Saturday, July 16, 2011

BOAT RESCUE PART 3: SO, WHAT DID I DRAG HOME?

(Previous: BOAT RESCUE PART 2: THE MOVE.)

The rescue of a 1976 Albin Ballad 30' sailboat.
Next step was to see just what I'd bought home. This involved emptying the contents of the boat, and stripping out the interior and mechanical systems. It's really fortunate the boat didn't fit in the shed, as I needed the covered space to store everything!

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Thursday, July 7, 2011

BOAT RESCUE PART 2: THE MOVE.

(Previous BOAT RESCUE: THE DANGERS OF SEARCHING CRAIGSLIST.

The rescue of a 1976 Albin Ballad 30' sailboat.
Deciding to rescue a boat is one thing, but the reality of getting it home, where it can be worked on, is a whole different story!

After phoning several different boat movers to get a feel for what I was in for, I settled on Keel Hauling, a local company that had a smaller sized rig that might make it up my driveway. I liked owner Cam McLean's "can do" attitude, and his no BS approach to the project, so we arranged to do the deed on the following Saturday. As the boat was located on Gabriola Island this meant a ferry ride was part of the operation.
Cameron McLean and his rig

On arrival at the site we discovered the boat was sitting too low to be loaded easily, and we spent several hours jacking and blocking things until the trailer could be slid underneath.
Sliding the trailer under the hull.

11th ANNUAL PACIFIC NORTHWEST ALBIN VEGA RENDEZVOUS

(click on any image for a larger version)
This year's Pacific Northwest Rendezvous was held July 1st to 3rd at Deer Harbor Marina on beautiful Orcas Island, in the San Juan Island group, USA.

Our gracious and hard working hosts were VEGAtarians 
Sheila Gaquin and Howard Barbour, of Deer Harbor.
Thanks !!!!