July 11, 2024
The dreaded Rudder Stocks!
So completing the installation of the new Rudder Stocks, continues to be the critical path for getting the ship out of drydock. We found out today that this is a unique situation because rudder stocks typical last the life of a ship or 60 years! So the delicate machining needed to get new stocks made and retrofitted into our ship is not among the common practices in a ship's scheduled maintenance. Therefore, VVR has had to fly in some experts, to help get this done and this translates to additional time waiting in drydock. Lots of other improvements and retrofits are still on going, but the two rutter stocks being milled and fitted into the existing housings is the critical component to getting the ship in the water. Once the ship is floated, they have testing to complete to get the final ok's to sail!
The VVR staff are still hopeful that all this will come together and the Ship will depart from Belfast on July 20th. However, another new
wrinkle discussed today is that Northern Ireland celebrates a Bank Holiday called The Battle of the Boyne and this is a four day Holiday starting this Friday 7/12. Supposedly, this is a Protestant Holiday and the Irish Catholic workers in the shipyard will still work. But it is unknown right now, if that will be a big enough crew, to keep progress on the rudders! Please say a wee pray! As my Dad would say "it is, what it is!" Life goes on, I'm enjoying time at home in Philly, back to the rooftop pool and yoga classes. All good here!
