Survey the day before yesterday. What I had hoped would be a mere formality to satisfy the insurance did not turn out to be nothing of the sort.

The day started off well enough. The rudder had just been fitted and the engine, prop and shaft were all in place. So far so good.
Surveyor - who came recommended - turned out to be not exactly what I had expected, but a very nice and knowledgeable man all the same.
I supplied him with all possible info on the boat and the refit I could think of - documented with pictures of every stage.

He then did his stuff, in a very thorough and unhurried manner. In the mean time I had a word with the yard electrics department. It seems the the repeated flooding of our engine room has wrought havoc on the wiring. Quite a few are rotten to the core. Another case of BOAT: Break Out Another Thousand. Not a happy bunny.
Little did I know that worse news was to come.

A well filled diary meant I had to leave the surveyor before he'd finished the job. He would get back to me if anything serious cropped up.
Yesterday, a call from the yard: 'Do you want us to get on with that 'void' just before the keel the surveyor found'? 'What void? And how much is it going to cost'? 'It could be a mornings work or it could be a couple of thousand - we won't know till we open her up'. 'Hold everything till I've heard from the surveyor'.

I did, this morning. Not good. A patch of hull (200mm by 300mm) just forward of the keel is de-laminating. Very high moisture readings indicating trapped water. Advised to treat asap before things get any worse.

Where are we now? The yard is going 'to open her up' and quote for the repairs. The surveyor will then also have a look and get back to me.
Once again, I'm hoping for the best and fearing the worst.

Best case: it's easily fixable - we scrape our last few pennies together and salvage a bit of our sailing year. Worst case: it's going to be bloody expensive. In that case, we'll have to leave her in the yard for a while longer. To be repaired when we once again have some money.
More - hopefully good - news soon.

Moving house - changing jobs - the boat. All I need now is a divorce and I'm ready for my Prozac.

Silver lining: I have managed to secure us a pontoon berth from July. Hopefully, we'll be able to use it.