Hauling out in La Cruz

We’d planned to pull our boat out of the water in Chiapas. That would have been a year and four months in the water without checking out the bottom, and we knew the paint was wearing away; but tsunamis wreck stuff, and despite hanging out at the marina for almost two months, the travel lift wasn’t working in time for us. The cheapest option after that would have been to do the work much further north in the Sea of Cortez, but we didn’t want to sacrifice any time during our last few months of cruising to yard work if we could avoid it. Things are still a bit chilly and blustery in the Sea, so we decided to haul out  at Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz.

I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact of viewing our boat as a boat. When we’re living aboard, our boat is our home, and I see it the same way I usually saw our house: sheesh, I need to do those dishes, who left their hat in the cockpit, we need to wash the windows, why can’t I find a pen? But pulling her out of the water reminded me that she’s a boat, just like all those other boats we see on the hard; and I couldn’t stop feeling proud of how strong and capable she is. We have put so many miles under her, and if anything, she looks better than she did when we left. Apart from a tiny spot of baldness on the leading bottom edge of the keel, she’s no worse for wear, despite being stuck in the mud more than once. Did we find blisters on the hull? We did not. All the prep Michu did to the boat before we left has really paid off, and she looks fabulous.

By the time she goes back in the water, she’ll look even better. Two new coats of paint; two new zincs on the prop shaft; an epoxy touch-up to the afore-mentioned spot on the keel (which showed almost no rust, despite the fact that our keel is iron instead of lead); a raised waterline to better accommodate a loaded-down cruising boat (three coats of paint on the new stuff, just to make sure); and a pretty buff and wax. Yeah, we plan on selling the boat in a few months, but we’re happy to take good care of the boat that’s taken such good care of us.

As far as spending a little extra money to haul in La Cruz, we’ve got no regrets. It’s a lovely town, and F and T have been enjoying some serious kid time. Peter Vargas and his team have been doing an awesome job, coming in ahead of schedule and under budget, if you can believe it–how often does that happen? And once again, a little time on land has made us eager to be back on the hook, away from the noise and heat, dust and bugs, costly cold beers and creaky hotel beds of land life.