It is a constant source of frustration that there is not a slip big enough in Orkney to take the Halton out of the water, so in the bleak mid winter I contemplated the trip south to Macduff. The trip normally takes about 10-12 hours steaming with bit of juggling to get a gap in the weather to ensure at least some semblance of a smooth crossing. When I set off at midnight the sea was smooth as the proverbial mill pond, and stayed that way until the Pentland Firth had been crossed.

Hauling the boat out of the water takes no time at all when in the hands of folk who do this operation every day of the year. A large cradle is lowered down the slip and into the water beneath the boat at high tide. Hydraulic rams close onto the side of the boat so that she settles on her keel and is prevented from falling sideways. The cradle is then winched up the slip until the boat is high and dry. Like an iceberg, it is always surprising how much of the boat is out of sight below the water though, at 2.8m, the Halton has a fairly modest draught compared to the other boats beside her on the slip.

Once out the water the bottom is pressure washed and a new coat of anti-fouling applied to keep the beasties at bay for another year. Seacocks are checked and greased, prop polished, anodes changed and all the wet bits checked for wear and tear. All this tlc added a knot to her cruising speed for the way home, a trip better judged with a larger weather window.