Getting Ready for Winter

[Marlene A. Sassaman]

Someone else just posted a message asking for tips about winterizing. Here in Sunny Florida we winterize by changing our weekly night racing to Sunday afternoons, leave work early on Friday to sail down the river where we drop anchor and sleep late on Saturday morning. Around noon or 1 pm, we clean the bottom of the boat as our excuse to go for a refreshing swim with the dolphins in the continually shifting waters at Sebastian Inlet. Then, around 4 pm we pull up the anchor and drift over to a deserted island where we unload the grill, steaks and salad. After a luscious meal under the starry skies we crawl into sleeping bags. Some of us stay on the island while others climb aboard and rest their weary bodies on the comfy trampolines that bridge the outer amas to the main hull of my Corsair.

Ay, what a way to spend the winter. This is what you mean by winterizing isn't it?

[Aquamarine]

I wish!!!!!!!

[Liv]

Winterizing:
getting to the marina at the last possible moment before they pull the docks from under us.
We're always the last boat out.
I've unpacked a years supply of food, clothing, the library.. pet stuff , art stuff.. the works before hand. Sails are in their bags already, boom is blocking the companion way.. The mast has to come down.. so there's some moments of anxiety until that job is done.
Now there's chaos on board. The rigging is everywhere and we're tripping over it.
The dog lost his space on the cabin roof and is upset .. I'm upset because it's the last day on the boat for us.
We're finally ready to motor to the boat launch and the engine quits.. It had run earlier. It's condensation in the fuel lines.. The current throws us against the other docks and I'm busy with the boat hook while he feverishly works to get the engine started. We finally make it to the boat launch.
The van is already partially submerged , exhaust bubbling and coughing in the water.. I fight the current to line the boat up with the trailer and I'm afraid the entire rig will roll backwards and disappear in the river. It happend last summer when a police boat lost their vehicle and trailer. that way. LOL..
But all goes well and now the clean up begins.
The boat is now tarped and all that is left of the sailing season is memories and photos.
How I dread this last day of the season and how I look forward to next year.
All there's left is to escape to ' story line, desert islands' and let the imagination go wild.
Until next year.