May 5, 2009

I have been participating on a test of some new bottom paints and the test finally came to and end this month. As a result I had to bring Wildcat up to KKMI (a boatyard) in Richmond to have it pulled so that the manufacturer could inspect the condition of the test paint. KKMI is about 13 miles from Wildcat's home slip, and it took me about 4 hours to get to KKMI from Alameda. I motored out of the Estuary and put the sail up just before getting to the Bay. I tried to sail once I was out on the bay, but the winds were light and if I had sailed all the way to KKMI I would not have arrived until after 2230. So I ended up motor sailing across the bay. It was an interesting sail becasue the fog had come in through the Gate, so around Berkeley there was pretty heavy fog, but elsewhere it was pretty light. I got to Richmond Harbor about 2030 and to KKMI at about 2100. The next day I took a look at Wildcat while it was on the hard. I was amazed at how well the paint had held up. No major hard growth and the hair apparently sluffed off when the boat was pulled. The zincs were in pretty good shape as well.

So while Wildcat is out of the water I will have the bottom painted and will also re-Cetol the swim step. Hopefully the boat will be back in the water by the middle of next week.