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Pingpro · 27-07-2021, 15:31

Hi Everyone,

I have a J/24 sailboat I've been rehabbing for about 6 months on it's trailer in Naples. It's time to splash but I need to have it lifted off the trailer onto blocks so I can sand and paint the spots I couldn't get to while on the trailer as well as rig the boat (step the main etc...). There are 2 boatyards in Naples that would be super convenient to take the boat to, but one doesn't seem interested in my money at all and the other could possibly work out but... neither will let me paint the remaining 6 or so square feet of bottom myself and they also claim they have no way to help raise the mast (despite having 80 ton lifts). My slip is in Isles of Capri, so south of Naples a bit so splashing her in Naples would be ideal. I can understand the need to pay a subcontractor to finish the paint job, but I'm not paying an outside company to rig her with all my existing rigging when I have the former boat owner and several friends to help with it. I need to get her in the water this coming week and am looking at other options.

So main question... can anyone recommend a boatyard in the Fort Myers/Punta Gorda/Sarasota area where I could just have her lifted onto blocks, do the paint and rigging over a weekend and get her in the water? I'd really prefer not to go all the way to Sarasota but I will if I need to... long maiden sail back.

Many Thanks,
Christian