April 9, 2024 

Here are a few paragraphs regarding our ten-year inspection. The TYI, following just five years after our five year inspection, is a standard inspection process for commercial vessels. The purpose is to ensure that we are keeping up with our regular maintenance and the natural wear and tear on the ship is not beyond the expected for a ship of our age. This process is on top of our usual annual inspections.

Our annual inspections are much more focused on safety equipment and processes. These take place over a two-day period. The first day is to have a look around the ship with the engineer and to check that the mechanical equipment is all functioning. No leaks or obvious signs of failure, any repairs that have been done are to a proper standard and not just a quick patch and that the ship is generally good nick. After time with the engineer, it is the chief mate's turn and all safety equipment is inspected. Life jackets, immersion suits, flares, harnesses, rescue boat equipment, fire fighting equipment etc. It is an extensive list and each piece of equipment must be accounted for and inspected.

The second day is much more about process and training. With the inspector aboard we leave the dock and head out into Lunenburg Bay. The crew demonstrate proficiency in launching and recovering rescue boats, fighting a fire, dealing with a crowd of passengers, setting and weighing anchor and abandoning ship. I also have my time with the inspector where we examine all the paperwork for the ship. This includes officer and crew licenses, certificates and medicals, stability papers, inspection reports for all our equipment, and registry papers. We generally also have a meal with the inspector while we are out. This allows for a more relaxed conversation about changes in the industry, the background of the officers and the general plans for the year. Our hope is that when the inspector leaves he is comfortable with the ship and the abilities of the crew and officers, and the cook!

The TYI is a much more in depth program and involves a much greater planning process so as not to interfere with our sailing season. This spring we pumped out a series of tanks allowing the inspector to have a look inside and assess their general condition. We have also looked at watertight hatches, tank vents, fire pumps, bilge pumps, gaskets surrounding ventilation hatches and the watertight bulkheads.

In the coming weeks we will go over the engines, the electrical system both A/C and D/C, the hydraulic system, the navigation system and firefighting detection system and alarms. On top of this we are also painting and varnishing the ship and getting ready to rig the blocks, halyards and sails.

As I wrote in the beginning, this is the start of an intensive look at the ship and her systems. It makes for a very busy time when you consider that we are also dealing with the normal running of the ship but more about those adventures in the installments to follow.