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Published: July 25th 2016
In the past month Melodeon has been to the 'boat spa' to have her under-parts spiffed up (ground, scraped, pressure washed, osphoed, epoxied and painted) by a dedicated team of volunteers. At the same time all systems except sails have been reviewed and renewed. After a four year hiatus on the hard we are thrilled to say she's in great shape. Apparently R&R in the company of proper lobster boats agreed with her. She went into storage in 2012 just as hurricane Sandy was tearing up the eastern seaboard. She did well in the commercial Shelburne, Nova Scotia boatyard, on high ground inland.
One morning this past week she was trailered over to the launching ramp at high tide and plopped into the sea. Predictably the second she floated free of the submerged trailer the south west winds pushed her up against the wharf. The crunching, shrieking sounds around the dingy later proved to nothing, which is often the case. Helpful dock workers and our generous supply of fenders held her off so we could apply some left rudder and back out strong into the harbour. Away she went, as if she had only left the water the day before.
After the initial rounds of turmoil and second guessing about potential leaks and squeaks, we motored sedately to a mooring ball, probably the same one we left at hauling time in 2012. By incredible luck (a sports trainer might say we have been mentally perfecting the process in our sleep for the last 3 1/2 years, but no...) we picked up the ball first try in the wind and just sat down to take stock.
It seems unreal to be sitting again on the aft deck, surrounded by tidy bobbing boats under the watchful eye of the Shelburne Yacht Club. Relocation has been such an all consuming project that Melodeon was relegated to deep storage, dream status. We count that we have had at least 12 jobs and 9 moves since reaching the shores of our new homeland. Migrating has been a hectic, exciting mind-blurring experience. In the face of so much change it seems astoundingly normal to be sitting on this agreeable boat, planning our next move.
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Dorothy
non-member comment
On the Water Again (sung to the tune of On the Road Again)
Melodeon is looking really good after all of the work you and your volunteers put into her. I'm looking forward to following your blog.