Most of this post was compiled whilst still in the USA. Just didn't get round to completing it until now, 3 weeks after arriving home! So it is in effect the closing post to our 7th season of sailing aboard our own boat. This was the 7th time we prepared her for the winter break, so it is timely to record the winterising/decommissioning procedures more or less as they happen... Skip to EPILOGUE if irrelevant to you, dear and faithful reader.
DAY 1, whilst still at anchor in Swan Creek
Skipper: Service the engine. Involves changing the oil, and oil and fuel filters. Renewal of fan belt. Extraction of cooling water impeller. Clean out air intake chamber. General clean up of oil leaks from recently repaired gearbox (!)
First Mate: being on hand to help Skipper at a moment's notice with any task requiring an extra pair of hands BUT make sure not to get in the way! Provision of copious cups of tea, drinks of water, beer, whisky, wine, as necessary and of course food to fuel the worker(s), meals etc.
Other tasks: General tidy up in and on chart table; cupboard clear out; write blog post. Enjoy swim and sundowners as this is the penultimate day at 'sea'.
DAY 2, still at anchor in Swan Creek
Skipper: Dismantled blue water equipment on stern of yacht, i.e. battery charging - wind and water - generator (Duogen) and wind-steering system (Hydrovane).
First Mate: As above for day 1 AND continue sorting out paper work and throwing away a lot of it...otherwise much the same as day 1.
DAY 3, berthed alongside floating pontoon in Tidewater Yacht Services marina, Baltimore, having motored the 16nm from Swan Creek that morning.
Skipper and First Mate (combined effort): Whole afternoon spent removing the two sails, the jib and the mainsail. Each one has to have its battens removed before it can be taken down, lifted ashore and folded (quite complicated to get it right) and inserted into bag. Lift bags back onto boat and stow below.
First Mate: As for day 1
DAY 4, berthed alongside at Tidewater
Skipper: remove all running rigging - reefing lines and sheets - and any other lines, e.g. Jack stays, preventer lines and associated speed rings, lazy jacks, traveller, kicker. Replace all rigging lines with mousing lines. Coil and label all lines as they come off, then stow in forecabin locker.
First Mate: As for day 1; plus clean and wash dinghy, inside and out, fold and put into bag.
Together: using main halyard, lift life raft off the stern and stow below. Almost ready for haul out.
DAY 5, berthed alongside at Tidewater
Skipper and First Mate: climb up 65ft mast (him) whilst being belayed from below (her) in order to remove anemometer. Repair TV aerial whilst aloft. Bind in halyards to mast to prevent them escaping and flapping in wind.
Skipper: bring remainder of Duogen in-board so it no longer sticks out from stern. Flush outboard engine with fresh water. Pour spare diesel from emergency cans into main tank.
First Mate: As for day 1; plus clean big white ball fender; take inventory of stores to be left on board. Refreshments supplied on demand.
DAY 6, admin day.
Together: Borrowed courtesy car from boatyard. Once we had fathomed how to operate this so-called 'smart' BMW, visited West Marine chandlers for antifreeze, US Customs & Border Agency to cancel our Cruising Permit, and finally the laundromat for two large loads of washing.
Skipper in p.m., drained all the sinks, heads and showers and poured antifreeze through. Later, Reed the Rigger visited Follyfin to diagnose the suspicious noise heard in the saloon under the mast when sailing close-hauled. He reckons that the mount on top of the pole that supports the mast at deck level has become bent, thus allowing the mast to move slightly when the sails are in use. Remedy is to jack up the supporting pole from the bottom and slip an extra sliver of stainless steel under the existing rigid stainless steel plate that sits under the mast on the sole of the boat. Sounds like £££ but it has to be done to be safe in the future.
First Mate: as for day 1.
DAY 7, Follyfin hauled out of water at 08:00. After thorough pressure wash of the hull, she was moved into her winter storage position. By 11:00 she was settled onto her supports.
Skipper and First Mate: remove Bimini, fold and stow. Remove spray hood, fold and stow. Main halyard and topping lift brought down and replaced with mousing lines. The boom, normally held in position by the topping lift, is safely lowered to rest on the side of the cockpit, and the kicking strap (aka the Vang) normally connected to the boom similarly lowered to rest on the coachhouse roof.
Skipper: finish winterising the engine, antifreeze to replace cooling water.
First Mate: wash anchor, anchor chain and rode, store it on pallet on ground beneath bow of boat. Place covers on winches, helms and table. Supply succour to Skipper as above.
DAY 8: last day in USA. Morning spent packing and generally tidying up.
Skipper ticking off last items on extensive checklist; it has >30 items.
First Mate: empty fridge, dispose of surplus perishables and bottled water. At 16:00 contacted Uber for ride to airport for 19:00 flight. Phew - its over!
EPILOGUE
So that's it from the Skipper and me for several months. We are not looking forward to the wet and cold of a UK winter, having spent the last two in or near the Tropics. But we are really enjoying being back on land, especially not having to worry about weather and, for me, loving having a proper cooker on which to produce meals, not to mention unlimited water on tap and showers whenever we want them! So it only remains for us to thank you all for reading this blog recording our adventures aboard Follyfin - until next Spring when Follyfin will once again be afloat!
Our home in winter...fresh snow, pretty but cold!
