We are currently hauled out in RAM Marina in the Rio Dulce. The marine workforce in Guatemala is praised in the cruising community. They have a combination of skill and work-ethic that is often hard to come by in most countries.
RAM marina has a 75 ton travel lift and 22 foot wide well, just enough for our 21 foot beam to squeeze into.
For the curious, we weighed in at 11 tons (~22k lbs) - ahem!
It is always nice when divers go in the water to check the location of the straps.
This is the first time that we've encountered a double-strap system that required precise placement onto load-bearing parts of the hull while avoiding our precious sail-drives and rudders.
There are two other Manta catamarans besides Reach in the yard: Iguana Dance & Outlandish.
It turns out that we have all arrived and are working here at the same time.
In addition to meeting fellow cruisers like Eli & Marla, it's always nice to share stories about projects within your boat design.
Reach is now sitting high and dry in a structure that fits our mast and all... if only it was covered for some much needed shade!! We're living on board for a few days until RAM's apartment frees up and the sunny days are brutal. At least as expected this late in the year, the nights cool down nicely.
What started out as routine maintenance and a bottom job (last antifouling paint 2.5 yrs ago) may morph into a few interesting structural improvements for Reach...
Hmmm?! Stay tuned to the Boat Blog for project details!