Of course, that was just the plan.......
The rigging came off quite easily, and when the time came round for the lift out at 14:00, we were ready, the 12 stainless bolts holding down the boss at the base of the mast had been removed. The mast would now simply 'pop out' of its keel step when a crane lift was applied, according to the previous owner.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Paschall, 'popping out' the mast"]
[/caption]No amount of lifting resulted in any kind of 'pop', however, and when the boat itself started to lift out of the water by the mast, we realised we were beaten. The best hope now was to lift her out onto the hard, try and work out what was holding the mast so firmly, and lift it on Saturday morning when the truck arrived.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Lift out"]
[/caption]Once she'd been lifted out, we spent a couple of hours talking and theorising. I felt that a small collar of fibreglass at the top of the mast step shoe was holding it. Paschall agreed, and set about cutting it away. It quickly became clear that this was very firmly glued to the mast indeed, and it took Paschall several hours in the cramped forecabin to remove it.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Cutting the mast step."]
[/caption]A beer and a chinese takeaway (chip shop shuts at 21:30.....) and then to our bunks. Les was due to arrive at 10:00 Saturday with his truck.
The three hours we spent waiting for Les as he tried to find us were extremely frustrating. We had no idea whether the mast would now 'pop', or whether more work was needed, and the hoist driver left at 17:00. Time was getting short.
When he got there, our first attempt to remove the mast failed again, with nylon rope. Les suggested using strops instead, and we nervously rigged them. Please, please work.
5 minutes later there was the overdue pop, and relief all round.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Pop"]
[/caption]There followed a frantic hour as we secured everything, sail bundle, mast, fenders and so on. It was 15:30 when we finally raised her in the hoist and gently reversed the truck under her.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Keep coming"]
[/caption]Straps on, and very soon, Les was pulling away. Paschall and I watched them leave the marina.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Bye bye"]
[/caption]She arrived back in Cardiff a few hours later, as did we.
So, a planned trip involving an adventurous sail around Land's end and up the Bristol Channel, my first time in a junk rigged vessel, turned into a 60 mile sail and a road trip. I know a fair bit about junk rigs now, though. More structural than sailing, it has to be said.
Anyway, job done.
