Back in Winter Storage

 The boat is back in winter storage. There are a lot of tasks waiting to be carried out yet. As I did last year, I will again create a list of priorities to do. And as last year the list will just partly have been executed before the next season begins.





 

Tiller Pilot Installed

 After the problems with setting sails described in the penultimate post I installed a tiller pilot today. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to try it out yet.

Since the tiller pilot can be easily detached for safety reasons, it can also easily fall into the water. That's why I secured it to the pushpit with the yellow strap.

 

Sailing on the Elbe in Light Winds

We tacked against the ebb current at 2 Beaufort and had to start the engine from time to time in order not to lose too much height.

Single-Handed Sailing

After rigging the boat last Sunday and changed the bent turnbuckle. I really wanted to sail this Sunday. Unfortunately, no fellow sailor could be found. Everyone had other appointments or wanted to sail their own boat. So I decided to sail alone. The wind was weak. Only 2 Beaufort. It shouldn't be a big problem. But when I wanted to set the mainsail on the Elbe, problems arose. Although I had fixed the tiller with a rope, the boat turned into the wind every time I let go of the tiller to operate the main halyard. I had to keep jumping back and forth between the tiller and the halyard. After the sails were set, I was done.

After I recovered, I considered resolving the problem.
The solution could be a tiller pilot.
I decided to start doing market research right away.

Ready to Sail (almost)

On weekend we stepped the mast, sorted the sheets and hallyards to new installed clutches, attached the sails, a lazy jack together with a lazy bag.
Almost everything worked without complications. There was only a small mishap when stepping the mast (see next photo).

The portside upper shroud turnbuckle was tilted and has been bent when the mast was rised.

Back in the Water

Antifouling Peels Off

My son discovered some small white spots on the port side next to the keel. A closer inspection showed that the antifouling is peeling off. Fortunately, only the small area next to the keel seems to be affected. But I don't know what the reason could be. I will investigate it the next days.

Area where the antifouling peeled off, after cleaning with a steel brush and washing with salmiak-water

 

Subsequent entry:
The reason for the poor adhesion of the antifouling is probably moisture from condensation or very humid conditions during curing. Thus a waxy film appeared on surface of cured epoxy.

Trim of the Boat Improved

When the boat was first launched in July 2018, it floated well on the DWL. But only if the crew was evenly distributed on the boat. As soon as there were more than two crew members in the cockpit, the scoop was flooded.

28th July 2018 after launching. The boat floats well on DWL

In order to overcome the problem, I decided to shifted the engine batteries (120 kg) from bulkhead G to bulkhead C.

I will see whether the action was successful in a few days when the boat goes to water.

Engine batteries shifted from bulkhead G to bulkhead C.

  

Installing A Depth Sounder

I have long resisted drilling a hole through the hull. But after some ground contacts it seams meaningful to me to install a depth sounder.

 

Hole for the depth sounder in front of bulkhead B

The Hole for the depth sounder met the old trailer support mark

3 cm Sapelli for strengthen the mounting area

I backed the hole with a piece of copper tube

Depth sounder mounting kit

The sapelli strengthening is painted

  

To prevent for leakage water I glued a plastic collar around the strengthening

 

Installing of the depth sounder finished

Installing Instruments

After the mishap with the cutout for the compass on the wrong side, the hole on starboardside has to be concealed. Unfortunately the cutout is larger than required for the depth sounder and the wind display. In order to overcome the problem I decided to build an alcove for the instruments.

Cutout for the Compass on the Wrong Side

For many years it was clear to me that the compass should be installed on the port side, next to the companionway. The navigation instruments should be installed on the starboard side.

On the day I wanted to saw the compass cutout, my dear wife also happened to be at the shipyard. She showered me with arguments about why the compass should be installed on the starboard side. Since she has had good ideas many times and I just couldn't think of any counter-arguments, I gave in and sawed the cutout on the starboard side.

The next evening, just before I fell asleep, I realized why the compass should be on the port side. It should be as far as possible from electrical instruments and the switch panel in order to protect it from magnetic stray fields!
For a few days I wondered if I should take the risk of installing instruments and compass so close together. Then I decided to do it not. So I sawed a second compass cutout on the port side.

One compass but two cutouts