Every year - or at minimum, every two years, - we have Double Diamond hauled out of the water. It's a ritual all boats and their owners (and their checkbooks) must endure. It almost seems like some form of tribute to Neptune; the fee we pay for the right to travel on the sea.

At the same time there are some aspects to "hauling out" that are pretty cool. It's rather metaphysical to see your boat lifted out of the water and set down on the ground. The view you have of your boat suddenly becomes transformed, seeing all that's normally hidden below the surface. We've all swam under our boats, but walking around under your boat is a little freaky. I'm always surprised by how tall it is.


Melody on the bow, sitting above some really worn-out bottom paint.

We had all the typical tasks accomplished this haul-out: Sanding off what remains of the old anti-foul paint and applying new. Inspecting the rudders for excess movement (whew... we had none). Cleaning, inspecting, re-painting the propellers and sail drives. Last, but not least, deep cleaning and waxing the hulls above the waterline. Yes, you can wax the hulls when she's in the water, but the finished product is not quite the same as what can be achieved when she's "up on the hard".

Many "boaties" (as they call us here in Kiwiland) do all these things themselves. We choose to hire the professionals. First, it's all damn hard, dirty work. Second, the pros (and all their power equipment) can typically achieve much better results than we can, especially when it comes to polishing the hulls. We've tried it. They're better.





We're still quite impressed with the quality of skills and workmanship found in New Zealand's boat yards. We also hear nothing but good reports from other cruisers who have had the same experience in the yards where they've hauled-out. Most agree with our observation that the skills found here meet or exceed anything found on the west coast of the U.S., which up until now has been the gold standard for us. No longer. New Zealand typically beats them all hands down.

While walking in downtown Auckland a few weeks ago, we came across The Vero Centre, a flagship office building that is also headquarters for Vero, a local New Zealand insurance company.

In the two-story lobby of this building is a wall with a variety of quotes about New Zealand. Tributes really. Many are about sailing and the sea. One in particular by a Maurice Shadbolt stood out:

New Zealand begins with the sea and ends with the sea...
The thundering surf is our frontier.

And another by George Bernard Shaw:

If I showed my true feelings, I would cry:
It's the best country I have been in.



The building also has a great collection of work by local New Zealand artists: http://www.verocentre.co.nz/artwork-collection

The level of skill found within the New Zealand boating industry and among New Zealand sailors is world-renowned and rightfully so. Their ability to compete at the highest levels of sailing (such as the Americas Cup) is no accident. Sailing is one of the of their cultural centerpieces (farming is another) and they do it as well if not better than anyone or anywhere in the world.

Think about it this way: New Zealand has about the same land mass as the west side of Washington State with about half as many people. Yes, they do have a LOT of coastline - it's an island after all. Regardless, when it comes to sailing, New Zealanders punch well above their weight class and rank as some of the best in the world.

At this point, we'd have to also say that when it comes to fixing the things sailors wear out and/or break, George Bernard Shaw hit the nail on the head: this IS the best country we have been in.


Finished! Back into the water she goes...