blog

We made it, well not to Maine yet, but one step closer… the boat is in the water!  We splashed Thursday morning after a long winter full of tons of work.  Replacing the stern tube, refinishing the heads, building a new head, re-seaming the decks, fixing the rudder stops, cleaning and painting the engine, re-wrapping the exhaust pipe, and of course painting the hull were just some of the projects we had going on this winter.  We cannot thank Dickerson Harbor enough, here is the link to the blog they post daily about happenings around the boatyard:

http://www.oya.com/service/yardblog.php

Here are some shots of Guildive in the slings and going in the water.  

Just because the boat made it into the water does not mean Zander and I can take a break, we spent Friday rigging the masts.  Saturday morning the crane came at 8am and by 9am the masts were all in and the boom truck was driving away.  We could not have been happier about how it went, now Guildive is a sail boat again!  Today we rigged the booms and put the sails on – thank you Goldie and Austin for all of your help, it was huge to have a few extra hands around.  I do not have pictures yet to post as they are on another camera, but they will come!!  I cannot forget to mention all the work dad has put in to the woodwork.  Today he mounted the door for the new head and it is stunning!  Nothing on the boat has right angels or is really straight so it has been a lesson in patience working with the moldings.  Now we have some work to finish up and do a massive clean of the boat but we should be heading north on June 1.

Her rudder is back on, hurray!  Now she is starting to look like a boat ready for the water.  We just have a few more things to attach before we can splash her and get her ready for the trip north.  We have been splitting our time between the masts and the boat so that once the boat is ready the masts can go back in.  We have been inspecting the spars and all the rigging – sanding, painting, and some epoxy work (all the usual), but, they are in another town from where the boat is currently, so we are constantly going back and forth trying to share limited supplies.  

Here are some photos that show the progress better….

bottom work almost complete

Some epoxy work on the main mast - all clamped up

We work some late nights - just not enough hours in the day! You can see the boat lit up from the spot lights.

The last view of the empty stern

Finally back on, hoping not to have to take it off again for a while.

Welcome back, rudder!

Our wind blocking tent

Where has the time gone??  We are approaching June rather quickly and our transit to Castine.  This year we are offering the opportunity to join us on our trip from Easton, MD to Castine, ME.  The trip would leave Easton June 1st and arrive in Castine June 9th (of course all this is weather dependent).  We are taking bookings for up to 6 guests all ages and sailing ability.  The cost is $75.00 per day ($675.00 for all 9 days).  This includes food, bedding, and sailing/ navigation instruction.  We encourage all guests to share in the meal preparation and ship handling for the daily operation of Guildive.  Please follow our link for more information and pictures.

http://www.guildivecruises.com/TransitEmail/TransitEmail.html

Please contact us if you have interest in some Adventure Travel!

                 The weather has really been on our side for the last few days allowing us to get the first 2 coats of bottom paint on the hull.  Zander has been really working hard with the stern tube.  The new fiberglass tube had to be cut and shaped, centered and soon to be bedded into place.  Once that is secure we need to wait a few days just to make sure everything has cured properly, then Guildive gets to go back into the water.  

              Guildive has not been the only boat occupying Zanders mind.  He has been working on a Grand Banks removing an engine.  Our boatyard writes a blog daily and there are some pictures of the engine coming out the window.  Check out their blog:

http://www.oya.com/service/yardblog.php

              Here are some pictures from the first 2 coats of bottom paint:

1st coat, notice the green keel (the grey paint mixed with the base black tar paint)

2nd coat, getting better... no green keel

              The bottom paint was not all, we have been working on the framework for our new head and bench.  Cushion and cushion covers to come soon…

                  Don’t forget to check out more photos on our facebook page… Ketch Guildive.