Life In A Boatyard

Deltaville, VA

NoLL

Boatyards are for work. For the most part the consist of a big flat area, usually dusty and bare. There must also be buildings for an office and a shop for the boatyard workers. Not much else is required.

We spent time in a boatyard in Fernandina Beach, Florida that had bathrooms and showers that were borderline disgusting. It made it possible for us to live aboard while working.

We spent time in another boatyard in Fort Pierce Florida with utterly disgusting bathrooms that even lacked doors. Poor Libby had to go to a nearby restaurant to find a decent toilet. We couldn't live aboard there so we had to rent a apartment while working on the boat, and then rent a car to get to the apartment. That made it very much more expensive.

Deltaville Boatyard is different. This boatyard allows you to do your own work. It also allows you to live aboard your boat, while they supply electric and water. Those things make it affordable.

It is co-located with Deltaville Marina. Boatyard customers are allowed to use the marina bathrooms, showers, laundry, pool, bikes, loaner car, and lounge. I'm sitting the lounge right now watching Lost World on TV and writing during the ads. There is also a nice park and museum next door. The amenities here had a lot to do with us choosing to come here. Those things make it comfortable to be here; much more so than the typical boatyard.

I guess the only down side is that the comfort robs us of some of the motivation to work extra hard and get out of here. Instead of working 10-12 hour days, we've been working only 5-6 hours. Still, I hope to finish everything on our list and splash the boat on or before next Friday.

This afternoon we repainted Tarwathie's topside decks. We cleverly painted ourselves not in a corner but into the companionway entrance. We had no alternative other than to stay inside and take a nap while the paint dries. Ho hum, life is tough.