Good-bye, Nocturne!

Two days ago we were rather despairing about our boat, Nocturne. Post-hurricane, she was perched on a dock with her nose resting on another boat. $3600, paid to a local professional would have solved the problem ... if only we had that kind of money sitting around. I prayed very hard. I asked people for help and advice.

Another couple, dear friends, offered to come look at the boat yesterday. We were supposed to meet about 1:00. But they couldn't come then because of another appointment, and we waited and waited through the afternoon. Finally, we drove to the marina to meet them about 4:45. Waiting was hard, but God had His reasons.

We arrived to find our friends there, but someone else too, a 14 year old boy who's helped Adam with the boat before. He's strong, intelligent, problem-solving, careful, intuitive, tenacious, independent, and he knows about boats. Nobody else we knew could help us get that boat off that dock, but this 14 year old boy said, "Oh, no problem. I do this all the time." We agreed to meet him back there today at 5:00. He couldn't come any earlier, you know, because he's in school all day.  So here are photos of what they did. He is in the white shirt. He also brought along a friend to help. And there's a short video showing how they used a come-along to shift the boat.

The menfolk ponder the situation. He brought along his skiff with the outboard, and a small metal dingy, sitting closer to our boat his boat.

 First he had to disconnect the boom from the submerged boat.

 Nocturne would barely fit between the submerged boat's mast and the far piling.

 They attached the come-along to the cleat on the deck and inched the boat forward, making it tip over more.

 The Coast Guard had already been around, letting everyone know they were aware of the boats tossed up everywhere.

 These boys clambered from boat to boat and shifted lines and cables until they got the boat where they wanted her.

 Here's a little video of the moment when the rudder finally came off the dock! Hooray!

He also stepped down the mast.
Once the hull was off the dock, Adam's trepidation began to subside a bit, and he could watch more calmly.

 They moved the come-along many times, attaching it to different pilings to shift the boat's position.

 Nearly there!

 She's floating free! She looks so small and harmless this way -- it's hard to remember just how much heavy hull is under her.

We hope her new owner will enjoy her for many years. A Cape Dory Typhoon is a desirable boat from a rather famous designer. They sail beautifully. We got her for free, and we enjoyed her for a couple of years, and Adam particularly enjoyed the work he did on her deck and hull and wood trim. That was his favorite part of boat ownership.

If we'd gone to the marina yesterday at 1:00 as planned, we would have missed our young friend yesterday, and none of this would've happened. God wanted us there at 4:45 though. I prayed for help, and I specifically prayed for help from an unexpected source; God did that. And I can't think of anybody on the planet I'd rather have this lovely boat -- who will care for her and enjoy her fully -- that our young friend.

Oriental folks, if you need to hire a resourceful, boat-smart young man to help you, I'll link here to his dad's marina on Blackwell Point. They can put you in touch with him.