It’s a’boat time!

Jul 26

Finally, launch day had arrived!

We arrived at the launch site before dawn. There was Catalyst, loaded on a flatbed trailer and awaiting her first foray into the water. She sparkled under the rising sun, her well-polished hulls reflecting the awakening marina. Fellow Balance owners joined us at the dock for the big day.

The Balance team swarmed over the boat, working together like a well-oiled machine to ensure a smooth launch. Catalyst was loaded onto her harness cradle, slowly lifted by a large crane, and rotated 180 degrees while suspended in the air. Pete and I christened her with a spray of champagne just before she was gently set into the water. Next, the mast was lifted by another crane (operated by a bad-a$$ woman) and installed on Catalyst’s foredeck. While Catalyst’s rigging was being assembled, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast with the Balance shipyard owner and our family of Balance owners.

We subsequently boarded Catalyst to motor from the launch site to her new home at the V&A Marina, where she’ll stay until we depart South Africa. How surreal it was to be on the water with her! Our smiles were broader and brighter than the panoramic views we enjoyed of Cape Town and Table Mountain lit up by the morning sun.

Upon our arrival, we watched the Ullman team rig up the sails, marveling at the light footedness of “Spidey man” ascending the mast in the bosun’s chair to secure the topmost rigging (and trying not to think about future ascents by one of us!). We walked through the boat pinching ourselves — our dream was becoming reality!

There are still 2+ weeks of seaworthiness testing and continued construction before she’ll be handed off to us, but today was a huge milestone!