Having finally been âblocked offâ ashore in Northney Marina after the machinations outlined in the previous blog, unfortunately, the saga didnât end there.
The Northney boatyard staff, seemingly disgruntled with the events as they unfolded, and unhappy about the safety of Hejira or any yachts bearing the slippery Silic antifouling, chose to escalate the situation and request an inspection by the  MDL Health and Safety inspectorate.
MDL are a corporation, and they have 19 Marinas. They lift out and block off a huge number of boats and yachts so there should be no question about their overall competence. The new Silic antifouling system that has been gaining traction among boat owners, seems to be adding a new dimension⌠ Itâs whole âraison dâetreâ is the fact that it is slippery and that âfoulingâ finds it difficult to attach itself to the surface. However, itâs very slipperiness, clearly presents an issue when blocking off and I can understand the apprehensions when the boatyard, inevitably, carries safety responsibilities.
The Hejira situation was clearly a new challenge, as the boatyard staff had not been confronted by such an issue in the past. In trying to address the unexpected slippage, the Silic was removed from the areas where the propping pads bore on the hull. The situation was then no different to any of the other yachts and the âblocking offâ of Hejira thankfully, eventually, passed muster and work on the hull can now continue.
I am told that MDL will be reviewing their guidelines regarding vessels treated with Silic. This requires confirmation, but my understanding is that only yachts with a dedicated âcradleâ will be accepted if they have the Silic antifouling treatment, and that there is even a debate as to whether it will be necessary to have the mast removed before lifting to reduce windage.
Given the above, I have made the only pragmatic decision, and my Silic antifouling is being totally removed. It will be replaced by a premium, hard antifouling.
My sailing ambitions over the coming years will involve periodic lifting for a jet wash and maintenance. The likelihood is that this will be in some far-flung destinations, where, from previous experience, communication is likely to be difficult.
It will be reassuring that a durable antifouling will be in place and that no special supervision will be required to prevent damage.
An unfortunate saga, but a lesson learnt!
Very good luck for your future Nick.
All the best
Stephen
Thanks, Stephen.
Ambitions this year are fairly modest, I am hoping to make passage up to St. Kats for a short stay (it’s really great to have a ‘pad’ in London for a few days) then Dutch Canals followed by the WW1 stuff in Belgium then back to the UK for a family holiday in Swanage with an Airbnb. A sort of extended shake down before more ambitious stuff next year. I hope all is well with you and yours.
It seems that MDL are less than competent. Tying the fore and aft sling together (as they should anyway but never do) would remove the risk if the boat slipping out of the slings. Even if the 135 wasnât a flat bottomed girl the provision of cross bracing to the propping would mitigate the risk of slippage.
My understanding is that Hemples target market for this product is power boat. Are MDL expecting them to have a cradle?
Perhaps you should base Hejira in Dublin. The yards there wonât have a problem with it.
Thanks for your message, Nick.
I have tried not to slag MDL off too much as I really want to stay at Northney as it is mostly ideal. They do act as a corporate though with little regard for the berth holders. They have built an ill conceived new retail block at Northney. It has reduced parking, made it far more awkward and inconvenient and this in the face of a succession of failing businesses trying to cope with the MDL rents. It is completely empty! Do you remember the line from the management a few years ago when they were trying to establish a monopoly – “we are going to squeeze the boat owners until their pips squeak” ? It was a bit of a ‘Ratner’ moment…
I’m sorry to read about all your trials and tribulations with Silic.
As for MDL, can they not get it in their heads that Southerlies are designed to sit on sandy beaches upright and totally stable? They will also sit on concrete slabs, and they will NEVER fall over or fall down. Of course a pair of props in the form of large triangular ‘wedges’ inserted midships for good measure, is a useful addition.
Honestly, these people are crazy đ¤Ş!
These are the points I made to the marina manager when the situation ‘escalated’. You are right, there seems to be little understanding of the Southerly philosophy.