Boat Launch 3rd April 2018
Just a quick reminder from Karl Field - Vice Commodore
The first lift 07:30hrs will be Keith’s mast, then the yachts, starting with Ralph.

So it’s an early start, all was ready by Monday night; Graham was coming out to help.
Tue 3rd
2:20 AM BST / 0.56 m 8:31 AM BST / 5.63 m
2:40 PM BST / 0.61 m 8:50 PM BST / 5.49 m
Sun Rises 6:49 AM BST Sets 7:51 PM BST

Up at 06:45 made porridge and had tablets.
Out the house 07:10hrs as I got to the club as the 35 ton crane from Sparrows was going into the yard it’s a very tight turn but as it has all wheel steering and a supervisor it was slow but sure.
Well the first lift was PennCirrus, strops on forward of the front stanchions and outside the lower stays, but how do I open the hooks on the Chain, well I forgot from last year, it was a little lever sunk into the side. Aft strops was no problem just in behind the keel, then we all got down from the boat.
With a long rope on the bow and stern when the crane started to lift, some plastic sheets stuck to the boat at the forward & aft pads pulled it off, and was helped to keep the boat bows towards the ferry by the ropes.
With fenders starboard side it was lowered to the water. Then close to the side when Graham and I got back on board, first thing check no water was coming in, after many reminders, all okay. Release the hooks on one side only and close the hook back up so it would not snag wires or any thing else, the crane then pulled the strops out of the water and behind the boat.
I had started the outboard motor in the water barrel this weekend when I took it down to the boat, so as I hopped it would started 1st or 2nd pull, with choke on, Great motor running Graham pushed off the bow and out to the mooring, Graham hooked the pickup buoy and as the chain was attached to fender it was clear and the bridle was not tangled around the mooring chain so bridle on to centre cleat, hose in through the fairlead and we were back secure on our mooring N3.
 
Topping lift re secured to the push pit and the main halyard hook on as well so the mast was clear of flapping ropes. Lifted outboard out and fixed it on the cabin steps and secured it with a padlock. Graham fitted the plug into the outboard well. Tried the handheld VHF but it was not up too it so used the main VHF radio and confirmed with RIB “Searider” that we were ready to come back in.
Waited till all the boats in the yard were lifted in before we put the axels and wheels on the cradle, plywood sheet down the middle and then all the wooden chocks on board, had to leave it there as by now the Crane moved to in front of the Club and the crane was lifting in the smaller yachts I went with Mark Swain on “Eclipse” this time as we were not by the wall, but lifted out into the water as far as possible we stayed on board, I’ve not been that high up in a Hurly 22 when in the water the crane waited till “Eclipse” was secured to the RIB before it was fully lowered and we were able to release one side of the strops. As the RIB pulled us out Mark was able to start his outboard and I took the boat hook to pick up his pickup buoy, Mark then secured his bridle, a little wait before the RIB came and took us back to the wall.
It was just lucky that we had time to get them all from the front of the Club afloat in the morning.
When the crane moved on to the car park to deal with bigger Yachts, my job then was to get the dinghies racks off the back wall and moved to the front of the Club in the area vacated by the lifted in boats. And bring the three other racks out of the yard so that dinghies could be cleared from the car park and into the yard.
When all that was done I asked Colin Spraggs to pull our cradle up to the house with his jeep. Took the cradle apart and last of all Paulene was there to help me lift the cradle up vertical along the wall in the Garage.
I went back down and moved the dinghies racks onto the green, the bit next to the car park. And put my dinghy against the rack.
By now the large yachts were on the beach south of the car park, waiting for the tide to lift them up so they could motor out on to their moorings.
I went down again after tea at 19:00hrs all but two had floated and were out on the moorings saw the last two get away, the last one helped by the RIB. Then the RIB picked up the crews from the other yachts and brought them in to the Club wall 19:30hrs.
Well done Karl Field - Vice Commodore as it was his responsibility to organise the lift-in.