Preparation for lift...

Had no idea that that elongated tacking session the other day was actually going to be my last sail of the season, but so it has panned out.. 😏

A succession of low/light wind days, and insufficient tide, has caused all to come to an abrupt end, as I had commitments to make with the Jolly Boys to lower the mast. With signs that the weather is also about to break (and I've seen more than one forecast showing F8's this weekend) then the best place for Sparrow is ashore, safe and sound in the car park..

Before..

Monday, then, I went out in the tender to Sparrow in quite possibly the flattest calm I've seen in the moorings, and took the genoa off, and also the boom with main attached..

During...  genoa gone..

Like a mill pond - and perfect for the operation in question..

After..  all gone.. 

Sails/boom off and there was just time to install the mast crutch, this is the Mk2 version with the folding extendable arms, as trialled last year during the mast raising... 

I foresee a Mk3 version as the folding arms are excellent, but do not fold away as easily as I would like, and it has also been pointed out that the crutch doesn't need to be so high as the mast would still clear the  cabin top even if the cross piece was a foot lower..

Once all the sails were off and crutch on a quick check of all halyards and I noticed this on the jib halyard..

Nothing too serious but clearly where the halyard has been rubbing on the eye strap I use as a halyard diverter for the furler... new line is softer than the old one..

Cut a foot off and re-whipped the hard eye - jobs a good'un and that is officially the first job completed on the Winter '23/'24 list.. 😀

That was Monday, Tuesday I took the A frame, mast support, and mast rest out ready for the drop which was today, Wednesday.

The Jolly Boys convened this morning at the club (Rodders and t'other Dave) and having checked her availability, transferred to Sparrow via Mylor, the club workboat (makes life so much easier).

The mast drop was completed successfully, and very smoothly, no issues, no problems, all limbs and external body parts still in place and intact - other than using the main halyard as the restraint rope rather than the jib halyard to all intents and purposes it all went exactly as previously documented [clicky] ad nauseum.. excellent result. 😀

Job done, the team convened in the cockpit for beer, pork pies, and a new delicacy we've recently acquired a taste for 😋, before returning ashore triumphant.. good result. Thoughts now turn to lift out which may well be tomorrow..