Going... going...

Sorely tempted to go sailing, but yesterday afternoon was devoted to getting the boat ready for a mast drop - possibly this weekend - but the way the forecast is shaping up probably another time...

First job was to get the jib genoa off, and as I'd bought the A frame with me, deploy that as well - all done...

A frame sits outside the roller furling/forestay so that the furler can be lowered safely to the deck as the mast is lowered... the A frame legs are secured to the chain plates - I have them on the centre ones (the uppers) at the moment, but on the day I'll shift them to the forward lowers as it pushes the frame forward about half a foot...

The new halyard diverter I fitted last year worked a treat - it was obvious where the halyard had sat in the eye strap, but unlike last year no physical damage to the rope - chuffed with that...

Next job was the mainsail - all done and contents wrapped within sail cover - this year I took the decision to take it all ashore as last year it filled the cabin so much it was difficult to move around below...  all done, even in my tender, though there was a couple of feet of overhang......

With the boom gone next job was the mast crutch - this year I decided on a change - last year the legs sat in the cockpit but this had the double effect of being a pain in the ar*e to physically get round when I needed to deploy the outboard (and the new one is bigger), but it was also unstable as the legs were only the width of the cockpit floor apart...  can't sit them on top of the cockpit lockers as then I can't open them, and then I noticed that the coamings extend beyond the back of the cockpit - ideal spot as the coaming will anchor the end of the legs...

Just waiting for a mast....

...and that was largely it, once I'd loaded the Suzuki outboard into the tender....  beer o'clock time, and I thought well deserved!