Fixing, Fiddling & Figuring It Out
No matter how swanky or well-maintained a boat is, there is always something to fix. Always.
The Dali IV, although an older girl from 2003, she’s been meticulously maintained complete with detailed service records, an 14-page winterization protocol, and an 11-page spring prep checklist. And after spending three days with the previous owner, we can confirm: those lists were followed like gospel!!
The surveyor hired had actually also inspected the boat back in 2018. He felt the Dali was in better condition then the last time he surveyed it, which, honestly, tracks. The previous owner is Dutch… and let’s just say, the stereotype about precision and maintenance holds up.
That said, no boat escapes the inevitable pre-departure to-do list. First up: the weather vane. A tiny piece of plastic had broken off, and because it’s a Raymarine part, it of course costs about the same as one kidney. Naturally, we decided to fix it ourselves.
This led to me being sent up the mast. We waited for a calm(er) day, strapped in, and up I went. I was awarded with a renewed appreciation for staying on deck, as well as some pretty incredible views over Zadar (although other masts kept getting in the way of a nice shot).
Meanwhile, Nathan detected what might be the most critical issue to fix: the cockpit drink holder situation was clearly inadequate. After some serious engineering efforts, he constructed a fully upgraded “drink station” because hydration (of all kinds) is important at sea.
Dialing the Dali in – Making her our own
After three solid days of fixing, tweaking, and making Dali feel like our own, she was finally ready for her inaugural voyage on April 1st. But then, the weather disagreed. Enter the Bora. Gusts up to 35 knots, icy winds, and absolutely no desire from us to make our first outing a survival exercise. We desperately begged the marina to let us stay a little longer. Something any amount of $ can buy.
So, for now, we’re hunkered down in Zadar, layering up and waiting out the storm like sensible sailors. If anything, it’s given us a day or two to be tourists again. Visited what must be the countries (or the worlds) smallest castle, try out some tasty local craft brews at Blorg, eat delicious thai food, and just enjoy some down time from all the work. And with any luck, by April 3rd we’ll have calmer seas, lighter winds, and a much more orderly departure.
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