....and.... no leaks! 💪💪
Got to the club about 9:30, parked up and transferred the last of the seemingly huge quantity of gear that I'd cleared out at the end of last season - it seems to get bigger every year! All the cabin cushions, outboard, blankets, cockpit cushions, fuel, boom, new jib...
Cup of tea later, and the guys with the tractor and hoist picked her up and plonked her on the mud right at the bottom of the slipway.. practically a carbon copy of where I'd been the year before last so I knew I'd be away soon but there was still a decent wait for tide so I cracked on with some other jobs.. I stored the builders planks I'd used to sit her on, tomorrow I'll do the same for the other bits and pieces...
Next job was to fetch the tender, tie that off on the back of the boat (for getting back from the mooring), and then return the trolley to the pen...
Cup of tea and a bacon butty later, and it was time to jump on the boat as the tide was beginning to make its presence felt.. with no support for the nose I had to keep weight in the cockpit and over the keels, but I had time to get the cockpit sole up ready for launch as I was still unsure about those sea-cocks (and it's not just me by the way, one of the guys had replaced a stern gland this winter and he'd been down twice to check already! 😀)
Floated off about 20 minutes later, and ten minutes after that I was on the mooring, but not before having checked at least a dozen times there was no leakage!
Had a snooze, tidied up, sorted out the warps/ropes/crap, splashed beer on boat, sea and (inside) me for a good season, and headed for home... I'll go out again tomorrow morning to have another check...
Just need to get the mast up now..
Got to the club about 9:30, parked up and transferred the last of the seemingly huge quantity of gear that I'd cleared out at the end of last season - it seems to get bigger every year! All the cabin cushions, outboard, blankets, cockpit cushions, fuel, boom, new jib...
Cup of tea later, and the guys with the tractor and hoist picked her up and plonked her on the mud right at the bottom of the slipway.. practically a carbon copy of where I'd been the year before last so I knew I'd be away soon but there was still a decent wait for tide so I cracked on with some other jobs.. I stored the builders planks I'd used to sit her on, tomorrow I'll do the same for the other bits and pieces...
Next job was to fetch the tender, tie that off on the back of the boat (for getting back from the mooring), and then return the trolley to the pen...
Cup of tea and a bacon butty later, and it was time to jump on the boat as the tide was beginning to make its presence felt.. with no support for the nose I had to keep weight in the cockpit and over the keels, but I had time to get the cockpit sole up ready for launch as I was still unsure about those sea-cocks (and it's not just me by the way, one of the guys had replaced a stern gland this winter and he'd been down twice to check already! 😀)
Floated off about 20 minutes later, and ten minutes after that I was on the mooring, but not before having checked at least a dozen times there was no leakage!
Had a snooze, tidied up, sorted out the warps/ropes/crap, splashed beer on boat, sea and (inside) me for a good season, and headed for home... I'll go out again tomorrow morning to have another check...
Just need to get the mast up now..
Excellent. I'll be down to the Heron tomorrow to have breakfast and put the mast up....and I'll still be checking for leaks too.
ReplyDeletePeter - I wonder if all boat owners are the same... first thing I do when coming aboard is lift the cabin sole just under the hatch step.. every time.. I should hinge the bloody thing.. :o)
DeleteAnd the reason for not launching with the mast up is?
ReplyDeleteHiya Paul - as Chris says my launching point is the other side of the bridge you can see.. the alternative is a long trip all the way round the island which is a bit touch and go in a small boat on one tide... though I have done it... once... :o)
DeleteIf you look behind Sparrow, you can see the reason why she was launched with the mast down...
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you as we passed yesterday, Steve. Of course, us rowers have been out on the water all winter...
ReplyDeleteChris - you rowing guys keep me going through the winter with your posts! Looking good yesterday - hope the beer was worth it.. :o)
DeleteOh here in the frozen north we are well ahead of you.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I anchored Shafa for the first time.
Well done Dave... PS. Don't tell anyone but I've never anchored in 5 years of sailing... :o)
DeleteLooking good... You can never have too much tea, beer or bacon buttys.. regardless of what the doc says :)
ReplyDeleteAmen Brother Jellybean.... PS. Went out again yesterday and still dry... looks like I may have done a good job on the seacocks!
DeleteShe looks good. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill - looking forward to getting the mast up - they always look a little sad with it stowed... :o)
Delete