PUFFIN IS LAUNCHED

My Marshall Sanderling PUFFIN was launched last Thursday and has already logged some miles on the Florida Bay. This week, however, the wind has arrived full force and has caused all nautical activities to cease.

A case in point.

 

 

 

Down here in the Keys,  unless you are in a rather large marina, they launch most boats with a huge Fork Lift. In the case of our little Marshalls, they employ a set of sling straps to lift the boats off their trailers. This system is very effective and takes no time to get the boats overboard and the mast raised; it isn't like you have one device to launch then another device to lift the mast, the Fork Lift does it all and in a minimum of time.

 

 

 



PUFFIN all set to be launched

The Fork lift moves into position to lift the boat off the trailer.
In the background you can see the racks where boats are dry stored, the Fork Lift is used mainly to access those craft, at the owners request.

Straps are in place

Carefully, the boat is lifted off the trailer and moved to the pit for launching. They use the same lift to install the mast.

 

 

Although the wind has been blowing out of the North at about 25-30 Kts for the last few days, the temperatures are still in the mid eighties, making for some very pleasant conditions to work on the boats, bringing them up to snuff as it were. On the Marshall, a new 2.3 Honda was installed and the interior was detailed to get rid of dirt and dust that accumulated over the summer while in storage. The Flats Boat needed a new bilge pump and some wiring upgrades, in addition a new stern light was installed to replace the defective old one.

 

New Honda 2.3 four stroke for the Marshall

PUFFIN at her dock, a well protected canal safe from all directions of wind.

New Mark Beaton sail has been bent on and she just awaits her skipper for a sail.

Here in the Keys where boats are  used many more months out of the year, compared to up North, gear has to be change out more frequently. In this case it was the bilge pump that just wore out, it was in the boat since 2002.

The same can be said for the stern light, things just wear out over time.