Refit Gets Underway

We hauled out Nov. 14 to begin a major refit. New standing rigging and a motor overhaul are at the top of a list that also includes an assortment of smaller jobs that can only be done (or are more easily done) when the boat is out of the water.

We are being well looked after by C.S. Nautica, a family-owned shipyard in Olbia. The rigging is being done by Nathan and Mauro of RiggSail, also Olbia.

The weather has been conspiring against us. There have been two major storms which has work behind schedule. The latest storm – Cyclone Cleopatra – caused widespread flooding in the Olbia area. A total of 17 people died in Sardinia as a result of the storm. More than 450 mm of rain (six months worth) fell in four hours. Half of all homes and businesses in Olbia suffered some damage.

Fortunately all was fine at the shipyard and in Porto Rotondo where I am staying on Kairos, a wonderful Comfortina owned by friends Frieder and Hanne.

Others were not as fortunate: the operations manager at the yard was under 1.5 m of water and mud in his apartment and his car was washed away. The person slated to do welding work on our railings had his entire workshop destroyed. The crane operator who took the masts down lost his house and shop. His crane didn’t suffer any damage and he still managed to come on Friday, four days after the devastation. The people here have a strong spirit.

The outlook for the next 10 days is cool but dry. Hopefully we can make up lost ground and still meet the schedule of being back in the water before the yard closes for its Christmas break.