Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Catlyn touched the sea.
She made it, and we made it! Our family followed this big truck overflown by this chunky catamaran. At an unbelievable speed of 60km p/h she was driven through the streets of Cape Town, billboards and stop streets passing by (thanks to the Traffic 
Dpt).
Our daughter, Janlie, waved like royalty to all the curious onlookers next to the road. Like royalty we felt!
A big crane was waiting for us, and in sweltering heat Catlyn was lifted off this truck, snugly lying between the blue straps holding her. What a breathless feeling it was when she was lifted and came eye-level to us hanging in the air....just to wait for the droplets of Moet Chandon on her hull...and then she was going down....to her life giving force! Water!
Marco, our little one, just wanted to get onto her and start sailing, but this was the beginning of yet another process. He slipped the "good luck coin" into the mast just before it was lowered onto the deck and fastened. And then all of us and those around took the opportunity to get onto her for the engines to start, and a little stroll around the marine.
It felt so good!
Dpt).Our daughter, Janlie, waved like royalty to all the curious onlookers next to the road. Like royalty we felt!
A big crane was waiting for us, and in sweltering heat Catlyn was lifted off this truck, snugly lying between the blue straps holding her. What a breathless feeling it was when she was lifted and came eye-level to us hanging in the air....just to wait for the droplets of Moet Chandon on her hull...and then she was going down....to her life giving force! Water!
Marco, our little one, just wanted to get onto her and start sailing, but this was the beginning of yet another process. He slipped the "good luck coin" into the mast just before it was lowered onto the deck and fastened. And then all of us and those around took the opportunity to get onto her for the engines to start, and a little stroll around the marine.
It felt so good!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Catamaran for sale?
Shocked? For the first time since a very long time ago when this dream started, and since the eighteen months they started building Catlyn, I felt it.
The morning on our way to Cape Town didn't start well, with the headlights of our car both dead in the dark. Five o'clock in the morning isn't a good time searching for a fuse, and if the fuse isn't the problem, trying to squeeze your hand into a place to connect your newly repainted little car's headlight fittings back into place.
Leaving the kids at home and the little one in front of the TV, sulking , wasn't setting the mood right as we headed for Cape Town.
And then a strange noise not belonging to the car made us stop. Starboard wheel busted! No wheel spanner in sight, because car was getting a face lift and no one checked. The last couple of months I was only reading and trying to memorise all the things I have to check when the cat's engine is doing certain things and wheel spanners wasn't one of them. I am quite detached from the normal land living day to day things because I have to learn so many new things.
Occupants from a little house next to the road somewhere saved us. But minutes later the cellphone rang, and we were told that the corian tops we selected three months ago for all the counters are not in stock, a week before the "planned" launch of our catamaran!
It wasn't funny! But ...the boat builder survived and I did and my poor Skipper did. Hint: Don't mess with little things like table tops and linen and which pots will fit onto your little stove a week before your whole life is goning to turn upside down!
And then I felt it!
The morning on our way to Cape Town didn't start well, with the headlights of our car both dead in the dark. Five o'clock in the morning isn't a good time searching for a fuse, and if the fuse isn't the problem, trying to squeeze your hand into a place to connect your newly repainted little car's headlight fittings back into place.
Leaving the kids at home and the little one in front of the TV, sulking , wasn't setting the mood right as we headed for Cape Town.
And then a strange noise not belonging to the car made us stop. Starboard wheel busted! No wheel spanner in sight, because car was getting a face lift and no one checked. The last couple of months I was only reading and trying to memorise all the things I have to check when the cat's engine is doing certain things and wheel spanners wasn't one of them. I am quite detached from the normal land living day to day things because I have to learn so many new things.
Occupants from a little house next to the road somewhere saved us. But minutes later the cellphone rang, and we were told that the corian tops we selected three months ago for all the counters are not in stock, a week before the "planned" launch of our catamaran!
It wasn't funny! But ...the boat builder survived and I did and my poor Skipper did. Hint: Don't mess with little things like table tops and linen and which pots will fit onto your little stove a week before your whole life is goning to turn upside down!
And then I felt it!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
THE LAUNCH
Catlyn will be launched on the 12th of February 2009 at the Royal Yacht Club Cape Town. The Mast stepping and Rigging will be done and a few other adjustments too, which will keep us for another week from doing the first test sails. It is the first Maverick 40ft Catamaran in the water after 18 months of hard work for Rudi Pretorius, owner of Maverick Yachts cc and Phil Southwell (Designer).
Formal launches will be organised to launch this newcomer as "the new generation catamaran" together with the Marine Portal "TheMarineTrade.com".
Formal launches will be organised to launch this newcomer as "the new generation catamaran" together with the Marine Portal "TheMarineTrade.com".
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