Tom McIIrath watched nervously as a 300-tonne crane lifted his home into Wollongong Harbour on Thursday.
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The 64-year-old has spent more than two decades working on his 45-foot Motor Sailer, which will soon set sail towards the tropics.
‘‘It’s been a 24-year project,’’ Tom said.
‘‘I was nervous, but I’ve settled down now it’s in the water.’’
The slipway being closed for repairs meant the yacht was one of three that had to be lifted into the harbour.
Tom, who lives on the yacht, still has a bit more work to do vessel, but has his sights set on sailing away into retirement.
‘‘Now, I have to get used to living on the water,’’ he said.
Tom’s brother Danny, who was on hand to witness the lift and shift, said the milestone had been a long time coming.
‘‘It’s the first time it’s touched water in about 25 years,’’ Danny said.
‘‘It was good to see it happen for him.
‘‘We had a couple of beers and a couple of snag sandwiches [to celebrate].’’
Tom’s retirement plan is to sail to Innisfail, where he and Danny grew up, then possibly onto to the Kimberley.
‘‘He has two properties at Innisfail and one at Albion Park, but he prefers to live on his boat,’’ Danny said.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries revealed earlier this month it plans to spend up to $3 million to fix the decaying sea walls and other infrastructure around Belmore Basin.
The department told the Mercury the government is ‘‘planning a program of works around the harbour foreshore’’, which will be ‘‘subject to availability of government funding’’.