Catch up - and the first boat goes in...

...the life jacket service is complete - no issues, and the jackets remained firm after a 24 hour inflation - all good for another season, though they really are beginning to get old... 😏

One job done..

Another job is also nearing completion - super excited to take delivery at the tail end of last week of the new standing rigging..

...and even more excitingly the new roller furler - shiny'ness in the extreme...

..new and old side by side...

At this point in time I have re-fitted the port and starboard lowers, I'm just waiting on a break in the almost constant deluge we've had in the UK since seemingly last November to finish off the other bits - attach the new furler, then uppers, and also backstay - it'll be done sometime this week if the forecast is to be believed...

Once that's done my plan is to get a quorate of the Jolly Boys to put the mast up while I'm still on the hard - one to make sure the stays are all the right length and everything fits, and two to ensure I don't need to make any changes to the foresail as a result of the new furler (either luff length, or luff bolt rope)... much easier to know of any issues while she's ashore rather than when she's on the water.

Then finally - the first of the Jolly Boy boats has been launched - AmiLy was launched at the tail end of last week..

She's always the first as Rodders gets a winter contract from Premier and they don't give away anything free... either way, after the quick tighten of a raw water inlet bowl (😏) all was well on board, and once again we got that smell of "boat" - a mix of plastic, fuel, and sea...

We bought her round to Whale Island on Friday - no plot as I forgot so last years will do as the route, speed and distance would be exactly the same. Overjoyed to be sat on the cabin roof with a forward mooring line in hand chatting to Smithy who has the stern line, as yet again we come in for a safe along side...  😀

Brilliant - thought this winter would never end... 

Next jobs - finish the standing rigging, and then we bend on the sails on AmiLy, hopefully this week..

Log:

Distance: 4.0 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F4 ; SWxS
Sail Plan: n/a
Speed (Max/average in knots): 6 / 3.3