Ramping Up for Hawaii Trip

Paradise Marina Peurto Vallarta April 2013

Update April 28, 2013

We arrived back at Paradise Marina on April 10 and what a delight it was to step on board Sea Reach once again. John and Jane who had been cruising and caring for her for the past three months had left her looking smart and clean, a much better welcome than last year when we returned to Costa Baha to find her dusty and with a garden of growth at the waterline (our diver had not come while we were away).

She was ready for cruising but not for passage making. List of things requiring attention before heading off across the Pacific:

Haul Out

Bottom clean and paint

Check and service all through hulls

Check and change zincs as required

Re-stuff the stuffing box

Repair pinhole leak in exhaust elbow

Re-survey the boat (last survey was in 2007)

We booked in with Opequimar for the haul out and hooked up with Jorge of Servin Marine Service here in Paradise Marina to manage the work.  Jorge was fantastic to work with and really went out of his way to make sure things happened in a coordinated fashion. Arturo and his crew did the cleaning and paint job. We decided to get the topsides painted based on other work we had seen completed by Arturo. His quote came in well below what we had been quoted for a paint job in Canada prior to our departure. That said, haul out and yard rates are just as expensive here as in Canada, especially the yard rates, but Opequimar is very professionally managed.  We got a discount rate to stay at the Comfort Inn, organized through Opequimar while the work was being completed. We checked the boat and work each morning and then came back to work on through-hulls and other components each evening after the yard had closed and the temperatures had lowered somewhat.

 

Entering Opequimar haul out

Up she goes!

On the hard

New paint job

Heading back to the sea

We managed to take in a few day trips to Old Puerto Vallarta  and also out to La Cruz. PV is a fun and magical place to be. It doesn’t take long to get to know the bus routes and the bus drivers are both friendly and helpful. Marina Vallarta area is very nice but a lot of selling going on down by the waterfront. Shades of Cabo San Lucas. There is someone trying to entice you to go to a “presentation” at every corner. Don’t do it! If you are interested in a timeshare, find a reputable realtor and a lawyer and check them out beforehand.

We went into Old PV twice; the first time we were treated to a street dance down in the square below the old Cathedral, the second time we went there was a folk dance festival on celebrating dancing from across the country with several troupes performing in the amphitheatre. The costumes were wonderful and the dancing very skilled and entertaining. The place was packed with mostly Mexicans. There was no cover charge and nobody circulated looking for tips. We assumed it was sponsored by the Government. A real treat. Johnny also participated in a run for cancer that his family were organizing in Ireland, in memory of his mother - dubbed the 'Phyllantrophy Run'.

 

Johnny on the 'Phyllantrophy' run, Mexican style.

Folk dancing at the amphitheatre

Street dance old PV

Right now we are waiting for the next weather window to catapult us out about 300 miles where we can pick up the trade winds. Other wise we will have to motor that length, something we do not want to do. Long range forecast now says that Friday May 03 may work with a few days of sustained winds to get us out there. We intend to be ready.