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During that week we decided to take defensive action. We rooted out a dozen fenders, mostly old, dirty, different colours and of different sizes, and hung them over the side of the boat like a Chinese laundry. We got out our barge board, a great plank of rough sawn oregon, which is used to protect the boat when butting up against wharves. We hung that over the side as well. A friend on another boat lent us his barge board too, which we hung also. The sight was appalling, but sent a strong message.
Next weekend Stefan and Ros turned up with several smartly dressed friends to take out sailing. They all stood in their cockpit and stared at the side of our boat, while we sat on Masala watching them. Stefan called out, “Grant, if you put out any more fenders I might develop a complex.” Fat chance, I thought.
But the pressure must have got to them because next weekend Stefan came down with his Dad and they took the boat away. Not only did they change berths, they changed marinas! Good riddance! We’re sure they were thinking, “It’s great to get away from those horrible feral live aboards, shouldn’t be allowed, you know.” |
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SOME FUNNY AND NOT SO FUNNY STORIES—NUMBER 2: RUSS & DAPHNE |
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In complete contrast were Russ and Daphne on their Halberg Rassy 42, also new owners, but a lovely couple. He is a former London copper and very interesting to talk to. She is still teaching in Brisbane but close to retirement so unfortunately we didn’t see her much. He was getting their yacht ready to sail to the Whitsundays and since he didn’t have anyone to help him with stuff during the week, he asked me. The difference between Russ and Stefan was that Russ was a great bloke who new his limitations, wasn’t afraid to admit them, and to ask for help.
Poor Russ had just spent $4000 with the local mechanic for the mechanic to finally decide that his engine problem was simply dirty fuel. It then cost Russ another $800 for a service station tank cleaner person to come and clean his fuel. This guy pumped the diesel out of Russ’s tanks, through some giant filters, then back into his tanks, and kept going at it for six hours until all the dirt, water and algae was removed. I saw the sample jars from the first run and the algae bugs growing in the diesel made it look like Vaseline.
I helped Russ take his boat to the work dock for the fuel cleaning and promised to help him bring it back to his berth afterwards. When the cleaning was finished, Leanne and I walked down to the work dock. Leanne stood on the dock ready to cast off the lines. Russ started the engine, and I tried to shove the rear of the boat out to get a better angle for departure. I thought I must be getting weak in my old age as I could hardly move it. I looked around. The tide seemed pretty low.
“Russ” I yelled over the engine noise, “Did you check the tide tables?”
“Nah”, he said. “The depth sounder shows 3.4 metres and I draw 2.2 so there’s plenty of water.” I shrugged my shoulders and jumped aboard. You can’t argue with an electronic device.
Russ threw the boat into reverse and started backing away from the dock. Through my feet I was sure I could feel the keel kissing the bottom as we went. I said so again to Russ. He simply pointed at the depth sounder.
With the boat now facing the right way, Russ put her into forward and started motoring back to his berth. I was nearly thrown overboard when the boat smacked into the bottom and rose up 6 inches out of the water on her keel. We were stuck fast in the main marina access channel. How embarrassing. Russ’s depth sounder said 3.2 metres – Oops.
In the meantime Leanne had walked back to Russ’s berth ready to take the mooring lines when we came in. Of course we never showed up. She wandered back down the marina fingers and finally found us high and dry.
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EAST COAST MARINA STORIES...continued |
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