As we come to the end of 2022, I’ve been wondering what we’ve done this year, especially as we’ve spent the last 5 months on the Gold Coast. But made our way here from Townsville, over 800 nautical miles, so that was something. We also installed a radar earlier in the year, and then we had a lot of work done on Poseidon in August, which was why we came to the Gold Coast. And since then, it just feels like we’ve been busy!
So this end of year wrap covers what we’ve been doing in recent months.
Maintenance at Gold Coast City Marina
We don’t normally set deadlines, because one of the worst things to have on a boat is a schedule. However, we had to be at Gold Coast City Marina (GCCM) by 8am on Monday 8 August for maintenance. We decided to stay at Sanctuary Cove for the week before, just 20 minutes from where the work was being done, and this gave us plenty of scope when planning our trip south.
In the accompanying photo, we’ve arrived at GCCM a little early and ready for the lift. Previously where we had our boat berthed in Sydney, we used to drive the boat onto the lift itself. At GCCM, they operate differently and manually push/pull the boat into position.
I’ve heard one friend (owner of Lady Capri) call their maintenance a “spa treatment” for their boat, ours was more of a “bum clean with minor surgery”!
The following video shows Poseidon being lifted out of the water. Towards the end you can hear Robert explaining that the rudders didn’t need to be removed to get the propeller shafts out.
We’ve previously always scraped and antifouled the hull ourselves, a big job, but this year we decided to pay someone else to do it. During our nearly three weeks on the hard stand at GCCM here are some of the projects done.
- Our fridge (42 years old) removed and new one installed.
- Hull sand blasted in order to remove years of layers of old antifoul. Then it was primed with epoxy, followed by two coats of antifoul, first red then black. Then a third coat of black antifoul applied around the leading edge of the hull.
- Propellers and shafts removed, checked, serviced. Bearings replaced and shaft glands repacked. Hose fittings on shaft glands replaced. Props rebalanced and put back.
- Propellers, shafts and rudders antifouled using Prop speed.
- New bracket manufactured and installed in the lazarette for the rudder ram drive. We noticed in July that the mounting had rusted through, and Robert’s temporary fix, while great, required a more permanent solution.
- New, reticulated foam cut for outside cushions, and I added mesh to the bottom to help drainage and airflow. Now the outdoor cushions no longer behave as super sponges, holding water for days on end. In fact, I’ve been amazed at how quickly they dry after a storm.
- Foredeck hatch, which was always leaking a little water, fixed and the foredeck and Portuguese bridge refurbished with fresh non-slip paint.
- Hull above the waterline polished.
- Preparation for diesel heater installation, including Robert putting in a through-hull fitting for the exhaust.
- New vinyl boot strap around the boat, near the plimsol line to replace what was previously a hand-painted line by me.
- Cabin floors sanded and refinished with a couple more coats of clear flooring polyurethane (CFP).
During this time on the hard stand, the cats were at a cattery and we stayed at a few different places, but with many days checking on the boat or doing our own work on board.
Sightseeing
There were days when we couldn’t be on the boat because of the work being done on the hull, so we took the opportunity to hire a car to visit friends and do some sightseeing. We spent a lovely day exploring Mount Tamborine, the rainforest skywalk and the short track to Curtis Falls. On our return, we enjoyed lunch at the quirky Fox and Hounds pub nearby.
Work in progress
It was very satisfying seeing the work in progress when we were finally able to get back on board and do our own projects. It’s explained in the photos below.
Work complete at GCCM
Finally, the majority of the work was completed and we were ready to go back into the water.
But when they’d lowered us and we started the engines, the port engine was vibrating badly. Turned out to be because when the prop shafts were reinstalled, the alignment was slightly out as a result of new bolts on the port side that were millimetres too long. Unfortunately, the company that did this work had knocked off early to enjoy a long weekend for Gold Coast Show Day. So we were “dragged” over to the maintenance dock and we stayed there a few more days until the issue was resolved.
But wait, there's more!
After the alignment issue was resolved, we motored to our berth at Hope Island Marina.
It took me a while to get used to this different environment as it felt a little more enclosed than other marinas, but pretty soon I adapted. The facilities on site are great – restaurants, supermarket, butcher, dentists, doctors, podiatrist, optometrist – as well as the off-road cycleways to Sanctuary Cove and the Broadwater at the northern end of the Gold Coast, and larger shopping complex about 15 minutes away.
And during the last few months, I went to Perth to visit my family and close friends, made curtains to help with keeping Poseidon warm when we head south, finished recovering the lounge, covered vinyl dock fenders, Robert completed the diesel heater installation, and of course we went on a cruise. We had family stay with us and visitors come by on day trips. And we also checked out the Gold Coast Seaway on a day that we wouldn’t be interested in leaving!
We’ve done more but I think this is enough for my end of year wrap up and I’m feeling tired thinking of what we’ve achieved!
Where to in 2023?
As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, next year (soon in fact) will see us start our slow trip south, revisiting some of the waterways and towns we visited when we left Sydney in 2020, and then heading further south on our way to Tasmania. I anticipate a year before we’re ready to cross the Bass Straight, but who knows, we might get there quicker.
7 Responses
Poseidon looks great!
Wow! Your boat must now be just like new!
Congratulations on all that you have achieved.
We look forward to catching up with you in the new year.
Robyn & Chicka
Wow, Pam. That’s quite an overhaul you’ve completed on your boat. As an Engineer I found your description fascinating. Good luck on your trip south again. I look forward to reading about it here. Please stay safe. ❤️
Hi Pam & Robert We wish you all the best for your journey ahead.all your planning ahead has paid off. We wish you all the best in the future.
At the moment our life on hold as Gerry has been diagonised with cancel. He has his 4th chemo treatment on 4/1. Currently one day at a time. Life’s tough .
Al, the best..hopefully we will see you when you reach Soldiers point.
Cheers😘🍾🥂💕
Hi Sonja, I’ve emailed you.
Well Done! You have achieved so much and look forward to more stories of what the new adventures will be like. Happy New Year xx
Fantastic as normal.